ARKADELPHIA — Then there were none.
Henderson State rode a career day from junior tailback Jaquan Cole and another strong defensive effort to a 17-7 Great American Conference victory over previously undefeated Arkansas Tech before an announced crowd of 6,507 on Saturday afternoon at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium.
Coupled with Ouachita Baptist’s 26-21 victory over Harding earlier Saturday across the street – Henderson and Ouachita are separated by U.S. 67 – there are no remaining unbeaten teams in the GAC after five weeks of play.
Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist, Harding and Arkansas Tech are part of a logjam atop the standings, all 4-1 overall and 4-1 in the GAC.
Reddies Coach Scott Maxfield said he believes there is a “good chance” the 12-team GAC could crown a two-loss champion.
“In 2010 we tied for the Gulf South Conference with two losses, and I don’t see why this would be any different,” Maxfield said. “I think anybody is capable of beating anybody right now.”
Cole was the focal point of Henderson State’s third consecutive victory. He set up the only touchdown of the first half, bolting 65 yards to the 10 on the game’s first play from scrimmage, then helped put the game out of reach, 17-0, with an 88-yard touchdown run with 2:03 remaining in the third quarter.
Cole finished with 245 rushing yards on 27 carries. The Reddies amassed 390 total yards, including 305 rushing, on 71 plays.
“That was our plan,” Maxfield said, referring to the running game.
Henderson State limited Arkansas Tech, which entered averaging 482.5 total yards per game, to 323 total yards on 78 plays.
The Reddies nearly recorded their second consecutive shutout, but senior quarterback Arsenio Favor engineered a 13-play, 78-yard drive in the final four minutes, throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass underhanded to junior wide receiver Michael Fine with 1:06 remaining.
Averaging a GAC-best 45 points per game, Arkansas Tech had only 202 total yards after three quarters (Cole had 221 rushing yards).
OUACHITA BAPTIST 26,
HARDING 21
ARKADELPHIA – Senior tight end Johnathan Powell caught his first career touchdown pass with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter to give Ouachita Baptist a 24-21 lead over 12th-ranked Harding at Cliff Harris Stadium on Saturday, then Barkely Legens sacked Harding quarterback Park Parish in the end zone for a safety to seal the victory for the 24thranked Tigers.
The play of the game for the Tigers (4-1, 4-1 GAC) came from the defense in the fourth quarter when OBU’s Demetric Jennings forced a fumble on a third-and-3 play. Harding (4-1, 4-1) was ahead 21-17 and moving deep into OBU territory, when Jennings jarred the ball loose and Devin Price recovered at the Tigers’ 46. Austin Warford drove the Tigers 54 yards on 11 plays, finding Powell in the end zone to give OBU its 24-21 lead. OBU opened the game with 48-yard kickoff return by Ke’Vontae Pope. After a 10-play 34 yard drive, the Tigers took a 3-0 lead on a 32-yard field goal from Cole Antley.
Harding answered with a 13-play drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Parish. Harding extended its lead in the second quarter, capitalizing on a Tiger fumble in the red zone.
OKLAHOMA BAPTIST 56, ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 28
SHAWNEE, Oklahoma — Arkansas-Monticello ended a two-game road stretch with a big loss to to the Bison.
UAM lost 47-21 last week at Harding.
The Boll Weevils (0-5, 0-5 GAC) took an early lead with an 11-play, 84-yard drive to open the game, capped by a 10-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jeremy Jackson with 11:25 left in the first quarter.
The Bison (1-4, 1-4) responded with four consecutive touchdowns to close the first half, and added one more touchdown early in the third quarter to take a 36-7 lead.
SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 55,
SOUTHERN NAZARENE 20
BETHANY, Okla. – The Muleriders were able to overcome a slow start and eventually cruised past the Crimson Storm. Over half of the Muleriders’ (3-2, 3-2 GAC) points came in the fourth quarter as they scored five touchdowns. Three of those went for at least 49 yards.
The first came on a 49-yard touchdown catch by Michael Nunnery from Barrett Renner, while the second was a 49-yard William McKnight run. The Muleriders later got a 54-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Kendrix McCann following a Davondrick Lison sack.
STATE COLLEGES
BACONE 37, LYON 35
BATESVILLE — Bacone quarterback Trey Seward scored on a last-second scramble in the fourth quarter to give Bacone (1-4, 1-0 Central State Football League) a 37-35 victory over Lyon (0-5, 0-1) at Pioneer Stadium.
The teams traded the lead throughout, and Lyon led 21-17 at the half before Bacone took a 31-28 lead on Seward’s 8-yard pass to R.W. Royal early in the fourth quarter. Lyon answered with an eight-play, 82-yard drive that was capped with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Dwane Robinson to Nick Hinkley for a 35-31 lead.
Seward’s touchdown, a 1-yard run with 1 second remaining, gave the Warriors their first victory of the season.
Michael Bowles rushed for 159 yards and 1 touchdown for Lyon, while Robinson rushed for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns.
HENDRIX 51, CENTRE 48
Hendrix running back Dayton Winn broke his school records by rushing for 283 yards and 5 touchdowns on 52 carries to lead the Warriors to a comeback victory over Centre at Farris Stadium in Danville, Ky.
Winn, a junior from Pea Ridge, rushed for a school-record 226 yards last week against Milsaps. He also had 154 yards on kick returns and set a school record with 437 all-purpose yards.
He scored on runs of 51, 6, 1, 1 and 2 yards. The final score gave the Warriors (3-1, 2-0 Southern Athletic Association) the lead for good with 10:36 to play.
Hendrix quarterback Seth Peters was 15 of 27 for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns, a 43-yarder to Ben Luedtke in the first quarter and an 18-yard score to Nate Hodapp in the fifth.
Sports on 10/04/2015