Bison fall to Hornets in conference opener

Carlisle's Devarius Allen pulls away from a Hazen defender for a third-quarter touchdown Friday night. (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

HAZEN — For the first time this season, the Hazen Hornets had to play four quarters. However, for Carlisle Bison fans, it was not the outcome they wanted.

Hazen jumped out to a 20-0 lead en route to a 32-14 win over the Bison. It was Carlisle’s third consecutive loss to the Hornets but the first one in that run to not end with a mercy rule.

The Bison are now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in 2A-6 play. Hazen is 4-0 and 1-0 in league play. 

The first half was a defensive struggle with the Hornets leading 8-0 at halftime. 

Carlisle’s second possession started at its own 4 following a muffed punt. 

A few plays later, Carlisle fumbled with Hazen recovering at the Bison 1. On the next play, Hazen’s Ayjon Green scored on a 1-yard run with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Terrell Penn added the two-point conversion. 

The score remained the same until the Hornets took the second half kickoff and drove 55 yards in five plays with Penn scoring on a 2-yard run with 9:42 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion was no good, making the score 14-0. 

After a Bison punt, Green scored on a 50-yard run to make the score 20-0 with 7:21 left in the third quarter. 

The Bison showed some life on their next possession. They drove 66 yards in five plays with Devarius Allen scoring on a 25-yard run with 4:11 left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the score at 20-6. 

Hazen responded with a 56-yard, 10-play scoring drive with Green scoring on a 1-yard run with 11:29 left in the game. 

Carlisle wasted no time answering as Bison quarterback Eli Moody found receiver Will Carter with a pass and he tightroped the sidelines for a 64-yard touchdown pass with 10:28 left. Carter scored the two-point conversion on a pass from Moody to make the score 26-14. 

Hazen averted disaster on its next possession. Penn fumbled the ball into the end zone and it laid there for a a second before Blayne Toll pounced on the loose ball for a Hornets touchdown with 7:50 left to make the score 32-14.

The Bison will host Des Arc for homecoming this week. The Eagles are 2-2 overall and 1-0 in 2A-6 play following a win over Marvell on Friday. 

Jackrabbits rally, beat Newport for season's first win

Lonoke's Romel Rankin, from left, Brayden Coble and Anthony Parks celebrate after Parks scored a touchdown on a fumble return to make the score 49-40 against Newport on Friday. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits finally got over the hump.

After dropping the first two games of the season, including a 45-44 overtime loss to Beebe last week, the Jackrabbits rallied from a  two touchdown deficit to beat Newport 49-40 on Friday at James B. Abraham Stadium. The win was the first for new Lonoke coach Harry Wright. 

“That is, by far, the best team we’ve played, just athletically and what they can do in space,” Wright said. “They are really well coached. It was a big win. I’m excited for them.”

Lonoke's Riley Miller makes a tackle against Newport.

Lonoke trailed 34-21 with 9:34 left in the third quarter following a 62-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Monquell Cox. 

Lonoke scored the next two touchdowns. Spencer Pepper threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Chris Lucas and a 91-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Parks, the second coming with 3:43 left in the third quarter. Diego Contreras kicked both extra points to give the Jackrabbits a 34-34 lead.

The Jackrabbits pushed their lead to 42-34 on the final play of the third quarter when Parks scored on a 1-yard run. 

Newport cut the deficit to 42-40 on a 4-yard run by Cox with 10:31 left in the game.

Lonoke’s final touchdown came on a scoop and score when Parks forced a fumble by the Newport quarterback then picked up the loose ball and returned in about 20 yards for a touchdown to make the score 49-40.

Newport had a chance to get closer but Lonoke’s Riley Miller intercepted a pass at the Lonoke 1 with 3:09 left.

The Jackrabbits were forced to punt but only got off an 11-yard punt, giving the Greyhounds the ball at the Lonoke 13. However, the Jackrabbits forced Newport to turn the ball over on downs a the 15 yard line. 

Lonoke took a knee to end the game. 

The Jackrabbits finished with 402 yards in total offense. 

Pepper completed 11 of 20 passes for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also rushed for 48 yards on 17 carries. 

Parks caught 4 passes for 146 yards. He rushed for 73 yards on 12 carries. 

Shawn Lake caught 4 passes for 96 yards. Lucas caught 2 passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns. 

Defensively, Romel Rankin and M.J. White each had an interception.

Newport finished with 421 yards in total offense. 

The Jackrabbits will travel to Heber Springs to take on the Panthers in the 4A-2 opener next Friday. 

“These first three games are like preseason,” Wright said. “They count and they matter. Every game matters but what you do in the conference is important. If you can go out and get better every week, that’s all we’re worried about.”

