Jonesboro Westside falls to Prairie Grove
CLASS 4A
PRAIRIE GROVE 28, JONESBORO WESTSIDE 10
PRAIRIE GROVE — Same script, same result.
Prairie Grove fell behind early then pulled away for a 28-10 victory over Jonesboro Westside on Friday in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs at Tiger Stadium.
Prairie Grove advances to a second-round game next week against Lamar. Prairie Grove defeated Blytheville last year before being eliminated in the second round at Rivercrest.
Friday’s game unfolded much like last week when Prairie Grove fell behind Elkins before pulling away for a 45-19 victory. The task was a bit tougher against Jonesboro Westside, which went 76 yards for a touchdown on its first possession and led 10-7 midway through the second quarter. But long touchdown runs by Ethan Miller and Colin Faulk pushed Prairie Grove (9-2) ahead and into the second round.
“Our plan was to get them out in three [downs] and they took it all the way down and used up the whole quarter,” Prairie Grove Coach Danny Abshier said. “But Miller is so fast and we had some good blocking out there, too.”
Prairie Grove took a 14-10 lead at halftime following a 66-yard run by Miller with 4:12 left in the second quarter. Faulk then ran 68 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to put Prairie Grove ahead 21-10. Miller finished with over 200 yards rushing and Faulk had over 100 yards to lead the Tigers’ ground game.
Sophomore Conner Huber provided two big plays when he intercepted a rare pass by Westside and scored minutes later on a 10-yard run. Camden Patterson added an interception late in the game for Prairie Grove to keep Westside scoreless in the second half.
“We did a good job defensively, but I think they just wore out in the second half,” Abshier said. “They got tired.”
Westside (4-7) took the opening kickoff and drove 76 yards in 22 running backs that ate up the whole first quarter. It was old-style football with three backs often stacked behind the quarterback, Gus Yearta, who pushed ahead for a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter.
Prairie Grove responded quickly after Paytin Higgins returned the ensuing kickoff to the Westside 20-yard line. Faulk scored later on a 3-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
Prairie Grove fumbled on its next series and Westside turned the mistake into a 23yard field goal by Hayden Alls to regain the lead. Miller took a handoff in the second quarter and scooted down the sideline to give Prairie Grove the lead for good at 14-10. The Tigers had another opportunity just before halftime but a pass attempt from the 23 to Landon Semrad was intercepted at the Westside 5 with 10 seconds left.