COWBOYS 10, COUGARS 6 : Woodland gets back on winning track
Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008
ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Woodland Junior High running back Farico Baymon (21 ) leaps to avoid Southwest Junior High’s J. J. Bond during the first half of play Thursday at Harmon Field.
After a heartbreaking loss last week to Bentonville Gold, the Woodland Cowboys jumped back in the conference race Thursday night with a 10-6 win over previously unbeaten Springdale Southwest at Harmon Field. What a difference a week makes.
“[The locker room ] was a lot different this week, ” Woodland head coach Bobby Crockett said. “ Our kids battled their rear-ends off and just kept fighting to the end. I can’t say enough about that. ”
Eighth-grade QB Austin Allen came off the bench and sparked Woodland’s offense with 147 yards passing, including a 72-yard strike to Reid Holmes in the second quarter. Holmes snared three receptions for 112 yards.
“ Austin does a great job and my ninth-graders do a great job but I played Austin a series in the first half and we got a touchdown out of it. I just went with my gut, ” Crockett said. “ Our receivers did a good job catching the football and running after the catch. ”
The Cougars (3-1, 2-1 ) moved the ball up and down the field at times but points were hard to come by. Two promising drives in the second half ended with fumbles, including one with 2: 09 to play and the ball at Woodland’s 21-yard line.
“[Tony Dennis ] was trying to go for extra yardage. He’s the kind of guy that just wants to take it to the house all the time. A lopsided hit and he lost the handle on it, ” Southwest offensive coordinator Travis Friesen said. “ I thought we moved the ball well and defensively, we played well enough to win the game. ”
Both squads enjoyed long drives to drain the first-quarter clock but Southwest was the team that came away with points. Dennis went for 14 yards and QB Evan Johnson kept for 19 more. Johnson ended the 11-play, 65-yard drive with a 12-yard scamper and the Cougars led 6-0 after one.
After forcing Southwest to punt, Woodland (3-1, 2-1 ) needed just one play to tie the game. Allen hit Holmes in stride for a 72-yard score and Max Coffin’s PAT put the Cowboys up 7-6 with 4: 38 left in the half.
The Cougars drove to Woodland’s 16 but on thirdand-4, Ben Dubois sacked Johnson for a 10-yard loss and the drive stalled.
Woodland looked to be running out the first-half clock until Farico Baymon ripped off a 32-yard run to get on Southwest’s side of the field. Another Allen to Holmes connection plus a roughing the QB penalty put the ball at the 9-yard line and Coffin nailed a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
The Cowboys ’ 10-6 lead held up although Southwest drove into Woodland territory on all three second-half possessions. Two fumble recoveries and a fourth-down sack by Baymon and Dubois snuffed out the drives.
Woodland still needed a first down to run out the clock and the Cowboys got it on a 36-yard pass from Allen to Kampbell Walker.
The Cougars rushed for 223 yards with Dennis and Rahmon Taylor leading the way with 92 and 90 yards, respectively. Baymon led Woodland with 68 yards on the ground.
Woodland ends its threegame homestand next week against Rogers Heritage while Southwest travels to Bentonville Gold.
In the eighth-grade game, Woodland blanked Southwest, 28-0. Alex Brignoni had two scores and Anthony Noto and Cole Harris each added a touchdown for the Cowboys.
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