Conway, Chamorro plow through Alma from start

CONWAY — There was no slow start for the top-ranked Conway Wampus Cats on Friday.

Kevin Chamorro scored three touchdowns — the first of which came on the game’s first play from scrimmage — and the Wampus Cats cruised to a 35- 0 victory over the struggling Alma Airedales in a 7A/6A-Central Conference game at John McConnell Stadium.

Conway rallied from halftime deficits to defeat Van Buren and Greenwood the previous two weeks, but the unbeaten Cats (7-0, 4-0) had no such problems with Alma (3-4, 0-4). Conway led 21-0 nine minutes into the contest and 28-0 at the half.

A week after a 369-yard rushing effort against Greenwood, Chamorro, a 5- 10, 214-pound senior, was barely utilized against the Airedales, rushing eight times for 145 yards.

“His running has made my job a lot easier,” said Conway quarterback Breylin Smith, who was 14-of-19 passing for 190 yards. “He’s doing a great job and the offensive linemen are creating the holes for him. All Kevin needs is a seam. He’s a great running back. He’s a great asset to our team.”

Chamorro scored the first three times he touched the ball on runs of 59, 4 and 30 yards.

“It starts with the offensive line,” Conway Coach Clint Ashcraft said. “Those guys are doing a great job, but right now, Kevin is just in a zone. He’s seeing the field. He’s seeing the gaps. He’s hitting the creases and he’s running hard. We’re just happy for all of those guys who are having success.”

Conway’s defense was on its game as well.

The Wampus Cats held Alma to 156 total yards, including 55 yards in the final two quarters.

Alma drove into Conway territory twice in the second quarter but never came close to scoring. The Airedales reached the Conway 32 with 1:30 left before halftime, but a bad snap resulted in a 5-yard loss, and on the next play Conway’s Kaylan Pouncy recovered a fumble by Alma quarterback Alex Beneux.

Conway finished with 235 rushing yards, which included scoring runs of 33 and 22 yards by junior Mark Odom (5 carries, 62 yards).

Matt Cummins led the Wampus Cats in receiving with four catches for 81 yards. D.J. Johnson added five receptions for 46 yards and Brock Mitchell caught three passes for 43 yards.

The Wampus Cats compiled 425 yards of offense on 44 plays.

Beneux led Alma in rushing with 55 yards on 16 carries.

Alma’s defensive highlights came on an interception of a tipped ball by junior Thomas Hall and a fumble recovery in the end zone by junior Dallas Sisney.

Chamorro’s first touchdown came 15 seconds into the game.

Smith was 3- for-3 passing for 59 yards on the Cats’ second possession, but it was Chamorro’s touchdown at the 6:59 mark on the drive’s sixth play that gave Conway a 14-0 lead.

Odom scored on his 33yard run with 3:16 left in the opening quarter to cap a three-play, 67-yard drive.

Chamorro scored on a 30yard run on a direct snap with 5:29 for the second quarter’s lone touchdown. It capped a five-play, 52-yard drive.

Odom’s second touchdown completed a five-play, 47-yard drive with 3:26 left in the third quarter.