Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Junior Cardinals Stomp Gravette
FARMINGTON EXPLODES FOR 30 FIRST QUARTER POINTS
FARMINGTON — A 30-point explosion in the first quarter blew the game open for Farmington with the junior Cardinals running away from Gravette with a 36-14 road win.
Farmington coach Cody Napier tells his players, “No pain, no gain,” emphasizing all the work put in during practice is realized on the field when the players get to play a game. The execution was top-notch. Each tailback had a 24-yard run, a pass was completed 48 yards that scored, and the return team celebrated a 65-yard touchdown runback on a kickoff.
“You got to work hard and you got to keep digging,” Napier said. “That’s what we talked about. These things are earned. Everything has a price and you have to earn them. Those days in practice, that stuff, that’s what we go out here on Thursday night for is those things we’ve put in and we’ve paid for in order to go out there on Thursday night and enjoy it.”
The Sept. 6 junior high football contest was over before it even got started although Gravette was briefly in the game following Kyle Rachel’s 77-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion failed leaving Farmington with an 8-6 lead. The junior Cardinals opened the scoring with Devonte Donovan’s 4-yard scoring plunge capped by Trey Hill’s 2-point conversion run.
Any sense of enthusiasm Gravette had after its first quarter touchdown didn’t last long. Farmington’s Caden Elsik returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for another junior Cardinal touchdown. Again Hill ran the conversion in for 2 points and Farmington led 16-6.
Soon the junior Cardinals were in the end zone again, this time with Hill doing the honors on a 48-yard pass from Harvey. Hill ran for his third 2-point conversion lifting Farmington to a 24-6 cushion. Next tailback Tate Pickens reached pay dirt on a 24-yard carry. A 2-point conversion failed, yet Farmington enjoyed a 30-6 lead one quarter into the game.
The junior Cardinals tacked on another score with Pickens’ second touchdown coming on a 24-yard rush. The 2-point conversion was foiled by Gravette, which faced a steep uphill climb trailing 36-6.
The junior Lion offense at last produced but too late to offset 28 unanswered points by Farmington. A 25-yard Gravette touchdown run and successful 2-point conversion made the final, 36-14.
Donovan accounted for nearly 100 yards of offense with 10 rushes for 72 yards and a touchdown, plus caught a pass for 26 yards to finish with 98 yards total from scrimmage. Harvey completed 7-of-12 passes for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns without getting intercepted. Hill was the leading receiver for the junior Cardinals with 5 catches for 59 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Hill was the leading tackler with 3 solos and 3 assisted stops while defensive lineman Jackson Boudrey contributed 1 solo and 3 assists recording 4 tackles.
“Boudrey he’s a great offensive lineman and defensive lineman, as well,” Napier said. “He’s a great kid. He works hard and he wants to be great and that’s what he works for every day in practice is to be the best.”