Saints run away with conference win over Lions, 62-12

GRAVETTE — It was a rough night for Gravette fans as the Lions made their final home appearance in Lion Stadium Friday night. The final result? The Saints ran over the Lions by 50.

Prior to the Gravette-Shiloh Christian Contest, the seniors from not only the football team but also the band, cheerleaders, golf, and cross-country were recognized and given a rousing ovation for their many years (some as many as eight years) of service to both their individual sports and to the Lion athletic program.

Soon the Gravette marching band struck up the Lion fight song and the team burst through a large banner as it headed to the bench for the start of the contest.

For the first three and a half minutes of the opening quarter, the Lions and Saints were testing each others’ offense and defense. That changed when, at the 8:16 mark, a Rhett Hilger handoff to Ethan Ellis at the Saints’ four-yard line produced the first touchdown of the contest. The Lions tried for a twopoint conversion but the Saints’ defense held the line and the attempt failed. This was the only time the Lions held the lead in the contest.

Just over a minute later, the Saints crossed the goal line for Shiloh’s first touchdown of the night. The contest was tied at six until Caleb Anderson kicked the ball, splitting the uprights for the extra point, and Saints led by one.

A Gravette fumble halfway through the quarter led Shiloh’s Jacob Soloman to cross the goal line for the Saints’ next touchdown. Anderson’s point-after kick split the uprights once again and Shiloh increased its lead to 14-6. A pair of touchdowns by Saints running back Bo Williams, coupled with two more point-afters by Anderson, gave the Saints a 28-6 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Shiloh defense foiled the several Lion marches toward the end zone during the second quarter but Shiloh running backs Soloman, Williams, Eli Wisdom and Copper Hutchinson had one touchdown each, while Anderson hit three out of four point-afters, giving the Saints a 55-6 lead going into the halftime break.

The second half calmed down considerably for the Saints with only one touchdown and a point after for the entire 24 minutes. The Lions ramped up their attack on the end zone several times during the half. However, the Saints’ defense foiled all but one attempt.

Late in the fourth quarter, as the clock was ticking down to zero, a handoff from Hilger to one of his running backs near the Saints’ 10-yard line produced the Lions’ second touchdown of the contest. The point-after attempt failed and the Lions cut the Saints lead down to 50 points.

As the final buzzer sounded for the last time this season at Lion Stadium, the Shiloh Christian Saints defeated the Gravette Lions, 62-12, for the conference win.

Shiloh’s Caleb Anderson hit eight of nine pointafters to aid in the Saints’ win over Gravette.

The Gravette Lions travel south on Nov. 5 for its annual rivalry contest with the Gentry Pioneers, with a 7 p.m. start.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS A Lion running back literally flies into the end zone after being knocked off balance by several Saint defenders during the fourth quarter of the Gravette-Shiloh Christian football contest Friday night. The Lion running back’s aerial feat landed him in the middle of the end zone for Gravette’s second touchdown of the contest.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Rhett Hilger (Gravette 1) intercepts a pass intended for Saint receiver Jacob Solomon (4) during the third quarter of the Friday night Gravette-Shiloh Christian football showdown in Gravette. Unfortunately, the drive this play sparked failed to produce a touchdown for Gravette.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Quarterback Rhett Hilger laterals the ball to Esteban Pastor (32) during the first quarter of the Gravette-Shiloh Christian varsity football contest at Lion Stadium in Gravette Friday night. Pastor managed to get 15 yards on the play for a Lion first down.