EL DORADO — El Dorado scored on its first seven possessions Friday and advanced past Searcy 43-20 in the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs at Memorial Stadium.
El Dorado (9-3), which will travel to Greenwood next week for the semifinals, managed 431 yards of total offense and built a 36-0 lead, triggering the sportsmanship rule on the first play of the third quarter.
Searcy (6-6) scored 20 points over the next 12 minutes, recovering one of four onside kicks in the second half.
“I don’t like the way we finished. It was sloppy at the end. I’ve got to give Searcy credit. They played hard until the end,” El Dorado Coach Scott Reed said.
Lucas Reed completed 14 of 17 passes for 205 yards and 4 touchdowns. Reed’s first seven completions went to different receivers.
The Wildcats rushed for 226 yards, with Marque Burris carrying 19 times for 105 yards and 1 touchdown. Josh Brock had 10 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown.
El Dorado started the scoring on a seven-play, 77-yard drive, capped by Reed’s playaction, 12-yard touchdown pass to Ty Owens. Trent Harter’s kick put the Wildcats up 7-0 with 5:39 left in the first quarter.
Brock added the next touchdown on a 14-yard run to end an eight-play, 59-yard drive. The extra point was blocked with 1:04 left in the first.
The Wildcats started their next possession at the Searcy 34. Reed threw to Sandy Brown for a 24-yard catchand-run to the 10. Three plays and a illegal motion penalty later, Reed threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to fullback Matthew Lansdell. Harter’s kick pushed the lead to 20-0 with 10:32 left in the second quarter.
The Lions’ offense picked up a couple of first downs before El Dorado’s Deonte Williams recovered a fumble at the 44. It took nine plays before Burris scored on a 3-yard run, breaking an arm tackle in the backfield. The extra-point attempt was blocked and the score was 26-0 with 2:51 left in the half.
Safety Jarvis Davis intercepted a pass and returned it to the 42 with 53 seconds left in the half and the Wildcats settled for Harter’s 23-yard field goal and a 29-0 lead on the final play of the half.
After Jactavis Williams recovered an onside kick to open the second half, Reed threw 52 yards to Ron Murphy for a touchdown. Harter added the extra point for a 36-0 lead with 11:51 left in the third.
The running clock seemed to speed up the Lions, who returned the ensuing kickoff to the El Dorado 39. Three plays later, quarterback Antwon Arnold scored on a 27-yard run. Evan Scarbrough’s extra point cut the lead to 36-7 with 10:20 left in the third quarter.
The Lions then recovered the onside kick and drove 55 yards, scoring on a 1-yard run by Arnold. Scarbrough’s kick made the score 36-14 with 5:52 left in the quarter.
El Dorado’s Marquis Boone recovered the ensuing onside kick and the Wildcats drove 48 yards in six plays. Brock had a 33-yard run before Reed threw a 6-yard touchdown pass Owens. Harter’s kick pushed the lead to 43-14 with 2:22 left in the quarter.
Searcy answered quickly on Arnold’s 53-yard touchdown pass to Scarbrough with 11:51 left in the game. The two-point conversion run failed, leaving the margin at 43-20.
Braxton Manning recovered the ensuing onside kick and El Dorado ran eight plays before turning the ball over on downs. Searcy drove inside the Wildcats’ 10 before time expired.
Sports, Pages 25 on 11/17/2012