Junior Blackhawks defeat Shiloh

Junior High Blackhawks beat Shiloh the win after a two-hour weather delay.

Shiloh got on the scoreboard quick, starting the game with a onside kick and getting it back and scoring a few plays later to take a 6-0 lead.

“We moved the ball down the field the next drive and were stopped on the 7-yard line on fourth down,” coach Cody Alexander said.

Shiloh then marched it again and took a 13-0 lead.

The Blackhawks moved the ball quickly down the field and scored just before half on a 8-yard pass with Tate Busey finding Toby Dunning in the back of the endzone. The 2-point try was no good. Half time score was 13-6.

“We came out and got an onside which was kicked perfectly by Louis Reyes,” Alexander said.

Offense marched the ball again with the running game led by Carson Rhine for 150 rushing yards. Tate Busey scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Rhine powered in for the two-pony play behind Dalton Nesbitt and Blake Bevill.

“Our defense came up with a huge stop with three big negative yard plays in a row by Blake Bevill, Justin Koon and Gannon Conrad forcing Shiloh to punt,” Alexander said. “We played keep away with our running game for the final four and half minutes!”

The Junior Blackhawks finished the season 8-2 and 6-1 in conference, making them conference co-champions with Shiloh and Huntsville, both of whom also went 6-1.

“We all beat each other which makes it a perfect circle and gives us all a piece of the championship,” Alexander said. “I couldn’t be more proud of these guys and what a great way to end the season!”

The win is the second conference championship in the last three years.

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Jr. Blackhawks lined up Thursday in the final game of the season which was delayed by two hours when storms moved through Pea Ridge and lightning delays stalled the beginning of the game which had been moved up because of the prediciton of the storms.