Jackrabbits fall to CAC in 2OT

Lonoke's Anthony Parks goes around CAC's Nathan Velek en route to a touchdown (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits battled back from a two-touchdown deficit to force overtime against Central Arkansas Christian on Friday night. However, the Mustangs would have the final say.

CAC beat Lonoke 28-21 in double overtime at James B. Abraham Stadium. With the loss, Lonoke falls to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in 4A-2 play. The loss was Lonoke’s third consecutive.

CAC led 21-7 following a 61-yard touchdown pass from Palmer Gilbrech to Aiden Hughes with 

Lonoke's Chris Lucas defends against CAC's Ethan Demarco.

2:21 left in the first half. 

The Jackrabbits pulled to within 21-14 with 37 seconds left in the first half. Spencer Pepper scored on a 6-yard run. Diego Contreras kicked the extra point. The play was set up by a long pass on fourth down from Pepper to Chris Lucas.

Lonoke tied the score at 21-21 on the first possession of the second half. Pepper scored on a 25-yard run with 8:17 left in the third quarter.

The score remained the same the remainder of regulation. CAC had a chance to win it in regulation but Eli Jenkins missed a 30-yard field goal attempt with 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

CAC had the ball first in the first overtime. The Jackrabbits defense pushed the Mustangs back to the Lonoke 33. On fourth down, Gilbrech threw an incomplete pass.

Lonoke had a chance to win the game in the first overtime. On third-and-goal from the 10, Pepper ran 9 yards to the CAC 1. Lonoke coach Harry Wright sent Contreras out for an 18-yard field goal attempt that he barely missed, sending the game into a second overtime.

Lonoke got the ball to start the second extra period. On the third down, CAC’s Gentry Miller intercepted a Pepper pass.

Miller then ran three times, including two yards for the game-winning touchdown on third down. Jenkins kicked the extra point to set the final score.

CAC took a 7-0 lead on the first play of the game. Gilbrech threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Morse. The Mustangs added to their lead on a 73-yard pass from Gilbrech to Miller, making the score 14-0.

Lonoke got the board when Pepper threw a screen pass to Anthony Parks, who worked his away across the field and down the sideline to make the score 14-7.

The Jackrabbits, CAC, Heber Springs and Bald Knob are all Atied for fourth place with a 2-3 record. Lonoke’s two conference victories are over Heber Springs and Bald Knob.

Lonoke hosts Stuttgart in the final home game this Friday at James B. Abraham Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Jackrabbits hold off Bald Knob for 3rd straight win

Lonoke's Anthony Parks carries the ball against Bald Knob on Friday night. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

LONOKE — The Lonoke Jackrabbits had to play all 48 minutes to come away with a 38-36 win over the Bald Knob Bulldogs on Friday night at James B. Abraham Stadium. 

Bald Knob quarterback Johnson Capps’ pass into the end zone was batted away on the final play as Lonoke won it’s third consecutive game after starting the season 0-2. The Jackrabbits are 3-2 overall and 2-0 in 4A-2 conference play.

“Any win is a good win … I’ll take every one of them,” first-year Lonoke coach Harry Wright said. “They [Bulldogs] are a good football  team. They saw something on film and took advantage of it in the first half for sure. We came out and made adjustments.”

Lonoke led 24-20 at halftime following a 31-yard field by Diego Contreras on the final play of the second quarter. 

Brayden Coble blocks for Spencer Pepper. 

Bald Knob took a 28-24 lead early in the second half. Lonoke responded with another touchdown. Anthony Parkers scored on a 2-yard run with 6:56 left in the third quarter. Contreras’ extra point gave the Jackrabbits a 31-28 lead. 

Bald Knob fumbled the ball back to Lonoke with Da’Lynn Waits recovering the ball at the Lonoke 31. Six plays later, Lonoke quarterback Spencer Pepper threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Lake with 7 seconds left in the third quarter to make the score 38-28.

Bald Knob cut the deficit to 38-36 on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Capps to Tyrese Dinwiddie with 6:54 left in the game.

