Heber Springs Runs Past Gravette

By Tom Glave

Posted: November 21, 2009 at 4:28 a.m.

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Braylon Mitchell may be a Division I prospect, but Heber Springs is not a one-man show.

A strong defense, a powerful offensive line and big plays by Mitchell’s teammates helped the Panthers advance to the Class 4A quarterfinals for the second straight year with a 42-7 win over Gravette.

Heber Springs will play at 4A-3 Conference champion Osceola next week.

“Teams do key on me a lot but all I can say about that is it opens up (things) for all the other athletes on my team,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell, who has committed to Arkansas, rushed for 260 yards on 20 carries and scored the game’s first touchdown.

His big runs set up the Panthers offense with other scoring chances.

Mitchell had a 42-yard run late in the second quarter, and Geoffrey Anderson scored two plays later for a 28-7 halftime lead.

After Heber Springs (10-2) scored in the third quarter by moving through the air — capped by Wes McMullen’s 16-yard pass to Michael Ludwig — Mitchell set up the Panthers’ final touchdown with a 62-yard run.

Mitchell slipped a tackle at midfield and outran the Lions down to the Gravette 17. Markyveus Mays scored two plays later and McMullen’s two-point conversion pass to David Darrell started the running clock.

“The Mitchell kid is everything he’s advertised to be, that’s for sure,” Lions coach Bill Harrelson said. “Their offensive line played well all night. They had holes for him to run through all night.”

The Panthers defense was just as solid, forcing the Lions (9-3) into three turnovers.

“Our defense has been playing well all year long,” Heber Springs coach Steve Janski said. “Any time you go on the road against a Northwest Arkansas team that you know is very good, you’ve got to have a good defense in your back pocket.”

Gravette was without starting senior quarterback Colt Moorman — who was injured on the first play — and senior running back Michael Croasdell — who sat out the second half with a neck injury.

Croasdell picked up 104 yards and Gravette’s lone score — a 68-yard run down the home sideline — on 10 carries.

That cut the lead to 21-7 after the Panthers jumped ahead with three scores in a five-minute span.

Mitchell broke free for the first of several big runs, scoring from 22 yards out six plays after Gravette fumbled away its first possession.

Will Gilbrech hauled in a 25-yard pass from McMullen and Ludwig took a screen pass 26 yards for a 21-0 with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

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