CONWAY -- Senior tailback Cary McClain rushed 20 times for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns in Conway's 35-21 homecoming victory over Fort Smith Northside in 7A-Central action Friday night at John McConnell Stadium.
The Wampus Cats (6-1, 3-1 7A-Central) scored the game's final 28 points after trailing 21-7 early in the third quarter. McClain sparked the comeback with a 76-yard touchdown burst up the middle with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Conway finished with 320 rushing yards on 51 attempts. Junior tailback Luke Bailey's 1-yard touchdown run iced the victory with 2:27 remaining in the game.
"When we had to run the ball, this would probably be the game we wanted to do it," first-year Conway Coach Keith Fimple said. "Got simple at halftime and made it easy. Kids took advantage of the easy scheme that we had."
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McClain's long touchdown run pulled Conway within 21-14. The Wampus Cats took their first lead, 28-21, on senior quarterback Jovoni Johnson's 1-yard touchdown run with 10:48 remaining in the game. Johnson ran 16 times for 103 yards and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Will McKenna to make it 21-21 with 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Johnson's touchdown run came three plays after junior linebacker Parker Prock recovered a fumble at the Northside 27 -- one of five Grizzly turnovers.
Northside (5-2, 2-2) was led by senior quarterback Derrick Wise, who completed touchdown passes of 36, 13 and 38 yards. Wise threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jackson King, and a jump pass to King for two points, to give Northside a 21-7 lead with 9:23 remaining in the third quarter.
The Grizzlies led 13-7 at halftime after Wise threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to King with 19 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
"We're down 21-7 and we've been like that for about the past four weeks," Fimple said.
"We've learned and it's a teachable moment. Kids did a very good job of finishing and being resilient. That's what we try to preach around here."
Wise had given the Grizzlies a 7-0 lead after throwing a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jeremy Maffei with 9:03 remaining in the first half. McCain ran 5 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-7 with 5:58 remaining in the first half.
Sports on 10/13/2018