Southside pulls away in second half for win

FORT SMITH — Once Fort Smith Southside can figure out how to not turn the ball over, it will be a dangerous team the final three weeks of the season.

David Sorg threw three touchdown passes and reserve running back Gage Jones added another as the Mavericks whipped Rogers Heritage 26-7 in a 7A-West contest Friday at Rowland Stadium.

Southside (2-5, 1-2) won despite five turnovers, all lost fumbles. But after last week’s last-second loss at Fayetteville, the Mavs were happy to get the Homecoming victory.

“We really needed this win as our team was down after last week,” said senior linebacker Landen Chaffey. “We felt like last week was a fluke, but we knew we had to work extremely hard this week to be prepared to play (Heritage).”

After four fumbles in the first half, the Mavericks only had one turnover in the second half and by that time, the game was effectively decided.

“We quit making as many mistakes in the second half that we did in the first half (on offense) and we kept playing good defense,” Dameron said. “The first two scores in the second half were critical that we got some momentum going. From there, we were able to finish the game out.”

Jones entered the game late in the first quarter and rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries. He helped put the game away with a 2- yard touchdown run midway in the third quarter.

“I thought our offensive line did a great job all night,” Dameron said. “(Jones) was our third tailback that we had out there finishing the game and he did a great job. I am really proud of him.”

The Mavericks defense allowed just five first downs and 60 total yards in the second half. That was more than enough as the offense scored touchdowns on its first two possessions in the second half to put away the War Eagles (1-6, 0-4).

“We have a lot of threeyear starters on the inside of our defense,” Chaffey said. “The interior of our defense is our strength.”

The Mavericks opened the second half with a 43-yard kickoff return by Luke Wyatt to the Southside 45. Three plays later, Sorg hit tight end Dmitri Lloyd on a short pass and he scampered 38 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown with 10:52 left in the third quarter and a 20-7 advantage.

Jones’s touchdown was set up thanks to a 26-yard interception return by Bailey Proctor to the War Eagle 29. Jones went those 29 yards in five plays.

The Mavericks led 13-7 at halftime, despite squandering several scoring opportunities thanks to those four lost fumbles.

However, it was a lost fumble by the War Eagles that gave Southside the halftime lead.

AJ Williams’ recovery gave the Mavericks possession at the Heritage 43 with 1:35 left in the second quarter. Southside scored seven plays later when Sorg hit Luke Wyatt for an 11-yard touchdown with 45 seconds in the first half. The PAT hit the upright to leave the score at 13-7.

FOUR DOWNS

• Southside won despite six fumbles, losing five in the game. Four of those lost fumbles were in the first half.

• Reserve running back Gage Jones rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, 86 of those yards were gained in the second half.

• Southside’s defense allowed just 11 first downs and 178 total yards (149 passing, 29 rushing).

• Next week: Rogers Heritage hosts Bentonville West while Southside is at Springdale Har-Ber in 7A-West conference games.