The Blackhawk fourth-grade football team kept their undefeated season alive by pounding league nemesis Prairie Grove Tigers 26-8 and earned the right to play one more game in the 2016 season.
The young 'Hawks used a suffocating defense to keep the young Tigers in check before they got their offense rolling in the second half. The 'Hawks outgained the Tigers 208 yards to 82 in the game, with 72 of the Prairie Grove yards coming on just one play.
Though trailing at the half 8-6, the young 'Hawks outgained their guests 149-7 in the second half, scoring three straight touchdowns to win going away. The victory earned them a berth in the 2016 Northwest Arkansas Youth League championship this Saturday.
"I was proud of the way they came back after trailing at the half," coach Wes Anderson said. "We were a bit sloppy in the first half, but came out fighting after the break and played excellent ball to win."
Quarterback Chandler Anderson got things going early with a 10-yard run on the game's first play. A play for a loss and an incomplete pass forced a punt to Prairie Grove, however. The offense got right back at after one play as the 'Hawks stripped the ball away from the Tigers to regain possession on the Tiger 33.
The 'Hawk offense couldn't get untracked and turned the ball over on downs, but the defense held the Tigers to just 3 yards on three plays, to force a punt and regain possession.
Starting from their own 38, Pea Ridge drove 62 yards on five plays to take the early lead. Jake Ogburn broke off a 37-yard run to gain a first down on the Tiger 25. A 7-yard jaunt by Anderson was followed by a 4-yard run by Ogburn for another first down on the 14-yard line. Anderson then ran left on a keeper and swept into the end zone with 10:20 left in the half for the game's first score.
Following the kickoff, the Tigers netted 0 yards on three plays with Blake Perry storming in to drop one ball carrier for a 2-yard loss. After taking over on their own 40, the 'Hawks suffered a 13-yard loss on a fumble, followed by another 3-yard loss on a bad play. A pass from Anderson to Stewart got back 13 yards, but not enough to forestall a punt.
The next play would produce nearly all their offensive production for Prairie Grove when the 'Hawks were fooled on a reverse with a Tiger running back getting loose to dash 72 yards to the end zone. The visitors converted the PAT to take a 8-6 with 2 minutes left in the half, with the score remaining the same at intermission.
The 'Hawks defensive effort was there throughout the first half, but it stepped things up in the second, throwing the Tigers back with 5 yards in losses in the half's first series, eventually covering a fumble on the Tiger 30. Pea Ridge had a loss, then a penalty to put them in a second and 17 hole on their first second down. Anderson and a wall of blockers bailed them out with a 17-yard run for a first down on the Tiger 20. Two plays later Anderson scampered for 9 yards to the 11 with Fletcher picking up 7 more on the next play, dragging tacklers with him for much of the gain. Two plays later Fletcher burst into the end zone for the score, putting the 'Hawks up 12-8 with 16:05 left in the second half.
In the hole third and 15, after a wall of 'Hawk tacklers swept over Prairie Grove for a 5-yard loss, the Tigers had to punt again when Peyton Carney sacked the quarterback for a 2-yard loss. Taking over on their own 49, Anderson sprinted left, picked up some blockers then outmaneuvered a host of Tiger tacklers all the way to the Prairie Grove goal line, falling into the end zone for the score. With 11 minutes left in the game. Pea Ridge had some breathing room with a 18-8 lead.
In the hole with -12 yards in the half, Prairie Grove finally got some positive yardage and drove 19 yards, aided with a 5-yard penalty against Pea Ridge for a first down on the 'Hawk 42. The threat was ended when the 'Hawks' Carney stripped the ball loose from the ball carrier with Ryals covering it at the Pea Ridge 44.
Repeating the play that the 'Hawks had just scored on, Chandler again broke free, this time covering 56 yards on his way to the end zone. Fletcher barged into the end zone for the 2-point conversion and set the game's final score at 26-8.
Anderson led the 'Hawks with 179 yards rushing on 13 carries and three touchdowns. The field general was also one for two in the passing attack for 13 yards. Reflecting on the game, Anderson said "we did good, and the blocking was really good."
The fourth-graders will complete their season by traveling to Farmington this Saturday to play for the league championship. Game time will be 9 a.m. The opponent will be Elkins whom the 'Hawks defeated earlier this year, 6-0, in overtime. The game promises to be a battle.
Sports on 11/01/2016