Blackhawks dominate Green Forest 52-6

The stars were many in the Blackhawks 52-6 pummeling of the Green Forest Tigers last Friday as the locals ran their 2016 record to 2-0.

"We had a strong week in practice," head coach Stephen Neal said, "and that led to a strong game Friday. We stressed the need to start fast and to execute. That they did and did well."

Indeed, after pushing the visitors back 7 yards on the game's first possession, it took Pea Ridge less than 60 seconds to score their first touchdown. Three rushing touchdowns by Zaine Holley and a touchdown on a punt return by Hayden Holtgrewe shot the 'Hawks out ahead of Green Forest 27-0 before the end of the first quarter to ice things early.

On the 'Hawks' first play from scrimmage, Jakota Sainsbury threw a 40-yard bomb to a lunging Ryan Higgins, who gathered it in for a first down on the Tiger 17. A 16-yard run by Holley brought the ball to the Tiger 1, and two plays later, Holley burst through for the score. Higgins booted the PAT with 9:34 left in the first for a 7-0 lead.

After the kickoff to the Tigers, Higgins and Duncan Truesdale blew through the opponents' line to drop ball carriers for losses on consecutive plays. The resulting punt was corralled by Holtgrewe, and the junior speedster threaded his way into the end zone for the second score. Higgins kicked the PAT for a 14-0 lead with 7:22 showing.

On the Tigers' next play, a wall of Blackhawk tacklers separated the ball from the running back and Pea Ridge took over on the Tiger 37. A 14-yard pass from Sainsbury to Holley was followed up with a 19-yard quarterback sneak by Sainsbury to put the 'Hawks on the Tiger 4. Holley pounded the line twice for 2-yard gains and his second TD of the evening. With 5:59 on the clock, Higgins converted his third straight PAT for a 21-0 lead.

On the Tigers' next series, a 15-yard penalty gave them their initial first down. Tigers' ball carriers could not break through though, and they turned the ball over on downs at the Pea Ridge 48.

With the clock showing 2:08, it took the 'Hawks exactly one minute to punch in their fourth score. After Sainsbury zipped a 28-yard pass to Holtgrewe, it took two runs by Holley to cap the drive. The senior All-Stater ran it in on the right side from 19 yards out. The touchdown made the score 27-0 with 1:08 left in the opening period.

It was just a little over a minute before the 'Hawks would score again. On the first play of the Tigers next possession, the guests passed over the middle with the ball getting batted away. Jacob Torres ran under the ball then eluded a host of tacklers into the end zone. With 11:46 left in the half, Pea Ridge took a near insurmountable lead of 33-0.

After the kickoff, the Tigers rushed twice for no gain and threw one pass that fell incomplete. The ensuing punt was fielded by Holtgrewe at the 50, and he very nearly returned it all the way again, finally getting stopped on the Tiger 11. One play later, Drew Winn was standing in the end zone after an 11-yard run. Higgins split the uprights for a 40-0 lead with 9:20 left in the half.

Following the kickoff, which went out of bounds to give Green Forest the ball on their own 35, the Tigers' Corey Bryant ran around right end to race 65 yards down the west sidelines to score. The run accounted for all the Tiger scoring for the night as well as most of their yardage.

After the kickoff to the 'Hawks bounced down to the Pea Ridge 3, Winn grabbed the pigskin and took off on a sensational run, zooming 97 yards to the end zone. However, an officials' flag was thrown near mid-field that limited Winn's return to the 'Hawk 47.

Winn got most of the lost yardage back by exploding for 28 yards to the Tigers on first down. A 12-yard pass to Britton Caudill was mostly negated by a 10-yard holding penalty, but two plays later, Winn scored the 'Hawks' seventh touchdown, running it in from 22 yards out. With 5:20 left in the half, Pea Ridge assumed a 46-6 lead.

Pea Ridge started the second half from their own 20. Holley picked up where he left off, dashing for 13 yards to the 'Hawk 33. After Rhine picked up 5 yards, Holley carried the ball eight consecutive times for 62 yards and a first down on the Tiger 10. Carson punched it in from there, and with 5:37 to go in the third quarter, the final score was set at 52-6.

The second half was on a running clock with the Mercy Rule being in effect. Games where one team is up by 35 points or more after halftime will assume a running clock to effectively shorten the game.

After the 'Hawks' last score, reserve defenders Romeo Torres and Mike Mahoney hung 9 yards of losses in consecutive plays against the Tigers to force the visitors' fifth punt.

The very next play from scrimmage saw the 'Hawks' Tristin Brewer break free for a 29-yard gainer to the Tiger 29. Moises Davila then ran for 1 yard, followed by runs of 1 and 7 by Rhine but it wasn't enough to avoid turning the ball over to the Tigers on downs.

Aside from the 65-yard run by Bryant, the Tigers had negative yardage up to this point. A 12-yard run by the Tigers Jordan Mahaffey was followed by runs of 9, 9, 3 and 5 by Allen and Bryant to set up a fourth and 2 on the 'Hawk 30. Green Forests' last chance to score evaporated when the 'Hawks' Torres broke though to drop the Tiger ball carrier for a 3-yard loss and take away the ball on downs.

The 'Hawks then ran out the clock with reserves picking up 34 yards on five running plays. Garrett King picked up 7 yards on two carries, with Justin Koon racking up 16 on a fine run, followed by runs of 2 and 9 by Ryan Law and Peyton Galbraith.

Seven 'Hawks picked up positive rushing yardage for the evening with four others catching passes. Substitutes rotated in by the dozens but still the 'Hawks kept the lid on the Tiger attack, limiting their guests to a final 101 total yards on total offense, with 65 yards coming on one play.

Holley was the game's leading offensive player with 124 rushing yards on 27 carries and three touchdowns. Winn had an impressive 63 yards on four carries with Rhine gaining 18 on three tries. Sainsbury was four of five in the passing attack for 94 yards, throwing single passes to Higgins, Holtgrewe, Holley and Caudill.

"I have had an awesome experience since I came to Pea Ridge last spring," Neal said. "This is a special team in a special community. The support here is really outstanding."

After having two relatively easy games, the 'Hawks will be invading Farmington Friday to take on the 5A Cardinals. The Cardinals roster has nearly as many players as does Pea Ridge, but the 'Hawks count 23 seniors among their athletes, compared to just 12 for Farmington.

The Blackhawks have not lost a regular season away game since 2013, going 5-0 the past two years.