It would be easy to get lost in maybe the most bizarre ending of a state championship game in Arkansas high school football history.
Dillon Scott made sure Arkadelphia found its way for the first time in 30 years.
Scott's interception in the end zone with four seconds remaining sealed a 28-27 victory over Warren in the Class 4A final Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Scott, a 5-10, 150-pound senior cornerback, gently spiked the football to celebrate Arkadelphia's first state championship since legendary Coach John Outlaw -- in his final game at the Clark County school -- led the Badgers to a 21-6 victory over White Hall on the same field in 1987.
Before the interception and an unexpected delay, Scott made the most crucial tackle of the game when he cut down dynamic junior utility back Treylon Burks in open field at the Arkadelphia 8 with under 30 seconds remaining.
"Unbelievable tackle," Arkadelphia Coach J.R. Eldridge said. "From the time I was at Ouachita to seven years here, he's probably one of the most competitive guys I've ever coached. So proud of that young man."
Following the stop, Scott said he was able to collect his thoughts when play was halted for several minutes after a person identified by Little Rock police as a 16-year-old Warren student ran onto the field near the Arkadelphia 25 as Burks was preparing to possibly spike the football on second down to stop the clock.
The student was tackled by stadium security and escorted off the field. Following a conference by officials, Warren was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the Lumberjacks, out of timeouts, opted not to try a 40-yard field-goal attempt into a brisk northwest wind.
"At first I didn't know who he was," Scott said. "Then some security lady came out and tackled him. I was like, 'Oh, man, this is really real.' This dude just ran onto the field and started booing us. I was like, 'OK, I can catch my breath and block the field goal.' "
Instead of blocking a possible field-goal attempt to win the game, Scott ended the Lumberjacks' hopes of a second consecutive Class 4A state championship with an interception of junior quarterback J'Malachi Kinnard.
Scott said he cheated toward junior wide receiver Keemontrae McKnight on the play and read Kinnard's eyes.
"I saw him throw it and went and got it," Scott said.
In addition to his interception, Scott had three unassisted tackles, three assisted tackles and allowed the Badgers (14-1) to maintain a 21-13 halftime lead by blocking an extra-point attempt with 21 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
The gifted Burks, often matched against Scott, ran 18 times for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 4 passes for 178 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Burks was poised to score the winning touchdown when he decided not to throw after looking left on first and goal from the 9 in the closing seconds. The 6-2, 215-pound Burks rolled right, into open field, but Scott was able to find a way to make the tackle near the line of scrimmage.
"I knew he was going to go high, so I went low," Scott said. "I was able to get him down."
Sports on 12/10/2017