Bond proves stronger in victory

PEA RIDGE — Longtime best friends Jakota Sainsbury and Hayden Holtgrewe bearhugged after Pea Ridge’s 30-24 win against Shiloh Christian on Friday.

It was a longer embrace than most of their teammates as the Blackhawks celebrated in a black-and-red sea of jubilee.

[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]

There were even a few tears between all the cheers.

“I started crying out of happiness,” Holtgrewe said. “And I don’t think I’ve ever done that.”

With running backs Zaine Holley and Drew Winn each rushing for more than 100 yards, the difference down the stretch was the connection between Sainsbury at quarterback and Holtgrewe at receiver.

“(Holley and Winn are) the best two running backs in the state,” Holtgrewe said. “So when Shiloh started stacking the box, we knew we had to make plays down field.”

The junior duo hooked up for three completions in the fourth quarter, including two on third-and-long situations.

“They made plays though the air when they had to,” said Shiloh Christian coach Jeff Conaway. “A couple of their throws through the air and catches there late were crucial. We needed to get off the field on third down, but they converted.”

One of the crucial plays came on third-and-six with four minutes remaining in regulation. Sainsbury hit Holtgrewe for a 20-yard completion and a first down that forced the Saints to use their final two timeouts.

“We have a great connection,” Sainsbury said. “We’ve been best friends since kindergarten and been playing football together since second grade, so the connection has always been there.”

That connection began with their roles reversed as Holtgrewe played quarterback and Sainsbury played tight end up until fourth grade. On the drive that led to the winning touchdown, the duo connected again on third-andeight when Sainsbury found Holtgrewe for a 14-yard gain. They also hooked up for an 18-yard completion on the first play of the fourth quarter.

“I know I can put full trust in him to make the catch when he’s out there on the edge,” Sainsbury said. “And it’s never a surprise when he gets yards after the catch because he’s such a great athlete.”

Sainsbury finished 10-of-17 for 169 yards with Holtgrewe catching four passes for 65 yards. Sainsbury said the balanced mix of rushing and passing wouldn’t have been possible without the play of the offensive line against a stout Saints’ defensive front.

“We can’t do anything without the big men up front,” Sainsbury said. “We never know if we’re going to run it down their throats or drop back to pass, and it worked well for us there late in the game. They were there for me all night, and I never got touched all night, so the passing game was there.”

After the win puts Pea Ridge in the state finals for the first time in school history, the duo plans to celebrate by eating at “B-Dubs,” as Holtgrewe called Buffalo Wild Wings, and follow that up by playing Mario Kart at a friend’s house.

“This feels great. We’ve been dreaming about this since we were little,” Sainsbury said. “But tomorrow morning it’s back to business. We’ve got Warren next week, so tomorrow we’ve got work to do.

“We’re just getting started.”

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