Cobras fumble away playoff win to Badgers
FOUNTAIN LAKE — Arkadelphia is back in the Class 4A quarterfinals, this time with help from a mistake-prone Fountain Lake offense.
Four lost fumbles doomed the Cobras to a 19-14 home loss Friday night in a second-round matchup of 4A-7 teams on Allen Tillery Field at Beckham Memorial Stadium, Avenging a regular-season home loss to the Cobras, the Badgers won on the road for the second-straight week (previously at Helena-West Helena) and punched their ticket to a quarterfinal game (their third in a row) Friday night at Dardanelle.
Haphazard ball security and an inability to reach the edges of Arkadelphia’s defense were the Cobras’ undoing. Senior fullback Parker Ross’ 200 yards on 31 carries accounted for the bulk of Fountain Lake’s 248 total yards. His 27-yard run on the opening play of Fountain Lake’s final drive was its longest play from scrimmage and one of two that covered 15 or more yards.
Arkadelphia head coach J.R. Eldridge said the Badgers confused the Cobras’ blocking rules, causing indecision that bottled up the outside running lanes. Eldridge said it was a scheme change from the game plan for the 35-13 Week 6 loss to Fountain Lake.
“We did some things differently on defense that we felt like was going to cause them problems to where they would not know who to block,” he said. “Each kid did exactly what we asked him to do, whether it was a gap fit, force containing on the edge, we were focused on getting our guys in the right positions to make plays.
“This week, our guys really set the edge better, and we had good pursuit from the backside.”
Fountain Lake’s inability to get outside was manifested late in the game. Ross swept right and was upended by sophomore defensive back Dillon Scott at the Badger 12 for a two-yard loss, Ross’ only negative play of the night. Scott’s fumble recovery on the ensuing play effectively decided the game with 2:08 to play.
Scott’s 55-yard scoop and score trimmed Fountain Lake’s lead to 14-13 with 3:33 to play in the second quarter. Tyrel Caudle’s recovery of a Fountain Lake fumble on the ensuing kickoff led to what proved the winning score. Quarterback Jeff Blake hit Shemar Dickens for a 19-yard touchdown six plays later to set the final margin with 22 seconds left in the first half.
Ross carried eight times for 68 yards on the Cobras’ final drive, accounting for most of the 75 yards gained in 11 plays. Six of Fountain Lake’s seven third-down conversions were courtesy of Ross.
Blake led the Badgers (7-5) with 100 yards on 15 carries and 128 passing yards on 10-of-14 passing. His 27-yard run on fourth and short from the Arkadelphia 30 sealed the win with less than a minute to play.
Fountain Lake, a first-round winner at home over Pine Bluff Dollarway, finished 8-4, qualifying as the No. 2 seed from 4A-7. The Cobras have come closest to beating 12-0 Nashville, losing 13-12 on the road in Week 5. With Ashdown losing to Prairie Grove, the Scrappers are the only 4A-7 team left in the playoffs, going this week to Warren.