ROGERS -- Rogers High celebrated homecoming with a big win Friday night at Whitey Smith Stadium, but the Mounties might have also suffered a big loss at the same time.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
The Mounties scored the first three times they touched the ball en route to a 35-7 win against overmatched St. Louis (Mo.) Normandy.
Rogers High 35, St. Louis (Mo.) Normandy 7
Normandy^0^0^0^7^—^7
Rogers^21^14^0^0^—^35
First Quarter
Rogers-Brain 6 run (Lopez kick), 9:41.
Rogers-McWhorter 1 run (Lopez kick), 6:20.
Rogers-McWhorter 9 run (Lopez kick), 2:22.
Second Quarter
Rogers-Hawkins 9 run (Lopez kick), 6:51.
Rogers-Hawkins 66 run (Lopez kick), 4:42.
Fourth Quarter
Norm-Binder 25 pass from Washington (Baker kick), 1:22.
But senior tailback Jeb Brain, who had rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the first two weeks, also went down late in the first quarter with a lower leg injury and did not return. He managed 64 yards and a touchdown on just six carries.
Mike Loyd said his team did a good job getting off to a fast start to grab the big lead.
"We talked about our kids keeping some momentum and practice the habit of winning," Loyd said. "And that's going out there and finding reasons you can win. I think they did that. They did a good job taking care of business. That's good for the kids to go 3-0. You can't get any better than that.
"These kids, you can see the excitement in their eyes and that's why you do this. They are starting to believe in themselves. We play the No. 1 team in the state next week, but they're 3-0 and they've earned those wins and that's good. Especially (because) they won one last year and two the year before, to go 3-0 is an accomplishment."
Rogers (3-0) took advantage of a short field in each of its first three drives. The Mounties' scoring drives went 15, 47 and 39 yards. The Mounties led 35-0 with just under five minutes left in the first half and the second half started with the clock running continuously under the Arkansas Activities Association sportsmanship rule.
Normandy coach Curtis Graham said his defense was put in a bad position early, but also missing a pair of starting receivers was also a problem.
"That field position put us in a bind," Graham said. "We couldn't get the backs out of the backfield. Blocking up front wasn't there. We got a couple guys who are down and we couldn't really spread them out like we wanted to."
A nice punt return by Hunter Hawkins into Normandy territory set up the first drive. It took Rogers just two plays to score with Jeb Brain covering the final six yards on the ground less than three minutes into the first quarter.
After another three-and-out by Normandy, Rogers went 47 yards in five plays, all on the ground. Collin McWhorter scored from the 1-yard line on that drive, then later covered the final nine yards on the third drive for his second score.
The Rogers defense allowed just two first downs, both by penalty, until Normandy's final drive of the first half. The Vikings 2-3) scored their only points in the final two minutes of the game. Sophomore quarterback Joseph Washington found senior tight end Christian Binder in the back of the end zone on fourth down from the Mounties 25. Binder bobbled the ball, but controlled it and got his feet down before falling out of the back of the end zone.
Sports on 09/17/2016