Speed Thrills In Gold Win

— Two-time defending Northwest Arkansas Conference football champion Bentonville Gold kept its 2010 title hopes soaring Thursday, beating in-school rival Bentonville Black 35-0 in Tiger Stadium.

Gold running back J.D. Speed rushed for four touchdowns and finished with 158 yards on 16 carries to launch Gold into next week’s home title game showdown against Rogers Heritage.

In the eighth-grade game, quarterback Hayden McDaniel scored on a second-half two-point run and Washington beat Lincoln 8-7.

Gold (7-1, 7-1) scored on three of four first-half possessions and its first two of the second half. It gained 213 yards on 22 running plays.

“The offensive line has really stepped up these past few weeks,” Gold coach Toma Whorton said. “They put it together and did a great job.”

Black (3-5, 3-5) was held to 57 yards total offense.

“We’ve talked about being physical this year and tonight we weren’t,” Black coach Chris Hutchens said. “Gold played a good football game and I don’t think we did.”

Speed scored on runs of 33, 27, 8 and 2 yards. He had 95 yards on 11 carries at the half.

He scooted around right end 33 yards for a touchdown on Gold’s first play of the game. Payton Fitch set up the romp, recovering a lost fumble following a 12-yard pass completion from Black quarterback Jake Sisson to Jordan White.

Speed lifted Gold to a 14-0 lead, hammering up the middle eight straight times in a 53-yard drive. He scored up the gut from the 8 with 4 minutes, 44 seconds left in the half.

He scored from the 2 with 10 seconds left in the half after quarterback Jake Slocum moved Gold through the air. Slocum completed passes of 14 yards to Fitch and 15 yards to Jimmy Jackson in the 6-play, 45-yard drive.

Speed capped a six-play, 63-yard drive to open the second half, knifing off right tackle 27 yards for his fourth score.

Gold’s Michael Lunsford invoked the mercy-rule, rushing in from the 15 with 5:54 left to play

Black’s leading rusher, Clay Wallace, was held to 7 yards on eight carries. Morgan Overstreet led Black with 24 yards on five carries.

Slocum was perfect through the air, completing all five of his passes for 60 yards.

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