Cyclones Nip Red’Dogs
RUSSELLVILLE’S HUGHES LEADS SECOND-HALF SURGE
Posted: November 14, 2009 at 4:58 a.m.
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville quarterback Barrett Hughes couldn’t have capped off the second half with any better play.
Hughes completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior DeMarius Neal with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in Friday’s game to give the Cyclones a 27-26 victory over Springdale High in the first round of the Class 7A playoff s.
The touchdown finished a six-play, 64-yard drive in which Hughes completed four big passes to give the Cyclones their first lead of the game.
In the second half, Hughes completed 19 passes for 165 yards, including the game-winning touchdown, to help give the Cyclones their 500th all-time victory.
No. 3 Russellville (8-2-1) will play next at No. 2 Springdale Har-Ber in the second round next Friday.
“We did what we had to do,” said Russellville coach Jeff Holt, who also earned his 70th victory. “We never quit, but Springdale had a lot to do with that offensively and defensively. We just kept plugging and found a way to win.”
The loss for Springdale High (4-7) was an all-toofamiliar story, as the Bulldogs previously lost two games this season on the very last play.
“This one is tough to swallow, there’s no doubt about it,” Springdale interim coach Dennis DeBusk said. “Our kids fought so hard, we were in a position to win the game and we let it slip out of our fingers. There’s really no way to describe how disappointing it is.”
One of the reasons Hughes was so successful in the second half was senior receiver Matt Lutz,who caught 11 of Hughes’ 19 completions for 55 yards.
During Russellville’s third possession of the third quarter, Lutz caught five passes in a 15-play drive that was capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run from sophomore Lane Reves.
Hughes finished with 24 completions for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’m more proud of how he came back after his two interceptions,” Holt said. “He didn’t let that bother him. He just kept plugging and made some great throws.”
Springdale surprised the Cyclones in the first half with its offensive power, having three long drives and building 19-14 halftime lead.
Springdale junior quarterback Joseph Calcagni, whoran for a season-high 67 yards and one touchdown, completed 17 passes for 161 yards. Calcagni’s biggest target was senior Justin Bocchino, who caught nine passes for 110 yards.
“Our kids battled and played their tails off,” said Springdale coach Kevin Johnson, who’s been out all season on a leave of absence to treat his ongoing battle with lung and colon cancer. “We felt like we had them at 26-14, but things didn’t go our way.
“Our team has been through a lot, with my stuff , the bus turning over and losing to Fayetteville by one and (Fort Smith) Southside by three, it wears on you. But we kept battling and got ourselves in the playoff s.”
Sports, Pages 6 on 11/14/2009
(Advertisement)
« Previous Story
Osceola Too Much For Huntsville
Huntsville coach Ken Harriman said he knew what to expect when his team traveled to Osceola for Friday’s first-round Class 4A state playoff game. Read »
Next Story »
School Nixes Full-Time AD Job
Fayetteville High will continue to have its seven coaches serve as assistant athletic directors instead of hiring one individual to oversee the athletic department, Fayette... Read »
Comments
To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.