LITTLE ROCK -- The Little Rock Parkview Patriots and the Rogers Mountaineers combined for 62 points and 439 yards in the first half of Parkview's 84-40 victory at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Friday night.
The pace remained intact after halftime.
"In my 33 years of coaching, I've never seen anything like it," Rogers coach Mike Loyd said. "We're playing arena football."
Statistical superlatives mounted throughout. Parkview senior fullback Thomas McCauley rushed 11 times for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns. His freshman teammate Darien Bennett ran for 144 yards on 17 carries. Rogers junior quarterback Hunter Lloyd, Mike Loyd's son, completed 25 of 42 passes for 326 yards. Senior receiver Mason Ross caught 9 passes for 260 yards and all of Hunter Loyd's 5 touchdown passes.
"We knew what Rogers could do on offense," Parkview coach Brad Bolding said. "The coach's son can really throw it. Our defensive backfield had to grow up in a hurry tonight."
Rogers had four turnovers, including a muff of the game-opening kickoff recovered for Parkview by senior Demetrius Feemster at the Rogers 23.
On Parkview's first play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Landon Rogers passed for a touchdown to senior tight end Erin Outley with eight seconds gone in the game.
After Rogers was held to fourth-and-long and a punt, Parkview took over at its 23. A nine-play drive was completed by Rogers' 1-yard sneak that gave Parkview a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Rogers scored on its next possession with a 3-yard run by senior back Greyson Daniels to cut Parkview's lead to 14-7 with 5:51 left in the first quarter, but Parkview took little time to rebuild its lead. A 37-yard kickoff return by Trent Bennett and a face-mask penalty put Parkview on the Rogers 20. Three plays later, McCauley scored on a 16-yard run.
"The thing I don't understand is why at least every (NCAA) Division II program in this state hasn't made Thomas an offer," Bolding said. "I think he could play for any school in the state."
Parkview got second-quarter touchdowns on a 21-yard run by McCauley and a 57-yard pass from Rogers to Feemster, the latter to take a 35-7 lead with 4:30 left in the second quarter.
"If we don't spot them 28 points, we're right in this game," Hunter Loyd said.
Rogers answered with a five-play 65-yard drive completed by Aron Rendon's 5-yard touchdown run, followed three scrimmage plays later -- including a 68-yard run by McCauley -- by Daniels' 3-yard touchdown run that gave Parkview a 42-14 lead.
Rogers responded with a four-play 57-yard drive to cut Parkview's lead to 42-20 with 34 seconds left before halftime.
"Our offense is doing OK, but you have to play on both sides of the ball to win games," Mike Loyd said. "We're going to have to get better."
Sports on 09/21/2019