FAYETTEVILLE — David Goodman saw the ball hit the turf and headed straight for the punter.
Goodman, who missed half of last season with a spleen injury, rushed through to block the Shiloh Christian punt, and teammate Parker Baldwin scooped up the ball and raced 48 yards to the end zone, capping a 21-point rally to help Siloam Springs salvage a 35-35 tie Monday in the Simmons First/Hootens.com Kickoff Classic at Razorback Stadium.
“It was just go get the football,” Goodman said when asked if the Panthers were going for the punt block. “I asked if I was supposed to block anybody and (assistant coach Jacob) Gill said, ‘No, go get the football.’ Me and Dylan (Land) looked at each other and said, ‘We’re getting through the line.’ We did, and we got it.”
Goodman blocked Dillon Sharp’s left-footed punt near midfield, and it bounced almost directly into Baldwin’s hands, who raced untouched to the end zone to cap a huge fourth quarter rally.
Siloam Springs coach Bryan Ross said he forgot there are no overtimes in nonconference games when they kicked the tying extra point.
The Panthers (0-0-1) scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns in the final 8 minutes, 1 second of the
game after trailing 35-14.
Shiloh Christian (0-0-1) dominated three quarters of the game, led by senior quarterback Daniel Shimer, who accounted for 477 yards of offense and four touchdowns.
“Daniel showed his ability tonight,” Saints coach Josh Floyd said. “He had some tough runs, but he also made some big throws. It’s disappointing. We had a chance to go up 42-14.
“It’s just really disappointing how it ended up.”
For Goodman, just the chance to be back on the field again was rewarding.
“The only thing you can take from an injury is the positive,” he said, “because you never know when your last play is going to be.”
EXTRA POINTS
Shimer, who also missed most of last season with an ankle injury, rushed for 270 yards on 29 carries and was 16-of-26 for 207 yards and two touchdown passing. His touchdowns came on runs of 92 and 72 yards.
Chandler Gregory had a huge impact on the game in the closing seconds, knocking down a Saints pass and intercepting a Shimer pass in the end zone to preserve the tie. He also had a 72-yard punt early in the game.
Shiloh’s Chris Cox completed a reverse pass for a touchdown, connecting with Adler Goode on a 63-yard strike in the second quarter.
Siloam Springs quarterback Chris Lampton was 26-of-40 for 269 yards and four touchdowns.
UP NEXT
Shiloh Christian will host Broken Bow, Okla., at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 in Champions Stadium. It is the Saints’ only home nonconference game. Siloam Springs travels to Russellville.
HOW THEY SCORED
Shiloh 7 14 14 0 — 35
Siloam Springs 0 7 7 21 — 35
First Quarter
Shiloh — Shimer 92 run (Hale kick), 3:42.
Second Quarter
Siloam — Hughes 10 pass from Lampton (Vazquez kick), 9:17.
Shiloh — Goode 22 pass from Shimer (Hale kick), 7:48.
Shiloh — Goode 63 pass from Cox (Hale kick), 5:18.
Third Quarter
Shiloh — Shimer 72 run (Hale kick), 9:20.
Siloam — Gregory 30 pass from Lampton (Vazquez kick), 8:15.
Shiloh — Plunkett 52 pass from Shimer (Hale kick), 7:21.
Fourth Quarter
Siloam — Goodman 8 pass from Lampton (Vazquez kick), 8:01.
Siloam — Baldwin 10 pass from Lampton (Vazquez kick), 1:40.
Siloam — Baldwin 48 punt return (Vazquez kick), :36.