Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Maumelle turns on jets, flies past Vilonia
The Maumelle Hornets proved too fast for the Vilonia Eagles, whose methodical Double-Wing offense failed to keep pace.
Vilonia exploited Maumelle’s mistakes to keep it close early Friday night, but Maumelle reciprocated and ran away with a 45-21 victory at Hornet Stadium .
Maumelle made it look easy at the start of the game. On its fourth play, senior quarterback J.B. Minix took the snap, hesitated for an instant, and then sliced through a gap for a 29yard touchdown run.
Minix led Maumelle with 96 yards on 17 carries.
“Our guys being downfield blocking allows me to see holes and creases I can cut through,” Minix said. “My team gets all the credit.”
Maumelle ( 6- 0- 1 , 4- 0 5A-West) helped make Vilonia’s first score a simple matter when junior center Iain Montgomery’s snap flew past Minix and was recovered by Vilonia a foot away from Maumelle’s goal line. Senior quarterback Jared Willis’ sneak on the next play tied the score with 5:07 left in the first quarter.
A 32-yard run by Minix highlighted a six-play, 56-yard drive that was capped by junior running back Jacob Acklin’s 8-yard run that gave Maumelle a 14-7 lead.
Vilonia’s next play from scrimmage ended when Maumelle knocked the ball from junior back Blaine Norman. Senior defensive back Blake Conner caught the fumble in the air and ran untouched for a 34-yard touchdown that gave Maumelle a 21-7 lead with 2:55 left in the first quarter.
“They have so much speed, that’s what makes them good,” Vilonia Coach Jim Stanley said. “They’re a very athletic team.”
Vilonia (3-4, 2-2) dug in on its next possession, driving 77 yards in 11 plays. A 2-yard run by Norman pulled Vilonia to within 21-14 with 7:59 left in the second quarter.
Another turnover by Maumelle helped Vilonia tie the score. Sophomore Kobe Pounders intercepted a pass from Minix and four plays later carried it in from 2 yards out to tie it at 21-21.
“They have some good players, and they’re tough,” Maumelle Coach Mike Buchan said.
“I’m proud of our kids,” Stanley said. “We always play hard. We just made too many mistakes.”
Acklin’s second touchdown run, from 2 yards, which was set up by a 36-yard run by Minix and gave Maumelle a 28-21 lead going into halftime.
The high-scoring first half gave way to a three-point third quarter, with the only score a 33-yard field goal by senior Jacob Kennard.
“They sent more linebackers to blitz in the second half,” Minix said. “That shut down our run game, but we overcame it and won. That’s the important thing.”
Maumelle took command,
38-21, in the fourth quarter with a 37-yard run by senior running back Kuron Summons.
Vilonia’s offense produced a total of three first downs in the second half as Maumelle forced Willis to pass. Two late interceptions for Maumelle’s — the first of which led to a 4-yard touchdown run by sophomore reserve back Javion Cunningkin — eliminated any chance of a comeback by Maumelle. GREENBRIER 28, LR CHRISTIAN 21
Austin Porter’s 86-yard touchdown return of a kickoff in the fourth qurter lifted Greenbrier (4-3, 2-2) to a 5A-West Conference victory over host Little Rock Christan (4-3, 2-2).
Michael Stainhour and Tyler Gamelin both had touchdown receptions for Greenbrier. Carson Matthews ran 5 yards for another Greenbrier score.
Little Rock Christian led 14-7 at the half. MORRILTON 35, FARMINGTON 28
FARMINGTON — Terrace Minor had 27 carries for 83 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead Morrilton (3-4, 2-2) past Farmington ( 4- 3, 1- 3) in a 5A- West Conference game at Allen Holland Field.
Quarterback Jalen Wright came off the bench and had a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown for the Devil Dogs.
Brice Waggle completed 25 of 37 passes for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns. Michael Ingram added 133 yards rushing.
5A-CENTRAL
BEEBE 21 MILLS 7
Trip Smith rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown as Beebe (2-5, 2-2) beat Mills (2-4, 1-3) in a 5A-Central conference game.
Clayton Maurer rushed 11 times for 63 yards and a touchdown, and Jovaughn Wyrick added another 68 yards on the ground including a 43-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. SYLVAN HILLS 56, NORTH PULASKI 6
Tra Doss passed for 4 touchdowns and rushed for another score as Sylvan Hills (7-0, 4-0) rolled over North Pulaski
(1-5-1, 1-3) in a 5A-Central game.
Doss finished with 250 yards passing including two scoring throws to Marlon Clemmons, who also had a 49-yard rushing touchdown. Clemmons finished with 96 yards receiving and 105 yards on the ground.
Nathan Thomas had a 65-yard touchdown reception, and Elijah Sowards caught a 38-yard pass for a score. Fred Williams and Jordan Washington also added rushing scores for Sylvan Hills.
For North Pulaski, Cedric Hanley rushed for a 1-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
LR McCLELLAN 52, FAIR 6
Pierre Strong caught a touchdown pass and ran for two touchdowns in the second half to help Little Rock McClellan pull away for a 5A Central victory Friday at Fair.
The Lions ( 4- 3, 3- 1) led 22- 0 at halftime and also scored a defensive touchdown, the sixth consecutive game they’ve done so. Fair has lost 17 consecutive games and fell to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the 5A Central conference.
5A-EAST
BATESVILLE 34, WYNNE 28
WYNNE — Batesville scored 17 unanswered points and held on to beat Wynne, the No. 1 team in the Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette’s Class 5A Super Six poll in a 5A-East showdown.
Batesville (6-1, 4-0 5A-East) quarterback Kenton Crawford accounted for 247 all-purpose yards. He completed 11 of 23 passes for 171 yards and 4 touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards on 14 carries.
Batesville (6-1, 4-0 5A-East), the No. 4 team in Class 5A, hung on when Wynne wide receiver Sam Wilson’s catch in the end zone was ruled incomplete with 51 seconds left. The Pioneers ran out the clock and took over first place in the 5A-East.
The Pioneers trailed 28-17 with 3:49 left in the third quarter, before mounting their comeback to beat the Yellowjackets (6-1, 3-1) for the sixth time in the past eight years.
Wynne quarterback Ross Trail completed 20 of 30 passes for 287 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Jamar Dixon led the Yellowjackets in rushing 103 yards on 18 carries while classmate Melvin Isom had 74 yards on 15 carries.