Strzelecki Fuels Gravette Past Berryville

— Darrick Strzelecki helped Gravette shake off a surprising second-quarter surge from Berryville with a career-best rushing performance Friday night.

The junior running back rushed for 268 yards and four touchdowns, and the Lions pulled away from the Bobcats for a 48-9 victory. Strzelecki did all his damage in the game’s first three quarters as Gravette (8-1, 5-1 4A-1 Conference) clinched a first-round playoff home game.

“He was just running over people out there,” Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said of Strzelecki. “The offensive line did a great job blocking for him, and then he broke a lot of tackles. He’s a special runner.”

Strzelecki got the Lions off to a fast start, scoring touchdowns of 10 and 5 yards in the contest’s first eight minutes, 14 seconds. But the Bobcats (1-8, 0-6) refused to let Gravette cruise to a victory on its senior night.

After managing only 23 yards on 14 first-quarter plays, Berryville strung a drive together to start the second quarter. The Bobcats drove 90 yards in 14 plays, took 5 minutes, 28 seconds off the clock and cut Gravette’s lead to 14-6 on Pedro Acuna’s 1-yard TD plunge.

The Lions failed to add to their lead until the third quarter.

“That’s the way (Berryville’s) been all season,” Harrelson said. “They’ve been in a lot of games early on. We saw that on tape. I think you’re seeing signs of them building a quality program.”

Gravette didn’t need much time to put the game away in the second half, however. The Lions gained momentum back on the opening drive of the second half, buoyed by Strzelecki’s tough running.

Strzelecki carried on every play of the Lions’ 58-yard march, capping it by breaking four tackles on a 32-yard TD run. The 5-foot-6, 164-pounder broke three more tackles on a 19-yard TD run, his fourth of the night, to give Gravette a 28-9 lead.

The Lions tacked on touchdowns on a Brian Hendren 14-yard TD reception from Clayton Alexander, a 33-yard fumble return by Dallas Kerley and a short TD run by Stanley Heyward-Brown. But by then, Strzelecki already had clinched the victory.

Strzelecki, who cited his improved leg strength for his tough running, refused to claim sole credit.

“Our offensive line blocked so well tonight,” Strzelecki said. “They blocked well inside and on the perimeter.”

Prep Football

4A-1 Conference

GRAVETTE 48, BERRYVILLE 9

Berryville 0 6 3 0 — 9

Gravette 14 0 20 14 — 48

First Quarter

Grav — Strzelecki 10 run (Montee kick), 9:06.

Grav — Strzelecki 5 run (Montee kick), 3:46.

Second Quarter

Berry — Acuna 1 run (kick failed), 6:42.

Third Quarter

Grav — Strzelecki 32 run (Montee kick), 10:32.

Berry — Easley 23 FG, 5:47.

Grav — Strzelecki 19 run (Montee kick), 4:00.

Grav — Hendren 14 pass from Alexander (kick blocked), 1:15.

Fourth Quarter

Grav — Kerley 33 fumble return (Montee kick), 11:17.

Grav — Heyward-Brown 3 run (Montee kick), 5:13.

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