Lonoke had a chance to put the game away but pass into the end zone was incomplete on fourth down at the Bald Knob 19 with 36.7 seconds left in the game. 

Bald Knob’s Leason Pierce lined up at quarterback and pitched to Capps, who threw a 53-yard pass to Josh Clark down to the Lonoke 28 with 27.4 seconds left.

After an incomplete pass, Capps was tackled after a 6-yard gain. The Bulldogs tried to kill the clock but Capps spiked the ball after taking a snap from the shotgun. Bald Knob was called for intentional grounding. That set up one last play from the Lonoke 28.

Capps final pass into the end zone was incomplete, giving Lonoke the victory. 

Pepper finished with 146 yards rushing on 17 carries. He completed 12 of 20 passes for 115 yards. 

Anthony Parks rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries. Lake had 22 yards on two carries. 

Chris Lucas caught four passes for 82 yards, 45 of which came off a lateral from Parks on the first play of the game.  Parks caught five passes for 10 yards. Lake caught three passes for 22 yards. 

Capps completed 7 of 20 passes for 193 yards. 

Lonoke took a 7-0 lead with 11:12 left in the first quarter. Pepper scored on a 2-yard run. The play was set up by a hook and lateral play. Pepper threw to Parks who laterally the ball to Lucas, who took it 50 yards.

Bald Knob cut the deficit to 7-6 on a 30-yard run by Capps with 6:02 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs took a 14-7 lead on a 9-yard run by Pierce. They scored the two-point conversion. 

Parks returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14. 

Bald Knob reclaimed the lead at 20-14 on a 6-yard run by Pierce with 12.5 seconds left in the first quarter.

Lonoke took a 21-20 lead on a 41-yard run by Pepper with 1:44 left in the first half. 

Lonoke will travel to Southside Batesville this Friday. The Southerners are 3-2 overall and 1-1 in 4A-2 play following a 35-7 loss to Riverview on Friday night.

Jackrabbits start conference 1-0 for first time since 2013

Lonoke kicker Diego Contreras attempts an extra point against Newport. Contreras kicked a 32-yard field goal against Heber Springs on Friday night. Holding for the kick is Riley Miller (Photo by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

@markbuffalo

HEBER SPRINGS — For the first time since 2013, the Lonoke Jackrabbits are 1-0 in conference play.

The Jackrabbits routed the Heber Springs Panthers 32-12 on Friday night to improve to 2-2 on the season and start 4A-2 play at 1-0. The last time Lonoke beat Heber Springs, which was also the conference opener was 2013. The Jackrabbits beat the Panthers 63-34 on Sept. 27, 2013.

In Friday’s win, Lonoke jumped out to an 11-0 lead. 

Lonoke kicker Diego Contreras kicked a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter. Lonoke then pushed the lead to 11-0 on a 14-yard run by Anthony Parks. Chris Lucas caught a pass from Spencer Pepper for the two-point conversion.

Hebei Springs scored a touchdown in the second quarter to make the score 11-6. Lonoke followed up with a 35-yard pass from Pepper to Parks. Contreras kicked the extra point to make the score 18-6. 

Each team scored a touchdown in the third quarter. Pepper scored on a 25-yard run. Contreras kicked the extra point. The Panthers also scored on a pass to make the score 25-12.

Lonoke’s final score came in the fourth quarter. Lucas caught a 23-yard pass from Pepper, and Contreras kicked the extra point to account for the final score. 

Pepper completed 10 of 16 passes for 131 yards. he also rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries. Parks had 75 yards on 16 carries. He caught 5 passes for 79 yards. Lucas and MJ White each caught two passes. 

Dayton Smith led Lonoke with 15 tackles. Brayden Coble and Lucas had 9 tackles each. Daylynn Waits had 8. 

John Lawson had two sacks for the Jackrabbits. Riley Miller had an interception.

Lonoke will host Bald Knob on Friday night at James B. Abraham Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.