CLASS 4A

Stuttgart finally puts away Prairie Grove

— Prairie Grove won its first two Class 4A playoff games the hard way, twice rallying from two-touchdown deficits to advance to Friday’s semifinal against Stuttgart.

But Stuttgart made sure Prairie Grove wouldn’t rally for a third consecutive playoff victory, turning back Prairie Grove 32-15 to advance to its first state championship game in decade.

“We couldn’t get anything going, it’s a simple as that,” Prairie Grove Coach Danny Abshier said. “Their defense was too solid for us, and they stopped us. We couldn’t run the ball, and couldn’t throw it when we needed to. We just couldn’t.”

That didn’t stop the Tigers from trying.

Prairie Grove trailed 18-7 early in the third quarter when it approached a fourth and-goal at the Ricebirds’ 2, and Stuttgart Coach Billy Elmore was understandably concerned.

“We’re like everybody else,” Elmore said. “We preach that the first five minutes of the second half can change everything.”

The middle of the Ricebirds’ line plowed into the gaps between the Tigers’ center and guard, leaving quarterback Cooper Winters falling on a bobbled snap at the 3.

Stuttgart took over from there.

The Ricebirds drove 97 yards over the next seven minutes, and quarterback Dontrell Brown worked his way into the end zone on a 10-yard run as the Ricebirds pulled away.

“It was about time we got one,” Stuttgart defensive tackle Taylor Daniels said of the goal-line stand. “We hadn’t had one all season. That was a great time to get it right there.”

Mostly, the Ricebirds (12-1) dominated the Tigers (12-1) on both sides of the ball, rolling up 443 yards of total offense and limiting Prairie Grove’s Wing-T attack to 132 total yards, including 52 yards rushing.

Brown amassed 324 yards of total offense, completing 5 of 7 passes for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushing for 159 yards and 2 more scores on 28 carries.

“It’s real simple,” Brown said. “I just do what I’m coached to do.”

Brown picked up 58 yards on 10 carries during Stuttgart’s opening drive and capped a 75-yard march with a 1-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead with 6:20 to go in the first quarter.

Brown made it a 12-0 lead on his first throw of the night, finding wide receiver Dre’lonIce, who had 2 catches for 90 yards, for a 45-yard touchdown pass off play-action with 9:31 left in the first half.

Prairie Grove’s offense had 73 yards at halftime, allowed Winters to be sacked three times, and sputtered on its one trip inside the Stuttgart 20 midway in the second quarter.

Prairie Grove had a first down at the Ricebirds’ 12, but running back Winston Bartholomew, who had 30 yards on 10 carries, was stopped on two carries at the line and Winters dropped for a 1-yard loss. On came kicker Landon Allen, who sent a 26-yard field goal try wide right with 4:56 left in the second quarter.

Winters finished with 8 of 17 for 142 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to Colby Elkins to draw within 32-15 with 6:18 left in the fourth quarter.

Prairie Grove got back in the game when it blocked a punt and scored on a 26-yard return by lineman Jacob Kahl with 2:39 left in the second quarter to pull within 12-7.

It took Stuttgart two plays to counter. Brown connected with wide receiver John Curtis between two defenders for a 54-yard touchdown pass with 1:33 left in the first half and a 18-7 lead at the break.

“Somebody is going to get a steal with the kid,” Elmore said of Brown. “He’s smart, he’s competitive, and he always runs it hard. We don’t let him fling it around. We do what we do. But you look at what he did in play-action and it was pretty good.”

Prairie Grove returner Logan Bartholomew found a crease down the Stuttgart sideline on the opening kickoff to start the second half, racing 92 yards before safety Jackson Kennedy shoved him out at the Ricebirds 3. And Prairie Grove was in position to pull within a touchdown.

“You don’t want to know exactly what we were saying on the headsets,” Elmore said. “It was ugly.”

Stuttgart held, and Brown scored on a 10-yard touchdown run a 25-7 lead with 2:53 left in the third quarter, and followed it with a 12-yard scoring run with a minute left in the quarter for a 32-7 lead.

Soon, the buzz of duck calls and clang of cowbells filled the air, and Stuttgart players and coaches made the letter ‘V’ with the hands as the clock wound down.

“This is a football town,” Elmore said. “It feels good to be going back.”

Sports, Pages 27 on 12/01/2012

Upcoming Events