BENTONVILLE -- Josh Ficklin never waivered from the game plan, even when he was bottled up for most of the first half Friday night.
The Bentonville senior running back slammed into the Fayetteville defensive line time after time with minimal success early in the game. But just one carry made all the difference in overtime.
On the Tigers' first offensive play in overtime, Ficklin took a handoff from quarterback Carter Nye and found a gaping hole on the left side. Ficklin ran into the end zone from the 10-yard line for a touchdown that pulled Bentonville within 30-29.
The game marked the third overtime decision between the 7A-West powers since 2010.
"I knew our guys had it from the get-go," Ficklin said after the game. "We came into overtime thinking we were going to score as soon as we got the ball. Our guys were ready and we got out there and executed."
Bentonville Coach Jody Grant never hesitated when he told his offense to stay on the field, choosing to go for two points and the win rather than attempt a tying extra point. After a Fayetteville timeout, Nye ran a play-action to Ficklin then tossed a short pass to CJ Brown for the game-winning two-point conversion and a 31-30 overtime win.
"We pretty much knew before we took the first snap in overtime that we were going to go for two points there," Grant said. "We said if they scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point, we were going to go for two. We have a package of two-point plays that we use. That just happened to be our favorite one."
Bentonville (6-1, 4-0 7A-West) trailed for most of the game until kicker Logan Tymeson booted a 25-yard field goal with 3;57 left in regulation that gave the Tigers their first lead at 23-20.
Fayetteville (4-3, 2-2) swiftly moved down the field from its 20 to inside the Bentonville 10-yard line behind two huge throws from quarterback Drake Lindsey. Lindsey, who was 36 of 58 for a career-high 417 yards passing, hit Christian Setzer for 27 yards and Lach McKinney for 32, which moved the ball to the Bentonville 8.
But the Tigers' defense held and forced a 25-yard field goal by Nathan Kachel with 1:03 left that tied the game at 23-23.
Bentonville won the coin toss to start the overtime and elected to go on defense first. On third down from the 10, Lindsey hit McKinney on the left side and the Fayetteville receiver fought his way into the end zone to give the Bulldogs the lead. Kachel's extra point made it 30-23.
But the celebration was short-lived as Ficklin raced around the left end and easily scored on the Tigers' first play and Nye finished off the game with hit short toss to Brown for the win.
"Fayetteville's defense did a great job against our run game all night," Grant said. "We just were trying to bust one or two, and we felt like we could do that. Truthfully, I felt pretty confident in our ability to score in overtime, so I'm glad it worked out."
Ficklin was held to 42 yards in the first half but finished with 129 yards on 29 carries with 2 touchdowns, including a 4-yard run that tied the game at 20-20 with 10:31 left in regulation.
While Ficklin was celebrating another big night rushing, he said he was just as happy with two huge blocks when Fayetteville blitzed off the edge.
"I love blocking, or I love throwing someone on their back when they blitz," said Ficklin, who flashed a huge smile. "When that guy came off the edge and I had a chance to hit him, I cracked him."
Fayetteville lost its third game of the season by a total of five points, but Bulldogs Coach Casey Dick said there is a lot of season left to play.
"Tip your hat to them," Dick said of Bentonville. "They are a great program, a great team. But we'll learn from this and get better. I'm sure we'll see them again. We have a little history in the playoffs."
Bentonville quarterback Carter Nye throws a pass during Friday’s victory over Fayetteville. (Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette/Brent Soule)
Bentonville’s Josh Ficklin (right) fights for yards as Fayetteville’s Kasey Lehman (20) and Eli Rose defend Friday at Tiger Stadium in Bentonville. (Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/Brent Soule)