PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove scored 24 points off three Gentry turnovers to offset a 12:06 to 5:54 first-half time of possession differential in beating the junior Pioneers, 30-0, on Thursday.
Compounding Gentry's challenges was the loss of starting quarterback Jon Faulkenberry in the first quarter after he sustained a broken hand on a hard hit by Prairie Grove.
Prairie Grove coach John Elder also noted Faulkenberry's absence was a factor.
"He was scary when he took off running a couple of times."
The junior Tigers scored on the third play from scrimmage when Dustin Burton ran off a tackle sprung by Garrett Doss' down-block. Sixty-nine yards later Burton reached the end zone and Prairie Grove led 6-0 after failing to convert a 2-point run.
On the ensuing possession, Faulkenberry used a spin move to elude a tackle and scooted 33 yards, setting up a Gentry first down at the Tiger 29. He completed a pass to Myles McFerron at the 17 for another first down. Faulkenberry dodged three tackles on the next play before Ben Beason brought him down for no gain. An offside penalty moved the ball to the 12, but Doss stopped McFerron and Faulkenberry was knocked out of the game on the next play while trying to scoop up a fumbled high snap.
On fourth down, Prairie Grove's John David Elder made a diving interception of McFerron's desperation throw after another high snap got away from the backup quarterback and fell directly into McFerron's hands.
Gentry's offense was not nearly as effective for the rest of the game. Meanwhile, Prairie Grove scored on the next play with Anthony Johnson running around right end for an 87-yard jaunt to the house. Doss ran in the 2-point conversion and Prairie Grove assumed a 14-0 advantage with two minutes and 19 seconds left in the first quarter.
Gentry had the ball for the next 4:04 before Prairie Grove's Jacob Pruett ran a fumble in for a touchdown. Doss' second effort scored the 2-point conversion on a run, putting Prairie Grove in front, 22-0.
On Gentry's next drive, Mason Walker stopped McFerron running out of the shotgun a yard short on fourth down but Prairie Grove turned the ball back over with Khang-Su Yang's interception. In an odd sequence, the junior Pioneers returned the favor after three plays, marking the third change of possession in five plays.
DeMarkus Cooper picked up a fumble and was hit immediately, but the junior Tigers had a first down at the Gentry 49. In their only sustained drive of the first half, Prairie Grove went the distance in six plays in a 1:11 span.
John David Elder scored on a quarterback keeper with no time registering on the game clock to cap the drive. Pruett ran in the 2-point conversion on a double handoff and Prairie Grove was in front, 30-0, at the half.
Both teams played reserves over the final two quarters and there was no more scoring.
"Early on we lost our quarterback. He broke his hand, he's a vital part of what we do," said Gentry coach Brian Little.
With two weeks to go, Faulkenberry is done for the season and Little said the junior Pioneers will have to adjust.
"We've got a couple of other guys who haven't had reps at quarterback that we can use," Little said. "We have another big running back that we'll probably have to stick in there."
Sports on 10/29/2014