BENTONVILLE — Fayetteville quarterback Austin Allen was supposed to be the one equalizer against No. 1-ranked Bentonville. Instead, it was the defense which gave the Bulldogs a fighting chance to the finish.
Bentonville tailback Tearris Wallace was held out of the endzone and the Tigers were forced to rely on a big-play — and at times, trick-play — offense Friday at Tiger Stadium. In the end, it was enough as Bentonville (10-0, 7-0 7A/6A-West) rallied in the second half for a 24-17 win to secure an outright conference championship.
But at times, Fayetteville’s defense made sure things didn’t come easy.
“I told our kids, this was a heavyweight fight that went down to the finish,” Bulldogs coach Daryl Patton said. “I thought we had a good defensive plan and we hit them hard.
“Give them credit. They capitalized on the two turnovers we had. But that third quarter where it was going back and forth, that was fun. That was good high school football right there and who knows, we might see them again.”
Fayetteville (7-3, 5-2) forced Bentonville to punt on four of its first five possessions in the first half, holding the Tigers to 113 yards and six first downs before intermission.
The strong defense continued in the second half when junior Jordan Dennis — playing both wide receiver and cornerback Friday — intercepted a Reese Dollins pass on Bentonville’s second offensive play of the third quarter. Dennis would race 31 yards for a touchdown for Fayetteville’s first lead of the game.
But despite keeping Bentonville down for more than two and half quarters, a 68-yard pass play from Dollins to Trey Perkins and a 38-yard trick play halfback pass from Garrett Kaufman to Perkins eventually allowed the Tigers to pull off the comeback.
“It definitely is a challenge everytime we play them,” Fayetteville defensive coordinator Brian Early said. “After the game (Bentonville offensive coordinator) Barry Lunney Jr. told me it’s not fun preparing for you guys. And I told him, right back at you.
“It’s official that it’s a rivalry now, but it stings a little bit that a trick play was the difference there. So we’re disappointed, but at the same time you’ve got to let it go and get ready for the playoffs.”