Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Opportunistic Offense Complements Defense
PRAIRIE GROVE EXTENDS CONFERENCE WIN STREAK TO 20 GAMES
PRAIRIE GROVE — An opportunistic offense complemented a staunch defensive effort that carried Prairie Grove (6-0, 3-0 4A-1) to a 35-21 hard-fought victory over Shiloh Christian (4-2, 2-1) Friday.
The victory extended the Tiger winning streak in conference play to 20 games. For Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier giving quarterback J.D. Elder time to read and make throws was imperative because the Saints were keying on halfback Anthony Johnson.
“We’ve got to throw it cause they’re on top of us on the run game,” Abshier said.
After the second of five first half turnovers on downs by Shiloh, the Tigers picked up a first down on four straight runs, then went aerial in a big way. J.D. Elder, son of assistant coach John Elder, completed a long pass to Stone Bryant, who took the play 68 yards to the Saints 9. A sideline interference penalty on Shiloh moved the ball to the five and J.D. Elder ran for the touchdown on a quarterback keeper. Ben Beason booted the extra-point as the Tigers claimed a 7-0 lead.
“This was the first real competition we’ve had,” said Prairie Grove senior offensive lineman Will Hawkins, who moved from tackle to center to offset Shiloh’s beef on the interior.
“Whenever they (Shiloh) put in No. 76 (Logan Kallesen, 6-4, 283) he’d rush really hard. We had to keep him out of there. Their linebackers were what really shut us down the entire game. They were slanting really hard and they’re not little.”
Shiloh answered with a long kickoff return leading to Jaret Russ’ 5-yard score and the game was tied at 7-7 at the close of the first period.
The Tigers stopped Shiloh drives on downs twice early in the second. Needing to generate some points, the offense produced back-toback scoring drives, sandwiched around the recovery of an onside kick. The passing game was critical to Tiger success. J.D. Elder threw touchdown passes of 25 yards to DeMarkus Cooper and 30 yards to Stone Bryant, who wrested the ball away from a Saint defensive back as they crashed to the turf in the end zone.
“It was a great game. The coaches made a great call every time we needed,” said Stone Bryant. “My teammates set me up to make plays.”
Leading 20-14, the Tigers took the second half kickoff and moved 63 yards before turning the ball over on downs at Shiloh Christian’s 13 — a yard short of a first down. This time the Saints flipped the field, going 87 yards in 7 plays. Russ’ 5-yard run and Caden Carter’s kick pushed the Saints out to a 21-20 lead at the 4:07 mark of the third.
Shiloh Christian could not capitalize on a golden opportunity to increase their lead after Reagan Neal intercepted an ill-advised throw and the Saints took over facing another short field from the Tiger 27. They converted a fourth down and surveyed first-and-goal from the Tiger 10, but the Tigers wouldn’t allow them to reach paydirt.
Ethan Guenther deflected a pass toward the sideline, then the next two throws were incomplete. On fourthand-goal a screen pass was stopped after a 5-yard gain and the football reverted to the Tigers on downs. With a shift in momentum, Prairie Grove went to work.
Hawkins and the Tiger front created running lanes. A 9-yard dash by Johnson was followed by Collin Bryant’s 2-yard run for a first down at the 16. Johnson ran for 8 yards, then Cooper carried for 7. Fullback Aaron Preston contributed an 11-yard carry and Johnson added 4 more. On secondand-six from the Tiger 46, J.D. Elder hit Stone Bryant on another deep route for a 54-yard touchdown. Johnson ran wide to the left pylon to tack on a 2-point conversion and Prairie Grove’s lead was 28-21 with 8:05 to go.
“It was 20-21, for us you have to open holes,” Hawkins said. “It’s going to be over if you don’t. You just got to get in that mindset of mind over matter. That game for me was a lot better than last year. I was more physical. I lost 30 pounds so I could hit harder, run faster and play better.”
After an exchange of punts, Shiloh Christian began at the Tiger 46. That drive was short-lived. Stone Bryant picked off Landon Brown’s pass at the Prairie Grove five. The Tigers milked the clock with a wise decision by J.D. Elder to tuck the ball in and run on thirdand-six. He was cut down short, but the running play induced Shiloh Christian to spend their second time-out.
Coming out of the timeout, Prairie Grove lined up four wide receivers bunched to the left on fourth-and-five. The Saints were unprepared to defend the formation and burned their final time-out. The Tigers then came out in a regular punt formation and J.D. Elder got off a booming kick that went 50 yards.
Cooper nailed the door shut on Shiloh Christian by intercepting a pass and returning the ball 47 yards to the house for a clinching touchdown with 1:15 to play.
“He’s obviously has a little bit more speed than I’ve been seeing in 40-yard dashes because he sure was scooting to the end zone,” Abshier said. “Not many people had much gas left so he was running on fumes.”
Beason’s kick lifted the Tigers to a two-score margin of 35-21.
“This was the first real competition we’ve had.” Will Hawkins Tigers’ senior offensive lineman