LITTLE ROCK — Camden Fairview had its why. Now, there are no more questions of why not.
Junior utility back Deion Holliman ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns to lift Fairview to a 28-10 victory over Batesville in the Class 5A state championship game Friday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
A crowd of 5,852 watched the Cardinals (14-0) overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit to capture their first state championship after losing in the final in 2009 and 2010.
The 2010 loss, 36-35 to Greenwood, was particularly gut-wrenching for the Ouachita County school. Fairview saw a two-touchdown lead evaporate in the final 3 1/2 minutes as stricken teammate Khiry Neal watched from the sideline.
Neal was a promising 6-4, 275-pound sophomore defensive tackle when he contracted a freak staph infection shortly after the start of fall practice in August 2010 and was left a quadriplegic.
Neal watched most of Friday’s game from a suite in the press box before he was transported to the Fairview sideline with about two minutes remaining. Fairview players began pointing at Neal, rushed to his side as the game ended and began chanting his first name.
“That’s special,” Fairview Coach Buck James said. “I’m telling you now, he’s our why. He’s been our why all along.”
The Cardinals, top-ranked in Class 5A, scored four second-half touchdowns to pull away after a listless first half in which they were out gained 145-37 by the Pioneers (10-4). But Fairview roared back in the final 24 minutes, a burst highlighted by several big plays from its fast skill players.
On Fairview’s second play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Matthew Ollison threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Braxton Hoof with 11:18 left in the third quarter.
Ollison was named the game’s MVP after completing 10 of 12 passes for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Cardinals took the lead for good, 14-10, after Ollison threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to senior tailback Jamie Smith, who made a one-handed reception just past the line of scrimmage in the right flat and tight-roped the sideline to score.
Holliman ran for two points for a 14-10 lead with 1:50 left in the third quarter.
Holliman, who could be one of the state’s top recruiting prospects next fall, sealed the victory with two fourth quarter touchdown runs.
Ollison faked a sweep right to Smith and handed to Holliman, who ran 37 yards on a counter play to the left with 4:44 remaining. Holliman added a 31-yard touchdown run with 2:22 to play.
“That the was difference in the ballgame, the big plays,” Batesville Coach Dave King said. “We made some in the first half and made none in the second half offensively. Defensively, they hit us with some big plays.”
Sophomore Osvaldo Espericueta gave Batesville a 10-0 halftime lead on a 47-yard field goal with two seconds left in the second quarter.
Batesville’s touchdown came on a 28-yard pass from senior quarterback Jacob Hardin to senior wide receiver Jared May with 4:25 left in the first quarter.
Hardin finished 14 of 31 for 162 yards, but Batesville was limited to 15 yards rushing.
Hardin was sacked 7 times for 50 yards in losses. Sophomore outside linebacker Connor Clayborn had 3 1/2 sacks for 25 yards in losses.
Fairview finished with 311 total yards.
But the most important number was 96, the number Neal wore as a freshman and the number that has continued to live through his teammates.
Neal played as a freshman in the 2009 Class 5A state championship game against Monticello and would have been a senior on the team this fall.
“Khiry was our why,” Ollison said. “He played through us tonight, and we did what we could.”
Scoring summary
Batesville ..........7 3 0 0 - 10
Camden Fairview . 0 0 14 14 - 28
FIRST QUARTER BHS-May 28 pass from Hardin (Espericueta kick), 4:25 SECOND QUARTER BHS-FG Espericueta 47, :02 THIRD QUARTER CFHS-Hoof 77 pass from Ollison (kick failed), 11:18 CFHS-Smith 8 pass from Ollison (Holliman run), 1:50 FOURTH QUARTER CFHS-Holliman 37 run (Wynn kick), 4:44 CFHS-Holliman 31 run (Wynn kick), 2:22 Attendance-5,852
Sports, Pages 26 on 12/01/2012