Jackrabbits play better but fall to Badgers in OT

Lonoke quarterback Spencer Pepper follows the blocking of teammate Ayden Rowton during the first quarter against Beebe. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — it wasn’t the outcome that Lonoke Jackrabbits fans wanted Friday night but it was a step in the right direction.

Lonoke rallied from a two-score deficit to force overtime against Beebe but the Badgers scored a two-point conversion to win the game 45-44 in the home opener at James B. Abraham Stadium.

The loss comes two weeks after the Jackrabbits lost at Class 2A Carlisle 38-13 in the season opener. 

In the game with Class 5A Beebe, sophomore quarterback Spencer Pepper accounted for 323 of Lonoke’s 331 total yards. Pepper completed 13 of 22 passes for 203 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 120 yards on 22 carries and scored one touchdown. He also scored a two-point conversion off a pass from MJ White to tie the game at 37-37 with 6:01 left in the third quarter.

Lonoke's Riley Miller [7] and Chaston Dockery
celebrate a touchdown

After a scoreless fourth quarter, the game went into overtime with each team getting to possess the ball first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. 

Lonoke got the ball to start overtime. On third down, Pepper threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to White. Diego Contreras  kicked the extra point to give the Jackrabbits a 44-37 lead.

Beebe scored a touchdown on second down as quarterback Cade Longing scored on a 7-yard run. After a timeout, Beebe decided to go for the win. Longing threw a screen pass to Seth Howard, who barreled his way into the end zone for the two-point conversion and the victory. 

Lonoke led 7-0 following a 29-yard run by Pepper with 8:01 left in the first quarter. After a Beebe score tied it at 7-7, Lonoke reclaimed the lead on a 33-yard pass from Pepper to Chris Lucas. 

Beebe scored 14 consecutive points to lead 21-14. The Jackrabbits broke the streak when Beebe punter Steven Hemmert had the snap sail over his head and threw the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety, making the score 21-16. 

Beebe led 28-16 at halftime.

Lonoke cut the deficit to 28-23 early in the second half on a 12-yard pass from Pepper to Riley Miller. Beebe pushed its lead to 34-23 before Lonoke scored again to cut it to 34-29. Pepper connected with Miller for a 57-yard scoring strike.

Beebe kicker Jaime Rodriguez kicked a 24-yard field goal to make the score 37-29. Lonoke’s Shawn Lake returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown. Lonoke scored the two-point conversion to tie the game at 37-37. 

Miller caught 6 passes for 119 yards. Lake caught 3 passes for 27 yards. Lucas caught 2 passes for 38 yards. Also catching passes were White and Chaston Dockery.

Lonoke hosts the Newport Greyhounds in the final non-conference game this Friday at James B. Abraham Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Bison rout Johnson County Westside for 2-0 start

Carlisle's Lynn Mills catches a pass for a touchdown (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

CARLISLE — For the first time in six years, the Carlisle Bison are 2-0.

Carlisle beat Johnson County Westside 58-14 on Friday night to remain perfect on the season. The last time the Bison started a season 2-0 was 2013 when they finished 12-2 and falling to Junction City in the Class 2A state semifinals. 

Carlisle took an 8-0 lead on its first possession. Eli Moody threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Will Carter with 6:16 left in the first quarter. Kamryn Taylor added the two-point conversion. 

After a Westside punt, Taylor ran 76 yards for a touchdown with 5:40 left in the first. Gage Parker added the two-point conversion. 

Westside’s next possession ended with an interception by Carlisle’s Mikey Freeby with 5:25 left in the first quarter. Eight plays later, Taylor scored on a 2-yard run with 1:27 left to make the score 22-0. 

The Bison pushed their lead to 28-0 on a 65-yard run by Taylor with 6:49 left in the first half. 

Westside got on the board on a 4-yard run with 6:39 left.

The Bison got that score back when Moody threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Lynn Mills with 6:19 left. Parker added the two-point conversion to make the score 36-6.

The Bison’s final score of the first half came on a  62-yard run by Collin Jinks with 3:39 left to make the score 44-6, invoking the running clock in the second half. 

Carlisle scored two second-half touchdowns. Tyler Webb scored on a  14-yard run and Will Carter returned a kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown. Parker scored another two-point conversion. 

Moody completed 3 of 3 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. 

Taylor rushed for 143 yards on 4 carries. Jinks had 113 yards on 7 carries. Webb had 72 yards on 8 carries. 

Carter caught two passes for 85 yards. Mills caught one for 53 yards. 

Ian Seidenschwarz led the Bison with 7 tackles. Carter had 6. C.J. James had 5.

The Bison go on the road for the first of six away games this Friday at DeWitt. The Dragons are 2-0 with wins over Stuttgart and Riverview.