Central defense holds off Cabot

Ellis “Scooter” Register’s message to his Little Rock Central defense never changed Friday night.

“You just tell them, ‘Don’t break, don’t break,’ ” Register said.

The Tigers never did, and eventually got enough offense for a 17-3 victory over Cabot in a 7A/6A-East Conference game at Quigley-Cox Stadium in Little Rock.

“We just had to do what we had to do tonight to try and get a win,” Register said.

The Central (4-3, 3-1) defense held injury-depleted Cabot scoreless twice after getting inside the 5, and an offense that got second-half touchdowns on a diving catch made by Tim Coulter in the back of the end zone and Richard Hayes’ 41-yard burst up the middle.

The Panthers (4-3, 2-2) held a slight edge in total yards, 285-264, but never could crack the end zone without leading rusher Jacob Ferguson, and quarterback Jarrod Barnes II played only defense in the second half. Ferguson tore a meniscus in last week’s game against West Memphis and watched on crutches Friday, while Barnes hurt his thumb in the first half.

Cabot Coach Mike Malham said Ferguson is his team’s usual backup quarterback, but with him out, Logan Melder had to play in a varsity game for the first time.

The Panthers, who lost three fumbles, were held to 87 yards in the second half and managed a 30-yard field goal by Christian Underwood that made it 10-3 in the fourth quarter.

“You don’t expect to have to go to your third- team quarterback,” Malham said. “Without your option quarterback you’re kind of hurt.”

Cabot created chances in the first half even without Ferguson.

The Panthers got to the Tigers’ 3 in the second quarter, but Barnes’ rolled out to pass on fourth and goal before he fumbled out of bounds. They got to the Central 1 on

“The kids bought into it, and a couple of times they had to bow their backs a little bit, and that

was huge.” — LIttle Rock Central Coach Ellis “Scooter”

Register

their next possession before Barnes was stopped on a fourth-and-goal sneak.

“They were confident all week with what we were going to do,” Register said. “The kids bought into it, and a couple of times they had to bow their backs a little bit, and that was huge.”

The Tigers finally got into the end zone late in the third quarter. After Jacob Buchanan recovered a fumble on Cabot’s 17, Central appeared to have stalled without gaining a yard. But on fourth and 10 from the 17, Westbrook rolled to his left and lofted a ball to the back of the end zone that was caught by a diving Coulter to make it 10-0.

Cabot responded with Underwood’s 30-yard field goal, before Westbrook floated a pass that Hayden McCarty caught diving along the sideline on third down to keep the drive going. Seven plays later, Hayes burst up the middle for the clinching score.

Underwood completed 15 of 26 passes for 154 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, while McCarty caught 8 passes for 104 yards.

“They made the plays when they had to and we didn’t, “Malham said. “Pretty simple. They just beat us.” NORTH LITTLE ROCK 70, SEARCY 0

SEARCY — Keith Land passed for 250 yards and five touchdowns as North Little Rock (6-1, 4-0) rolled to a 7A/6AEast victory over Searcy (3-4, 2-2).

Fabian Lewis had two catches for touchdowns and 88 yards receiving. K.J. Hill caught a 60-yard touchdown pass as part of his three-reception, 78-yard night.

D.J. Brown ran 11 and 60 yards for touchdowns and Alex Day had an 8-yard touchdown run among North Little Rock’s other scores.