SPRINGDALE — It wasn’t pretty, but Springdale pulled out a homecoming win.
The shorthanded Bulldogs used a defensive stand in the final minute to hang on for a 24-21 win over Siloam Springs at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium.
Springdale (4-2, 2-1 7A/6A-West) was without three key starters on offense, including star running back Deandre Murray. The Bulldogs entered the game as an almost three-touchdown favorite, but nearly became the first conference team to lose to Siloam Springs in the Panthers’ two years in the league.
“I’m extremely happy with the win, but I’m very disappointed in our overall execution,” Springdale coach Shane Patrick said. “Don’t take anything away from Siloam Springs. They came out like they do every single week. They give it their absolute all. They made it a ballgame tonight and get a lot of credit. But I just do not think we executed like we’re capable of executing tonight.”
Siloam Springs trailed 24-13 entering the fourth quarter, but cut it to 24-21 on Richard Hughes’ 6-yard touchdown run and an ensuing two-point conversion with 3:25 left. The Panthers then recovered an onside kick at the Springdale 47-yard line.
Siloam picked up a first down, but turned the ball over on downs when Springdale cornerback Brayden Mayo knocked down a pass on fourth-and-5 from the 30.
“We put ourselves in a position there to win it,” Siloam Springs coach Bryan Ross said. “We take pride in our special teams. I really think it played a big role tonight. They just made one or two more plays than we did.”
Springdale’s coaching staff knew it would be without quarterback Fuller Chandler and guard Edwin Espinoza entering the week. But the Bulldogs also played without Murray, who missed all three practices with an ankle injury suffered at Fayetteville.
“We knew Wednesday,” Patrick said. “We have a rule that if you don’t practice Wednesday, you don’t play Friday. He didn’t practice Wednesday, so we knew he wasn’t going to play.”
EXTRA POINTS
• Springdale senior strong safety Cua Rose stepped in and ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, including an 85-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He also had a 61-yard touchdown catch called back. And he still played defense in spurts.
• Siloam running back Colin Dolezal made an impact on just five carries, finishing with 54 yards in the loss. The Panthers had 299 yards of total offense.
• Sophomore Drake Wymer completed 8 of 24 passes for 133 yards with one touchdown and an interception in his first career start at quarterback in place of the injured Chandler. He completed a 32-yard pass on the first offensive snap of the game.
UP NEXT: Springdale will play at Van Buren (1-5, 0-3), which has an average margin of defeat of 27.3 points in conference games. Siloam Springs will play at third-place Springdale Har-Ber.
HOW THEY SCORED
Springdale High 24, Siloam Springs 21
Siloam Springs^0^6^7^8^—^21
Springdale^7^3^14^0^—^24
First Quarter
Spring — Rose 1 run (Kennedy kick), 0:21
Second Quarter
Spring — Kennedy 41 FG, 7:05
Siloam — Goodman 9 pass from Lampton (kick blocked), 0:35
Third Quarter
Spring — Hunter 29 pass from D. Wymer (Kennedy kick), 7:47
Spring — Rose 85 run (Kennedy kick), 3:11
Siloam — Gregory 19 pass from Lampton (Vazquez kick), 0:00
Fourth Quarter
Siloam — Hughes 6 run (Goodman pass from Lampton), 3:25