Touchdown That Never Was

CRITICAL PENALTIES DOWN STRETCH CRUNCH JUNIOR WOLVES

LINCOLN — Two crucial penalties in the last 2:38, one against Lincoln’s offense that erased a touchdown run, and a pass interference call sparked Gravette’s game-winning drive.

Both flags cost Lincoln dearly as the junior Wolves lost, 28-26, when Gravette scored a touchdown with nine seconds left in a nail-biting junior high football contest at Wolfpack Stadium Thursday, Sept. 21.

Lincoln led 26-14 after an explosive performance in the third quarter by Daytin Davis (2 catches, 73 yards). Lincoln took the secondhalf kickoff and on the first play from scrimmage Davis scored a 55-yard touchdown after catching a short pass from quarterback Tyler Brewer (10 of 14, 156 yards, 3 touchdowns), who had a touchdown run called back late in the game.

Lincoln head junior high coach Reed Mendoza was disappointed in the outcome, yet recounted big plays by the junior Wolves with 263 yards of total offense.

“We busted a big one on a wide receiver screen to Daytin Davis,” Mendoza said.

Lincoln was penalized five yards on the extra-point attempt and a pass failed to convert, leaving the score 20-14, only 33 seconds into the third.

Gravette’s offense went backwards on their ensuing possession. A snap in the shotgun went past quarterback Cy Hilger, who wisely fell on the ball taking a 23-yard loss back to the Lions’ 10-yard-line. Lincoln defensive tackle Jaime Garcia held a run for no gain on third down setting up fourth-and-31. Gravette punted from their own 12 and in a flash Davis was in the end zone again.

He fielded the ball off a bounce at the left hashmark, then cut across the grain to score standing up. Lincoln again went for two, but another pass failed to convert the touchdown. The Wolves settled for a 26-14 lead with 5:07 to go in the third.

Gravette couldn’t answer and punted. This time Lincoln’s offense went in reverse. Johnny Dunfee recorded back-to-back sacks of Brewer with help from Ian Drake on the second to put Lincoln in a third-and-25 hole at their own 13. Gravette got a good punt return to the Lincoln 47 as the third period wore down.

The junior Lions used 8 plays to cover the distance. Hilger ran for 9 yards on a keeper. Durham picked up the first on a sweep and a couple of carries by Isaac Dann moved the ball to the Wolves’ nine. From there, Hilger hit Durham on a short pass. He carried would-be tacklers into the end zone for the score. Hilger dropped back to pass on the conversion, then saw the corner open and outran the Wolves to the right pylon for a 2-point conversion pulling Gravette within, 26-22, with 5:50 left in the game.

The Lions went 80 yards in the last 1:58 with Hilger scoring the winning touchdown.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Gravette defenders try to get a handle on Lincoln runningback Noe Avellenada during a junior high game on Thursday, Sept. 21, at Lincoln. Avellenada had a big game for Lincoln, breaking off a 50-yard run to set up his 5-yard touchdown in the first...