Pea Ridge defensive coordinator Lafe Caton has left the Blackhawk football program, taking a similar position in Brownsboro, Tex.
Caton's departure is good news for Farmington, which will travel to Pea Ridge in week three.
Describing Caton as a worthy opponent is something of an understatement. Caton has been the architect of at least two defeats fans of the Farmington Cardinal football program would like to forget. Except for the sportsmanship involved when tipping a hat to a quality opponent.
Containing Explosive Back
One of Caton's best defensive game plans came in the Blackhawks' 36-0 trouncing of Farmington on the Cardinals' home field Oct. 26, 2012. In that contest, the Blackhawks contained Farmington's stalwart runningback Spencer Boudrey.
For anyone not familiar with Boudrey, he concluded his high school career with a whopping 468 yards of offense, all from the line of scrimmage during the Cardinals' down-to-the-wire Nov. 9, 2012, 46-40, state football playoff loss at Newport. In that classic, Boudrey carried the football 25 times for 317 yards and caught 4 passes for 151 yards. Five times Boudrey scored a Farmington touchdown and each time the Cardinals tacked on a 2-point conversion.
That was what the 5-feet-10, 180-pound tailback, who benched pressed 300 pounds and ran the 40 in 4.5 was capable of. But not against Pea Ridge. Caton knew Boudrey could break a run at any given moment, but the Blackhawks never let him get going.
Defending Turnovers
Last season, Caton's defense did another number on the Cardinals which allowed the Blackhawks to escape Sept. 16 with a 13-7 victory on their way to the school's first-ever appearance in the State 4A football finals.
Pea Ridge started poorly and couldn't sustain drives. The Blackhawks were 0-6 on third-down conversions and held to 76 yards of total offense over the first two quarters. The Cardinals ran 28 plays to Pea Ridge's 22 in the first half. The Cardinals had 8 first downs to 6 for Pea Ridge and converted 4-of-8 third downs, but got into fourth down three times and only converted once.
Pea Ridge was still in the game because of Caton's defense. Pea Ridge held Farmington to 48 yards of offense in the first half, and nullified two turnovers.
Farmington linebacker Niles Thomas intercepted Pea Ridge's first pass of the game, returning the ball to the Blackhawks' 8. Farmington turned the ball over on downs when Duncan Truesdale stopped a jet-sweep for a 6-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 9. On the last play of the first quarter, Farmington's Trenton McChristian returned an interception 29 yards to the Blackhawk 16. Farmington again failed to score, turning the ball over on downs. Pea Ridge was not so lucky the third time. Skyler Montez ran a pick back 40 yards to the Pea Ridge two. After a penalty, Javan Jowers took a quick-pitch left and scored an 8-yard touchdown run with 9:18 left in the second quarter. Farmington led 7-0 at the half.
Defensive Turnaround
Pea Ridge turned the game around -- thanks to Caton's defense. Blackhawk senior middle linebacker Wyatt Weber intercepted a Farmington pass and ran the football into Cardinal territory with 9:48 remaining in the third period. Pea Ridge quarterback Jakota Sainsbury converted a third down, and later in the drive ended a 31:09 scoring drought in the game for the Blackhawks with a 1-yard touchdown. The extra-point kick tied the game at 7-7.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jacob Torres recoverd an onside kick at the Cardinal 29. Pea Ridge drove to take a 13-7 lead with three minutes to go in the third period, but they had to fight to stay in front. Farmington had 99 yards of offense in the second half, and remained one play away from potentially winning the game until a fourth-down incomplete pass with 40 seconds left.
The contest played at Farmington's Allen Holland Field was the first meeting between the two schools since Farmington left the 4A-1 Conference following the 2013-2014 school year. This year's rematch is Sept. 15 at Pea Ridge.
Coach's Biography
Caton was born in Tulsa, Okla. and grew up in Inola, Okla. He was one of six children, whose parents emphasized the importance of hard work, honesty, and service to God.
"Athletics and education were very important to our family. These are the same values that I have stressed in my home," Caton writes in a short biography posted on the Pea Ridge athletic website.
Caton and his wife Marla have been married for 31 years and have four children and four grandchildren. Teaching and coaching has been a major part of his life for 30 years. His coaching career has led the family to three different states and eight different school districts. He spent two years as a full-time children's minister while living in Texas.
"God has blessed me tremendously throughout my life in many different ways," Caton writes in his online bio.
He states he is very grateful for the opportunity to work in the Pea Ridge School District with good administrators, teachers, parents and students, and concludes with, "I hope to have a positive impact on all those that I come to know."
A quality opponent, indeed.
Sports on 07/12/2017