FORT SMITH -- Jeff Conaway could not have scripted a better start to his first game as Shiloh Christian's football coach.
Facing the state's top recruit, Charleston senior quarterback Ty Storey, Saints' linebacker Austin Connolly raced in on a blitz and sacked Storey for an 8-yard loss on the game's first play.
How They Scored
Charleston 42
Losing Team 14
Shiloh Christian^7^0^0^7^—^14
Charleston^6^21^22^0^—^42
First Quarter
Shiloh — Solomon 18 pass from Reece (Freeman kick), 7:34.
Char — Storey 2 run (kick blocked), 3:20.
Second Quarter
Char — Jones 11 pass from Storey (Lenihan kick), 6:18.
Char — King 21 pass from Storey (Lenihan kick), 4:36.
Char — Christenberry 13 pass from Storey (Lenihan kick), :31.
Third Quarter
Char — Jones 6 pass from Storey (Lenihan kick), 9:24.
Char — Hutchins 7 pass from Storey (Story pass to King), 7:06.
Fourth Quarter
Shiloh — Freeman 62 pass from Reece (Freeman kick), 8:06.
Shiloh Christian then drove 82 yards in 10 plays, capped by an 18-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Connor Reece to Kyle Freeman and a 7-0 lead with 7 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter. The Saints were celebrating and an upset of the defending Class 3A state champions appeared possible.
The euphoria did not last long.
Storey showed a large Mayo-Thompson crowd why he's headed to Arkansas, completing 23 of 36 passes for 225 yards and five touchdowns. He added a running touchdown to put an exclamation point on the Tigers' 42-14 mercy-rule win in the Hootens.com Kickoff Classic on Thursday.
Storey and the Tigers scored four touchdowns in the final 6:18 of the first half. Storey threw touchdown passes of 11, 21 and 13 yards, the last with 31 seconds left in the half that turned the early 7-0 deficit into a 27-7 halftime lead.
"That was huge," Conaway said of Charleston's four-touchdown barrage. "That gave them all the momentum, especially the touchdown right before halftime."
The Tigers (1-0) turned a big special teams play and another big defensive stop to set up the two scores before half. The first came after Charleston blocked a Shiloh Christian punt. On the next play, Storey hit Taylor King on a 21-yard scoring strike and a 20-7 lead.
Charleston's defense set up the next score by stuffing Shiloh Christian's Chandler Smith on fourth-and-one at midfield. The Tigers drove 49 yards in 10 plays, capping the drive on Storey's 13-yard pass to Dalton Christenberry and a 27-7 lead.
The Saints (0-1) scored a late touchdown when Reece tossed a screen pass to Freeman, who went 62 yards for a touchdown.
Charleston's win was its first ever against Shiloh Christian in five meetings.
"It's a good start to hopefully a great year," Storey said. "There's a lot of rich history in both towns. We hadn't ever been able to beat them until today. It's good to get that monkey off our backs."
Extra Points
• Shiloh Christian senior Reed Lowe injured his right knee on the Saints' fourth play of the game after catching a 15-yard pass from Reece. Conaway said the extent of Lowe's injury won't be known until later today.
• The two teams combined for 20 penalties. Shiloh Christian was penalized 10 times for 109 yards.
• Story is closing in on a milestone of 9,000 passing yards. He now has 8,919 passing yards and 106 touchdowns.
• King finished with 7 catches for 111 yards for the Tigers.
Up Next: Shiloh Christian will host Naples (Fla.) First Baptist Academy in Champions Stadium next Friday, Sept. 12. Charleston will host Gentry, also next Friday. Both games have 7 p.m. kickoffs.
Sports on 09/05/2014