Wildcats defense contains Cobras

Saturday, December 1, 2012

— Harding Academy contained Fountain Lake’s rushing attack for most of the game Friday night, getting one last stop when it needed it the most.

The Wildcats, the 2-3A Conference champions, stuffed a two-point conversion with 29 seconds left to preserve a 31-29 victory over the Cobras, the second seed from the 5-3A, in the Class 3A semifinals Friday night at First Security Stadium.

“You just play every single play, and that’s what we tell our kids,” Harding Academy Coach Roddy Mote said. “We preach to them that every play matters and every play counts, and that goes for extra points.”

Harding Academy (13-0) advances to face Glen Rose in the championship game Dec. 8 at War Memorial Stadium.

Fountain Lake (12-2) took over on downs at its 25 with a little more than 2:38 left. James Cooper hit Andrew Barber with a 19-yard pass before finding Dakota Weatherford on a 42-yard completion on fourth-and-long. That led to Mackenzie Ross’ touchdown to get within two points.

But Barber’s didn’t make it out of the backfield on a sweep on the ensuing conversion as Barrett Henderson tackled him for a loss. Carter Burks then recovered the onside kick to seal the victory for Harding Academy.

Fountain Lake fought its way back into the game by cashing in on some fourth down gambles. Midway through the fourth quarter, Cooper hit Stone for 6 yards and Stone lateraled to Barber for the touchdown, cutting the deficit to 31-23.

“All the teams have been running it, and we just laughed about it and decided to put it in,” Fountain Lake Coach Tommy Gilleran said. “Everybody guards Jordan one-on-one and nobody guards the back. It went right past the defender’s head, caught it and pitched it over another guy’s head.

“I was sitting there thinking we were going to win now.”

It was Harding Academy’s lone score of the second half that proved to be the difference. The Wildcats put together a 12-play, 86-yard drive that killed the remainder of the third quarter. Will Francis converted a fourth-and-5 play with an 11-yard scramble that set up Trevor Smith’s 8-yard touchdown run with 10:15 left in the fourth.

Francis completed 27 of 38 passes for 284 yards, including 199 yards in the first half. Gentry caught nine passes for 122 yards.

Sports, Pages 27 on 12/01/2012