A fourth down stop got the Bearcats off to a fast start in the Class 3A state title game against Prescott in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
A fourth down conversion clinched a 25-22 win for the fifth title in school history and first under Doc Crowley, in just Crowley’s fourth season as the head coach.
As was the case in the semifinal game with Glen Rose, the Bearcats (13-2) were dominant on fourth down all night, converting 3-of-4 themselves and stopping Prescott (13-2) on all three of their attempts.
The clincher came with 1:13 to play in the game when Dax Goff got just enough to move the chains on a fourth-and-one from the Prescott 33-yard line.
Officials initially believed Goff to be short but, after a time out for an injury – during which one official remained kneeled and held the football, the chains were brought onto the field and the ball was almost a full football beyond the stick.
That huge yard included, Goff was splendid in his final performance as a Bearcat running 31 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns and was named the MVP of the game.
It was Goff going 31 yards for the first score of the game – Damari Poole had made a stop on fourth down to give the Bearcats the ball at the Prescott 29 – to make it 6-0.
Before Goff broke loose for the touchdown Rylen Ray had gotten three yards and the Bearcats had been flagged for a false start.
Ray had a big first quarter with 62 yards and had 84 at the half. He finished with 95 yards to give him 1,011 for the season, marking his second 1,000-yard year.
Pre-snap penalties would be a problem throughout the game for the Bearcats. There were five in the first half, and seven in the game.
Prescott’s second drive would result in the only Curly Wolf turnover as Jace Washburn snagged a pass at the Bearcat 9-yard line.
Another of the false start flags would help force a Bearcat punt and Prescott took over at the Bearcat 32.
Following the punt, Poole, Dylan Todd and Hunter Warren made, or combined to make, three straight stops and Prescott was facing a fourth down again. Todd broke up a pass to end the threat.
The Bearcats then went 72 yards in 10 plays to double the lead to 12-0 on a 13-yard run by Goff with 11:55 remaining in the first half. A two-point conversion try failed.
Poole continued to dominate up front on the next Curly Wolf possession with a sack that caused a fumble and a loss of 25 yards to put Prescott in a third-and-33.
The Bearcats looked to do more damage on its net drive but the damage would be self-harm in the form of a fumble that Prescott turned into a 51-yard scoop and score and it was 12-7 with 6:48 to play in the half.
A failed onside kick out of bounds moved the Bearcats to the Prescott 41 and the pace became deliberate for the Bearcats.
It took 13 plays, 5:32, and Prescott using all of their time stoppages but the Bearcats answered the defensive score – less a wide PAT try – by Prescott with a 1-yard run by Washburn who was pushed into the end zone on a third-and-goal.
With 46 seconds to go in the half Dakota Mattson ran the Curly Wolf quarterback down after an eight yard gain on a fourth-and-10 to keep it an 18-7 game at the half.
After forcing the Bearcats to punt just three plays into the second half Prescott needed just six plays to score their first offensive touchdown on a 4-yard run. A two-point conversion made it 18-15 with 8:05 left in the third quarter.
After the kickoff Washburn broke free for a run of what would have been about 35 yards but it came back due to a hold and the Bearcats were in a second-and-16 at their 23 when Goff got loose again and went 73 yards for a touchdown (play shown).
Juan Moreno’s PAT made it 25-15 with 6:43 showing on the third quarter clock.
Penalty free to that point Prescott had a series of three straight penalties – two false starts and a delay of game – to turn a third-and-5 into third-and-20, then had yet another false start and another delay before fourth down to force a punt resulting in a drive that took 4:27 but had only five plays.
With Goff ripping off 36 yards the Bearcats used the rest of the third quarter clock and were at the Prescott 25 going to the final quarter.
A first-and-goal from the 10 quickly became a third-and-goal at the 7 and two incomplete passes, the only ones Washburn threw all day, gave the ball to the Curly Wolves.
A holding penalty at the point a Prescott back cleared the edge on the way to a 93-yard run pinned the Curly Wolves deeper and Prescott eventually punted but a wind aided roll flipped the field 59 yards.
When the Bearcats had to punt for the third time Prescott had the ball back with a to-be intense 5:37 to play.
It started well enough with Lentz picking up a sack by blowing up a trick play but the Curly Wolves got a big run then took advantage of defensive holding – to wipe out an interception – and facemask calls on the way to a 10-yard scoring run to make it 25-22 with 3:14 to go.
Goff recovered the onside kick attempt and Lentz picked up a first down on a third-and-6 run to the Prescott 42.
Prescott then used all three time outs on the way to the fourth-and-1 play with Goff’s spot measured a first down and touching off fury from the visitor’s sideline before Washburn could take a knee twice.
The first snap came from starting center Lance Sims, but Sims had his helmet dislodged and had to leave the game so Conner Mayo was the center for the final play.
BEARCATS MAKE FOURTH DOWN PLAYS IN FIFTH TITLE WIN
