Tigers find rhythm in second consecutive win
PRAIRIE GROVE 47, PEA RIDGE 21
Saturday, October 24, 2009
PRAIRIE GROVE — Friday was senior night at Prairie Grove and the senior Tigers didn’t disappoint. Led by Thomas Soehner and Dalton Phillips the Tigers defeated the visiting Pea Ridge Blackhawks 47-21.
Soehner had four touchdowns on the night to go alongwith 183 yards on just 14 carries. Phillips added 81 yards and two scores on only seven carries.
It didn’t take Prairie Grove (3-5, 3-2) long to get things started. Pea Ridge fumbled two plays after the opening kickoff and the Tigers recovered on the Blackhawk 21 yard line.
“We capitalized on the early turnover, which hasn’t been happening lately,” Prairie Grovecoach Danny Abshier said.
Two plays later, Soehner was in the end zone after a 13-yard run to pay dirt. Quarterback Chad Austin pushed the twopoint conversion over to give the Tigers an early 8-0 lead.
Soehner scored his second touchdown of the first quarter near the midway mark on a 1-yard run. The play capped a 61-yard, six-play drive to putPrairie Grove up 14-0.
Pea Ridge (1-7, 0-5) fought back on its ensuing possession scoring just before the end of the first quarter. Quarterback Ethan Rhine threw a 7-yard strike to Kory Gann to get the Blackhawks within 7 at 14-7.
Phillips and the Tigers answered quickly. Three playsafter Pea Ridge scored he was in the end zone on a two yard run ending a three play 59 yard drive.
Soehner then scored his third touchdown of the first half near the seven minute mark in the second quarter. This one was a three-yard scamper that gave Prairie Grove a 28-7 lead.
Soehner wasn’t done for the half. On the Tigers next possession, he romped for a 66 yard touchdown giving him four scores in the half and the Tigers a 34-7 half time lead.
“Soehner looked a little different tonight,” Abshier said. “He was running hard and he got good blocking all night.”
Phillips wasn’t done for the nighteither. He scored his second touchdown of the game on a 15 yard run early near the middle of the third quarter.
Junior Skyler Ellis got in on the action the next time the Tigers had the ball. He took the ball 89 yards on an inside handoff to put the Tigers up by 40 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter.
Pea Ridge would score two more times before the end of the game. Rhine scored on a 15 yard run and the Blackhawks scored again late in the fourth after a fumble recovery in the end zone to set the final score at 47-21.
The win was Prairie Grove’s second consecutive conference victory and they will look to get a third next week as they travel to Gentry.
“It feels like we are kind of getting back on track a little bit finally,” Abshier said.
Sports, Pages 10 on 10/24/2009
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