Collision flattens Parker, not Cards

BENTON HARMONY GROVE 36, HORATIO 20

HASKELL — Benton Harmony Grove, led by quarterback Landen Lewis’ two touchdown passes to Colby Byrd, defeated Horatio 3620 in 5-3A Conference action Friday night at Sykes Stadium. Lewis also ran for a touchdown and two-point conversion.

The victory propelled the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance against Charleston next Friday night at Charleston.

“I think we can play a lot better. We played hard but I think we can play better,” Harmony Grove Coach Jimmy “Red” Parker said.

Parker was in a collision on the sideline on an out-ofbounds tackle that knocked him out of his golf cart with about eight minutes left in the game. That left the stadium silent for about a minute as the trainers attended to Parker.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Parker, 82, said after the game. Asked if he was knocked out on the play, he laughed and said: “I’m not sure, I’m really not sure,” as he walked to greet his team in the middle of the field.

Defense ruled the first half as Harmony Grove led 14-8 after two quarters.

The Cardinals took the kickoff to open the second half and drove 64 yards in 13 plays capped by an 18-yard pass from Lewis to Byrd to go ahead 22-8 with 5:59 left in the third quarter after the twopoint run by Lewis.

Horatio drove 60 yards in six plays and scored on a 4-yard run by Dalton Wilkerson with 4:08 left in the third to pull within 22-14 after a run for two points was stopped.

Lewis connected on a 36yard pass to Byrd with 8:36 left in the game to go ahead 29-14 after George Vasquez kicked the extra point.

The Lions answered with a 12-play, 51-yard drive capped by a 2-yard run by Wilkerson to pull within 29-20 with 4:33 left.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jon Johnson raced to the Lions’ 26 and on the first play, Lewis ran around left end to the end zone for the final score with 3:36 left, after Vasquez made the kick.