Tigers Take Out Elkins For No. 2 Seed

PRAIRIE GROVE HOSTS FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF FRIDAY

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove went three and out, punted, gave up a long run and touchdown drive, then exploded for 38 unanswered points on the way to beating Elkins 45-19 Friday.

Five different players scored touchdowns in the first half and Prairie Grove rolled to a 45-19 victory over Elkins at Tiger Stadium in a 4A-1 Conference game. Prairie Grove ( 8-2, 6-1) earned the No. 2 seed from the league and will begin the Class 4A state playoffs at home next week against Jonesboro Westside, the fourth seed from the 4A-3 Conference.

Elkins (7-2, 5-2) dropped to a No. 3 seed and faces Dardanelle, the third seed from the 4A-4.

Tenacious Tiger defense had a lot to do with the rout.

“I’m pleased with the defense. The rushing margin in the first half was 30 yards for them [Elkins]. We had 327 so who wouldn’t be happy with that?” said Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier.

“I think our defense played tremendously in the first half, the offense did, too. In the second half it seemed like we couldn’t run a play without a penalty … and what changed? We didn’t change anything and all of a sudden we’re holding all the time.”

The game dragged on with 29 flags thrown, 17 against Prairie Grove.

Footage from that game shows everything from an Elkins player grabbing and twisting the leg of Prairie Grove senior halfback Colin Faulk after he was down to an Elk hitting Tiger defensive tackle Ryder Orr in the back of the head while he was on the ground after making a tackle.

When Orr made an effort to defend himself he was promptly

flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct while actions of the Elkins player didn’t draw any flags.

Senior Landon Semrad put forth a showcase of relentless athleticism stopping Elkins drives twice with interceptions while scoring as many touchdowns by carrying the football on the runs of 50 and 4 yards.

“Those two interceptions were phenomenal. He never ran out of gas when everybody else was getting beat up and wore out he’s still rolling and had a couple of the most athletic plays I’ve seen on those interceptions,” Abshier said.

Elkins tried to throw over the 6-3 Semrad on his second interception and he made the pick look easy

The Elks scored first on a 2-yard run by Da’Shawn Chairs set up by Jusiah Bettencourt’s 81-yard gain on a pass play to the Tiger three to take a 6-0 lead.

Prairie Grove then blew the game open by scoring the next 38 points and assumed a 38-6 lead at halftime. Seven players carried the ball in the first half for Prairie Grove which dominated with its running game.

Camden Patterson’s 12-yard quarterback keeper and Paytin Higgins’ extrapoint kick pushed the Tigers into a 7- 6 lead at the 8: 18 mark of the first and they wouldn’t trail again.

Less than four minutes later Ethan Miller scored on an 84-yard burst that gave Prairie Grove a 14- 6 lead and the rout was on. Faulk, Semrad, and Joseph Sims also had touchdown runs for Prairie Grove.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Prairie Grove players look to coaches on the sideline for guidance realizing they have been flagged again during last week’s 45-19 win over Elkins. The Tigers locked in the 4A-1 No. 2 seed for the playoffs with the victory and play host to a first-round playoff game on Friday. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Tiger Den Stadium.