Tigers top Rockets

Keeling Baker kicked a 28-yard field goal on the final play to give Little Rock Central a 17-14 victory over Little Rock Catholic, assuring the Tigers (6-4) of their first winning season since 2014.

LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL 17, LITTLE ROCK CATHOLIC 14

Little Rock Central broke through Friday for its first winning season since 2014.

With temperatures near freezing at War Memorial Stadium, the Tigers handled Little Rock Catholic 17-14.

Senior Keeling Baker connected on a 28-yard field goal on the final play to give the Tigers, who won one game last season, their sixth victory of 2019.

“That was a big kick,’’ LR Central Coach Kent Laster said. “He’s been our special teams player of the week the past two weeks, and now he’s going to get it again.”

The Tigers (6-4, 3-4 7A-Central) trailed 14-7 midway through the fourth quarter when the Rockets misplayed a punt to give the Tigers possession at the LR Catholic 5 with 5:35 to play. Junior running back Sam Franklin weaved his way in from the 5 on the next play to tie the game at 14-14.

After the teams swapped possessions, Catholic set up for its final possession at its own 11 with 2:31 left after Baker’s 58-yard punt rolled dead. LR Catholic gained 3 yards on three plays and punted.

With 1:30 left, LR Central’s winning possession started at the 44. Franklin got to the edge for 20 yards on first down. A pass interference call set the Tigers up at the 14. Franklin gained 3 yards to the 11, and on second down he ran up the middle to set up the winning kick.

“This was a monumental win over a great Catholic team,’’ Laster said. “They had not lost much coming in. I’m just proud of our players because they just kept believing. That was a breakthrough win.”

Both advance to the Class 7A playoffs. The Tigers are the 7A-Central’s No. 6 seed and will be at Springdale HarBer on Friday.

LR Catholic (6-4, 4-3) fell to the No. 4 seed and will play at home against Van Buren in the first round.

The Rockets took a 7-0 lead after Alex Davis recovered a LR Central fumble on the game’s second play to set up the drive. Jordan Edington hit Nathan Johnson with an 8-yard touchdown pass, and Paul Owen kicked the extra point for a 7-0 edge.

LR Central tied the game on a 67-yard run by Franklin with 4:42 left in the quarter.

The Rockets regained the advantage after a John Henry Duce interception set up LR Catholic at the Tigers’ 13. Edington hit Collins Olaimey on an 11-yard score with 8:17 left in the third quarter.

LR Catholic missed scoring opportunities with a missed field goal and a fumble at the LR Central 20.

FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE 35, FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE 12

FORT SMITH — Fort Smith Northside led 21-0 at halftime and took care of its rival Fort Smith Southside.

The Grizzlies (3-7, 1-6 7A-Central) defeated the Mavericks (1-9, 0-7) for the fourth consecutive season. But this season is the first time since 1980 that both Fort Smith Northside and Fort Smith Southside will miss the state playoffs.

Dreyden Norwood led Fort Smith Northside with two touchdown runs of 17 and 56 yards. He also threw a 68yard touchdown pass to Tyheen Prosise.

Ty Massey also had a touchdown run for the Grizzlies.