Red Devils, Indians stick to scripts
MOUNTAIN PINE — More of the same for long-suffering Mountain Pine and on-the-rise Poyen.
The Red Devils followed a familiar script, playing the talented Indians tough into the second quarter before two long interception returns by Lucas Kirby sparked a 26-point Poyen explosion in the second period’s last 8:11. Quarterback Jace Phillips’ three touchdown passes — the third on the half’s final play — sent the Indians to a 39-6 win Thursday night at Stanley May Field.
While Poyen ( 6- 3, 5- 1) stayed in contention for a piece of the 2A-5 title with its fifthstraight win, Mountain Pine (0-9) fell for the 29th-straight time while losing senior running back/defensive end Deion Johnson to a second- period knee injury.
Johnson, coming off a 150yard rushing performance against England, left after a 15yard run to Poyen’s 35 with the Red Devils trailing 7-0. It was the first play after Colby Strom dropped Poyen’s prolific Hunter Keen, who ran for 125 yards and three scores, for a six-yard loss on a fourth-down play.
“It’s hard to overcome the loss of Deion,” Mountain Pine coach Jody Frazier said. “He’s such a big part of our team. He’s the focal point of our offense and a key player on defense. We don’t have a replace- ment for him.”
Poyen coach Vick Barrett noted Mountain Pine’s solid play in the first 14 minutes.
“That’s been their M.O. all year. They play tough at first and then wear down,” the former Hot Springs High assistant said.
Frazier dressed 18 players, four freshmen moving up.
The Indians began pulling away two plays after Johnson left, Kirby snagging quarterback Dewayne Matlock’s long pass and returning 64 yards to the Red Devil five.
Mountain Pine’s Dustyn Davis dropped Keen for a firstdown loss and Trevor Bowden tackled him at the four on third down. Phillips then flipped a pass to Kevin Flowers in the end zone for a 13-0 lead.
Kirby struck again three plays later, a Matlock throw down the middle bouncing off freshman Dafavian Haywood’s hands to the Poyen defensive back, who raced 42 yards to the 13.
On second down from the nine, Keen ripped through a left side hole for his second touchdown. His first score came on a 21-yard run to cap the game’s opening possession.
After a Mountain Pine punt and seven-yard Keen run for a first down, Phillips found Lane Rhodes alone down the middle for 49 yards.. Phillips, who went six for seven for 91 yards, passed to Rhodes again for the conversion, making it 27-0 with 1:56 left in the half.