Hogs rally late for first win
EL DORADO, Ark.—At Memorial Stadium, Arkansas High made a memory that will last a lifetime.
Starting from their own 31-yard line with the game knotted at 31, the Razorbacks drove the field with quarterback Keaundre Banks finding Ladreliaun Taylor on a 51-yard pass to lift Arkansas High over El Dorado, 38-31, in a Conference 6A South matchup Friday.
Taylor sped downfield, as the Hog fans erupted, and scored with 33 seconds left in the game—it was Arkansas High’s first win of the season.
The Razorbacks (1-5, 1-2) entered the game a 28-point underdog.
The Wildcats (4-2, 2-1) tried to score late in the fourth quarter, but the Hogs’ Johnathan Gullatt sacked the quarterback with nine seconds left. El Dorado tried a desperation pass catch and lateral, but Arkansas High made the tackle to seal the game.
In the third quarter, the Razorbacks capped a 98-yard drive in 3:30 with a Banks touchdown pass to Kushaiah Jones.
With Arkansas High up 31-21, the Wildcats came back and scored with 7:56 left in the game on a 2-yard John Sixbey run.
Now within three points, El Dorado drove down field led by running back Kawon Love—who finished with 164 yards on 24 carries—and Kaleb Dull hit a 24-yard field goal with 2:51 to knot it at 31.
After Love found the end zone for El Dorado from six yards out in the first quarter, Arkansas High pulled a trick out of its bag.
Banks handed off to Oliver, who flipped it back to a streaking Sylvester Henderson, who flicked it back to Banks. Banks threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to the speedy Jones to even the score after the PAT, 7-7 with 1:05 to go in the first quarter.
Wildcat quarterback John Sixbey found Love for a 32-yard gain that highlighted El Dorado’s ensuing drive. Love ran up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown as the clock expired in the first.
The Hogs capped a 78-yard drive that took 3:25 off the clock with a 20-yard field goal by Tyler Braswell. Arkansas High trailed by four, 14-10.
Nicholas McCann batted a pass down on a Wildcat third-and-four—forcing them to punt from their own 26.
After a 28-yard punt, the Razorbacks used the excellent field position—from their own 46-yardline and marched down the field 54 yards.
Jones sped into the end zone on a 6-yard run to give Arkansas High the lead after the PAT kick, 17-14 with 3:45 left in the half. McCann caught a 3-yard pass on the drive from Banks. The Hogs got a first down after a 5-yard procedure penalty on El Dorado to keep the drive alive.
After Love returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the 50, the Hogs’ McCann intercepted a Bixbey pass and took it to the house for a pick-6. Arkansas High had the momentum and a bigger lead, 24-14.
Under star running back Love’s leadership, the Wildcats had a 78-yard drive to score with 0:27 left in the half.
Bixbey hit Love down the middle for an 11-yard score, and the Razorbacks took a 3-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
On a bizzare play, the referees had the chain gang move the chains back after they had moved the chains on a Razorback first down. A measurement was taken, and it was determined to be a first down for Arkansas High indeed.
Banks finished with 73 yards rushing on 13 totes and hit 17 of 24 passes for 216 yards for the Hogs.
Sixbey threw for 189 yards on 15-of-26 passing with one costly interception.