CONWAY -- Springdale Har-Ber is a much improved team over the one that finished 3-8 a year ago.
Just ask Conway, which beat Har-Ber by 16 points last year.
Har-Ber dominated the rematch behind quarterback Fuller Chandler, who threw two more touchdown passes in a 37-7 victory Friday at John McConnell Stadium. Chandler had 12 touchdown passes for the season before throwing his first interception in the third quarter.
The mistake mattered little to Har-Ber, which was leading 31-0 at the time. Har-Ber increased its lead to 37-0 before Conway avoided the shutout with a 5-yard run by McCall Dail with 5:13 to play.
"It's embarrassing to play like that at home," Conway Coach Clint Ashcraft said. "They were a lot better football team than we were tonight."
It was another fast start for Har-Ber (2-1), which beat Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst 49-21 last week after leading 21-0 after one quarter. Springdale led 24-0 at halftime Friday on two touchdown passes by Chandler, a 28-yard field goal by Jesus Zizumbo and a 1-yard touchdown run by Luke Hannon.
Har-Ber scored twice after converting on fourth down and the Wildcats turned a Conway fumble into a 44-yard touchdown from Chandler to Trey Smith. Hannon added two short touchdown runs in the second half to give Har-Ber a 37-0 lead.
"Our defense continues to improve each week," Har-Ber Coach Chris Wood said. "There was a number of times Conway started to move the ball but they couldn't finish drives."
Har-Ber led 7-0 when Conway fumbled at its 44 in the second quarter. The Wildcats recovered and struck quickly when Chandler threw long on first down to Smith, who hauled in the pass to put Har-Ber ahead 14-0.
Zizumbo increased the lead to 17-0 with his field goal, but that wasn't enough for the Wildcats, who used some aggressive play-calling to build on their lead. Chandler kept a drive going with a 3-yard run on fourth down near midfield. Then he threw long again to Smith, who caught a 36-yard pass after a Conway defender got his hands on it.
From there the Wildcats turned to Hannon, who ran for 8 yards before diving into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.
Conway could get little going behind Breylin Smith, a three-year starter who is committed to Central Arkansas. The Wampus Cats reached the Har-Ber 23 in the first quarter, but penalties and a sack by Chase Anderson backed the them up to near midfield.
That was the only threat in the first half for Conway (1-2), which routed Har-Ber 31-15 last year at Wildcat Stadium. McCall Dail ran to the Har-Ber 17 in the third quarter before he was stripped of the ball and the Wildcats recovered.
NO. 1 FAYETTEVILLE 56, MUSKOGEE, OKLA. 21
FAYETTEVILLE — Javontae Smith ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns and Luke Rapert added 66 yards rushing as Fayetteville (3-0) beat Muskogee (0-3). Smith’s touchdown runs covered 23 and 63 yards for Fayetteville, which scored four touchdowns in a span of 7:51 in the third quarter. Fayetteville finished with 508 total yards, with 269 passing and 239 rushing. Muskogee had 257 total yards, but 206 came in the first half.
NO. 2 BENTONVILLE 37, TALLAHASSEE RICKARDS 8
BENTONVILLE — Kasey Ford accounted for three touchdowns and backup quarterback Chase Hunter threw a 61-yard touchdown pass as Bentonville (3-0) defeated Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards. Ford scored on two 1-yard runs and hit Kam’ron Mays-Hunt with a 17-yard touchdown pass. Ford completed 16 of 27 passes for 284 yards to surpass the 4,000 career passing yards. Hayden Moehring kicked field goals of 22, 24 and 31 yards for Bentonville, which had 531 yards of total offense.
Sports on 09/19/2015