PEARCY — Altee Tenpenny returned to action, and North Little Rock fans had to be happy with what they saw Friday night at Summit Bank Field.
Tenpenny, who sat out all of 2011 while recovering from a broken ankle, rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns in one half of action, sparking the second-ranked Charging Wildcats to a 42-7 victory over Lake Hamilton.
Juan Day also scored twice on runs for North Little Rock, his second touchdown enforcing the running-clock rule with the score 35-0 at 7:33 of the third quarter. It was 28-0 at halftime.
The Wolves avoided a shutout thanks to a short fourth-quarter punt return.The Charging Wildcats were at their 10-yard line when punter Carson Ayers muffed the snap, scrambled around in the end zone and barely got enough foot on the ball to get it out of the end zone. Sophomore Donnell West fielded it on a bounce at the 3 before scoring. Omar Vega kicked the conversion with 8:47 to play.
North Little Rock added quarterback Payton Holmes’ 1-yard sneak with 2:33 left, the score set up by T.J. Francis’ 53-yard interception return off reserve quarterback Nathan Sawrie.
The Wolves’ Will Beard nailed Tenpenny for a 4-yard loss on the first play from scrimmage, but Tenpenny,who has committed to the University of Alabama, and Holmes, were in control during the rest of a nine-play, 83-yard touchdown drive.
Holmes, alternating with Heath Land at quarterback, went 3 for 3 passing for 56 yards, hitting Bailey Williams for 32 to Lake Hamilton’s 10. Tenpenny covered the last 15 (after an illegal-procedure penalty) on two carries, scoring from 9 yards out over the left side. Sandy Burks’ kick made it 7-0 at 8:28 of the first quarter.
The Charging Wildcats went three-and-out with Land in on their second possession, and the Wolves then reached North Little Rock’s 31 on the next series before Clay Jessie’s overthrown pass was intercepted by Gary Vines on fourth-and-6.
Vines’ long return was shortened by a holding penalty, but Tenpenny raced 42 yards around left end to the Wolves’ 20 on the next play.
Deion Tidwell gained 14 on a tackle-dragging run before Tenpenny scored from 2 yards out off left guard. Burks made it 14-0 with 1:04 on the first-period clock.
The teams exchanged three punts, Vines fumbling the third and Lake Hamilton’s Chris Eastburn recovering at the Wolves 28. An 11-yard Hunter Lipton run gave the Wolves fourthand-1, but Jessie’s sneak was stopped for no gain. Holmes’ 19-yard keeper to the left and Tenpenny’s 10-yard run set up Rodney Bryson’s 2-yard touchdown for a 20-0 lead, Burks’ kick missing 2:54 before halftime.
Sports, Pages 28 on 09/01/2012