QB Finally Has Senior Moment
TIGERS’ AUSTIN RECORDS FIRST 100-YARD GAME
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
PRAIRIE GROVE — Chad Austin breathed it, lived it and looked forward to the day he could strap on the pads and become the quarterback for Prairie Grove.
He watched the 2003 team roll through the state playoffs to the semifinals, and as every year passed he knew his day - like so many Tigers before him - would come.
Austin finally made a name for himself last week as Prairie Grove dominated heavily favored Gravette in a 44-17 win on the road to earn the final playoff spot from the 4A-1 Conference.
Austin threw for a seasonhigh 166 yards, completing 6 of 13 passes for two touchdowns with one interception. It was Austin’s first 100-yard game of the season.
“In the past, we haven’t been connecting on many passes,” Abshier said. “So why is that a threat?
“Well, it became one for us the other night.”
Austin’s arm also lifted Prairie Grove to a 14thconsecutive playoff appearance, which was dangerously close to ending at 13, it seemed, heading into last week.
But with offensive weapons like running back Thomas Soehner drawing plenty of attention, Austin managed to complement and even outgain the Tigers’ goto threat in the upset of the conference’s No. 2 seed.
Soehner, who accounted for 105 yards on the ground against Gravette, has rushed for 1,379 yards this season to lead all players.
Meanwhile, Austin has completed 48 percent of his passes for 619 yards. Austin hadn’t thrown for more than 91 yards in a game before thewin over Gravette.
“Hopefully, it’s coming together,” Abshier said. “It’s been a struggle and a hard year on him and everyone. Coming out on the short end of the stick has been tough on him and it’s frustrating.”
Sure, browsing through the senior’s statistics are not exactly eye-opening, but the Tigers did show a hint of what Abshier saw in preseason camp. “I thought we had it in us all year long,” Abshier said. “If we could just have one or two breaks push it over the edge for us, things would be all right.”
Prairie Grove (4-6, 4-3) looked lost at times and out of gas during a 28-0 loss to Gentry on Oct. 30. Austin andthe Tigers, however, called a team meeting after the loss as game week and preparations for Gravette approached.
The goal? Loosen up and have some fun.
“We should have played like that all year,” Austin said. “I guess we just fi nally started having fun.”
Up next is a trip to Dumas in the playoffs Friday. The thought that his high school career may be coming to an end hasn’t entered Austin’s mind.
“Getting in the playoffs means a lot because it’s a tradition in Prairie Grove, and I don’t want to let the town down,” he said. “Being a quarterback at Prairie Grove means a lot.”
Sports, Pages 6 on 11/11/2009
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