CHERRY VALLEY -- Hazen withstood a 211-yard rushing performance by Cross County's Anfernee Davis, and the Hornets defeated Thunderbirds 23-19 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs.
Cross County (10-2) trailed 23-13 as Hazen (8-4) scored 13 third-quarter points as the Hornets grinded out 328 yards.
Senior running back Logan Penn rushed 24 times for 186 yards. Senior quarterback Drake Ingle carried 13 times for 113 yards and a touchdown to go along with 15 yards passing and a touchdown to Cody Kee.
Davis accounted for 211 of Cross County's 253 total yards.
"They just caused us trouble with their speed and quickness," Cross County Coach Steve Williams said. "They weren't very big but they used what they had to their advantage."
Hazen led 3-0 with 4:29 to play in the first quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Grant Boothe, but Cross County took a 7-3 lead 47 seconds into the second quarter when Davis ran 25 yards for a touchdown. Senior Holden Byassee converted the extra point for the Thunderbirds.
Hazen led 10-7 at halftime after Ingle scored on a 36-yard keeper with 4:27 to play in the half..
Cross County regained the lead, for the final time, when Davis ran 61 yards untouched to put the Thunderbirds up 13-10.
It took Hazen 2:03 to get back on top 16-13 after Kee's 4-yard reception from Ingle. Hazen made it 23-13 with 5:39 to play in the third quarter on Ingle's 20-yard run.
Davis added one more score for Cross County, a 58-yarder with just over 10 minutes left in the game to cut Hazen's lead to 23-19. Cross County recovered a Hazen fumble later in the quarter, but couldn't score.
RISON 26, GURDON 21
RISON — Gage Roberts and Chris Leeks scored fourth-quarter touchdowns to help Rison (10-1) edge Gurdon (7-5) in the second round of the playoffs.
Bryson Marks had a 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Seth Crouse threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Brown in the third quarter to set the stage for the Wildcats’ big fourth quarter that featured Roberts scoring on a 4-yard run and Leeks scoring from 9 yards out.
HECTOR 28, BRINKLEY 20
HECTOR — Hector scored the final 14 points of the second half to stay unbeaten and advance to the Class 2A quarterfinals. Tanner Gaines gave Hector (12-0) a 21-20 lead in the third quarter on a 6-yard run, then he scored on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter to make it 28-20. Hector’s defense came up with one final stop in the final minute to seal the victory over Brinkley (7-4).
Gaines gained 71 yards on 13 carries and Jalen Ferguson caught 6 passes for 110 yards.
MCCRORY 49, HACKETT 6
McCRORY —Senior running back Kaigen Rogo rushed 18 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns as McCrory (10-0) defeated Hackett (10-2) in a second-round Class 2A playoff game. Cade Campbell completed 2 of 3 passing attempts for 45 yards and 2 touchdowns and added 4 carries for 45 yards for the Jaguars, who host Mount Ida next week.
The McCrory defense also scored. Tyler Hall returned a fumble 72 yards for a touchdown and Trevor Williams recovered another fumble for a score.
MOUNT IDA 42,
LAFAYETTE COUNTY 14
MOUNT IDA — Quarterback T.J. Wilson was 5 of 6 passing for 122 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed for 2 scores as Mount Ida defeated Lafayette County in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Cody Roberson had 17 carries for 164 yards and 1 score to help lead the Lions to a third-round matchup.
Jesse Lowry caught Wilson’s first touchdown pass, a 30-yard reception for the first score of the game. Lowry finished the game with four catches for 98 yards. He ran for another 49 yards.
Sports on 11/21/2015