JUNCTION CITY 27, BEARDEN 26

Hail Junction City

Dragons pull down fourth title since 2003

Bearden’s Daniel Williams sprawls out in the end zone as Junction City players celebrate following Dorian Evans’ game-winning 30-yard touchdown catch on the final play of Friday night’s Class 2A state championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Bearden’s Daniel Williams sprawls out in the end zone as Junction City players celebrate following Dorian Evans’ game-winning 30-yard touchdown catch on the final play of Friday night’s Class 2A state championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

— Asked if Junction City had a name for its final play of the 2012 season, Coach David Carpenter simply said, “Hail Mary.”

This prayer was answered, too.

Senior wide receiver Dorian Evans caught a tipped pass in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown on the game’s final play to give Junction City a stunning 27-26 victory over Bearden in the Class 2A state championship game Friday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

A crowd of 3,998 watched the unlikely ending, which gave Junction City (14-1), top ranked in Class 2A, its fourth state championship since 2003.

Bearden (12-3) is still seeking its first state championship after also losing in the final in 2007 and 2009.

photo

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Bearden’s Daniel Williams collapses to his knees in the south end zone at War Memorial Stadium as Quentin Wilson falls to his back in disbelief after a Class 2A state title slipped away when Junction City’s Dorian Evans caught a 30-yard touchdown pass on the game’s final play Friday night.

Junction City avenged a regular-season loss to Bearden in the 2009 title game, beating the Bears 24-14. Bearden was beaten in 2007 by Mount Ida, 17-16, on a 22-yard field goal with five seconds remaining.

Bearden appeared ready to hoist the trophy for the first time after sophomore quarterback Jamond Young scrambled 35 yards for a touchdown on fourth down to give the Bears a 26-21 lead with 53 seconds remaining.

The celebration quickly turned to devastation as Junction City senior quarterback Shaquille Hunter directed a five-play, 67-yard drive, hurling the final pass of his career toward the goal line with no time remaining.

Junior free safety Quentin Wilson and junior wide receiver Jarkell Brown were about 2 yards deep in the end zone battling for the pass when it ricocheted into the air and into the hands of Evans, who was about 5 yards deep in the end zone.

“I can’t believe it worked,” Carpenter said. “That was definitely a wild ending. It was something else.”

Hunter had given Junction City, which had no timeouts, a fourth-down opportunity after spiking the ball with 0.9 seconds remaining.

Bearden Coach Ernie Horstkamp needed several moments to compose himself before talking to reporters outside a dressing room choked with sobbing players.

“There was nothing that I could sit there and say in the locker room to make them feel any better,” Horstkamp said. “I told them that none of them deserved it, none of them deserved to go through that and that was I was proud to be their coach. I’ll go play ball with them any day.”

Bearden had won 11 consecutive games since a 20-14 loss at Junction City in an 8-2A game Sept. 14.

The Bears trailed 7-0 at halftime of the rematch but dominated much of the final two quarters behind the elusive Young, who rushed 28 times for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Young, who became the starter late in the regular season, also completed 10 of 18 passes for 143 yards and 1 touchdown.

Junction City sophomore running back Jaqwis Dancy was named MVP after rushing 10 times for 67 yards and returning a punt 72 yards for a third-quarter touchdown.

Hunter rushed 20 times for108 yards and 1 touchdown and completed 5 of 14 passes for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Bearden finished with a 393-288 advantage in total yardage.

Junction City had taken a 21-20 lead after Hunter scored on a 1-yard sneak - his only play under center - with 2:28 left in the game.

But Young capped a seven play, 71-yard drive on Bearden’s next possession, avoiding a defender near the line of scrimmage and scooting 35 yards down the sideline for the touchdown on fourth-and-8.

Bearden, which rarely attempts to kick extra points, couldn’t convert a run for two points by Young with 53 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for one of the most famous drives in Junction City history.

Sophomore Josh Armstrong fair caught an ensuing sky kick at the Junction City 33. Hunter scrambled 31 yards to the Bearden 36 on first down, then completed a 6-yard pass to junior wide receiver Saylor Hall.

After the Dragons used their final timeout with 23 seconds left, Hunter, scrambling to his left, was tackled for no gain on second down with about 10 seconds remaining.

Hunter hustled his teammates to the line and spiked the ball with just under one second remaining.

One second too early for Bearden.

“Coach Horstkamp and his staff, we know how much they put into everything,” Carpenter said. “We’re all buddies. It’s tough on them.”

Scoring summary

Bearden ............. 0 0 14 12 - 26 Junction City ....... 0 7 7 13 - 27

SECOND QUARTER JCHS - Evans 38 pass from Hunter (Brown kick), 7:52

THIRD QUARTER BHS - Wilson 45 pass from Young (pass failed), 10:46 BHS - Young 16 run (Craig run), 5:27 JCHS - Dancy 72 punt return (Brown kick), 1:11

FOURTH QUARTER BHS - Young 6 run (run failed), 5:58 JCHS - Hunter 1 run (Brown kick), 2:28 BHS - Young 35 run (run failed), :53 JCHS - Evans 30 pass from Hunter, :00

Attendance - 3,998

Sports, Pages 28 on 12/08/2012

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