Seniors Go Out With Powder Puff Triumph

PRAIRIE GROVE — Senior Camree Bartholomew was all over the field as the Class of 2017 won their final athletic competition of high school.

The seniors won their second straight Powder Puff football game with an 18-0 victory over the junior class May 16, just days before graduating from Prairie Grove High School.

Bartholomew, who plans to major in business at the University of Arkansas, played every down, going both ways as a quarterback running the offense and making a game-changing interception on defense. The play was huge after the seniors couldn’t finish their opening drive, turning the ball over on downs inside the junior 10.

Senior footballer Jack Stone, who played tackle as a two-way starter for the 2016 Tiger squad that reached the state semifinals, was among Prairie Grove students keenly interested in the outcome. Stone’s younger sister, Sarah penetrated the senior backfield, making three consecutive tackles for losses to thwart a senior drive inside the junior’s 10-yard-line.

“As much as I hate to say it, she’s done pretty good, she’s tearing us up,” Jack Stone said, while cheering on the senior girls.

The juniors had trouble with low snaps in the shotgun hitting the turf and putting the ball out of play according to Powder Puff rules. A bad snap put the line of scrimmage at the juniors’ one and Josie Williams recorded a safety for the seniors to put them up, 2-0.

The score at halftime stayed at 2-0 with defenses dominating. The game featured the top athletic talent among Prairie Grove girls for both classes. Junior softball leadoff hitter, Kylie Scott, nearly came away with a “pick six” early in the second half, but couldn’t hold onto the football.

After the seniors punted, Bartholomew helped the seniors flip the field with an interception of her own on third-and-12.

“It (the interception) was a surprise to me, I tackled one of my own players to get it,” Bartholomew said.

Her runback set up a touchdown. Bartholomew ran a quarterback keeper to the wide side of the field, turning the corner and racing 18 yards to paydirt.

Senior two-sport athlete (softball and volleyball) Anna Kidd tacked on the 2-point conversion with a carry giving the seniors a 10-0 advantage.

Senior volleyball power hitter Riley Gerwig had an impact, as a blocker on offense and making tackles on defense. She made a tackle for a loss to put the juniors in a hole to begin their next drive, which ended with a turnover on downs on Kidd’s stop.

Realizing the clock was running out on their Prairie Grove athletic careers, the seniors put together a last-second scoring drive. They may have caught the juniors taking a breath after a penalty put the seniors in a second-and-15 from the 28 with less than 10 seconds to play.

Bartholomew dropped back and threw a scoring pass to Madison Beaver with seven seconds left. Bartholomew ran in the 2-point conversion untouched as time expired with the seniors taking an 18-0 victory.

Like Bartholomew, Gerwig played every down and enjoyed the experience.

“It’s really fun, just getting to play,” Gerwig said. “There is a natural competition between the seniors and juniors, but everybody tries to have fun.”

Gerwig will major in athletic training at the University of Arkansas and was soaking up one of the last moments of high school.

“I try to enjoy it all because we won’t have many more of these moments before we graduate this weekend.”

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Prairie Grove 2017 graduate Riley Gerwig represented the senior class during a May 16 Powder Puff girls football game between the seniors and juniors. The seniors won 18-0. Gerwig was an outstanding volleyball player for the Lady Tigers during her high...