Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Catholic coasts, survives bumpy finish
Little Rock Catholic controlled Siloam Springs for most of the second half Thursday night, but it had to hold off the Panthers late to escape with a 30-22 victory at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Siloam Springs pulled to within 30-22 on Robert Washington’s 97yard kickoff return for a touchdown and recovered the onside kick with 2:51 left. But the Rockets (4-3, 3-1 7A/6A-Central) held the Panthers (3-3, 1-3) on downs and ran out the clock.
Catholic held Siloam Springs to 25 yards in the second half and intercepted quarterback Christopher Lampton three times.
“All year long, our defense has been playing really well,” Rockets Coach John Fogleman said. “Guys up front have given them fits.”
Offensively, the Rockets outgained the Panthers 337-217.
Andre Sale completed 18 of 29 passes for 229 yards and 1 touchdown. The senior also had 45 rushing yards on nine carries. Trey Purifoy caught 9 passes for 124 yards, and Burke Sanders had 4 catches for 63 yards and 1 touchdown.
“I was really pleased with Sale and Purifoy on the outside,” Fogleman said. “Our other guys, Sanders and [Austin] Chumley, made some good catches over the middle.”
The Rockets led 16-14 at halftime and extended their lead to 23-14 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter on Sale’s 2-yard touchdown run.
Catholic linebacker Josh Pinter intercepted Lampton inside the Panthers 10, and Rockets offensive lineman Ben Pinter recovered his brother Josh’s fumble in the end zone on the next offensive play to make it 30-14 with 3:05 left.
The Rockets took a 6-0 lead with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Sale to Sanders on fourth and 12, but the extra-point attempt by Michael Williamson failed.
Siloam Springs answered with a six-play, 80-yard drive that resulted with Parker Baldwin’s 40-yard touchdown catch to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead with 6:14 left in the first quarter.
Williamson kicked a 22-yard field goal with 7:41 left in the first half to make it 9-7 Catholic.
Lampton was intercepted by junior linebacker Forrest Dunkum, who went 27 yards for a touchdown to extend the Rockets’ lead to 16-7 with 5:41 left in the half.
The Panthers drove 68 yards in 10 plays over 3:37, and Baldwin’s 18yard reception on third and 10 set up Richard Hughes’ 10-yard touchdown run that pulled Siloam Springs to within 16-14.
Lampton completed 13 of 28 passes for 191 yards and 3 interceptions. Baldwin caught 4 passes for 98 yards, and Washington had 69 yards on 4 catches.
The Panthers had 12 penalties for 122 yards, which left Coach Bryan Ross frustrated.
“You can’t make as many mistakes as we made and expect to win the game,” Ross said.
Catholic travels to Conway next week, and Siloam Springs heads to Greenwood.