GENTRY -- Class 4A Gentry may be young and rebuilding -- starting as many as seven sophomores -- but the Pioneers are off to a strong start after crushing Class 2A Decatur 49-7 on Friday.
One of the few Pioneers' seniors, CJ Taylor, ran in three touchdowns to pace the effort. Taylor totaled 124 yards on 11 carries, and his 27-yard run to start the third quarter kicked in the Arkansas Activities Association Sportsmanship Rule with a continuous clock in the second half.
Gentry (2-0) jumped to a 22-0 lead after one quarter and led 35-0 midway through second quarter. The Pioneers got sloppy at that point, making penalties, coughing up the football and allowing Decatur to stave off the mercy rule with a touchdown in the second quarter.
"I was a little disappointed that we lost focus," Gentry first-year head coach Paul Ernest said. "You've got to learn how to keep playing and keep executing."
Sophomore quarterback Jon "Doo" Faulkenberry was 7-of-11 for 140 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 50 yards on seven carries. Senior Jake Faulkenberry caught touchdown passes of 48 and 25 yards.
After the game, the seniors voted on junior Colton Little to receive a special marble passed out for player of the game.
"When we started practice, we put a marble for every day of the season in a jar and every day we take one out," Ernest said. "They watch the marbles go down and it reminds everyone that every day is special. There is only one year all these guys will have with each other."
Gentry rolled into the end zone in five plays to start the game. Senior Jake Faulkenberry scored the first touchdown on a 48-yard strike from his sophomore brother Jon Faulkenberry. Cole Cripps ran in a 2-point conversion to make it 8-0.
Taylor ran in the second score from 6 yards out and an extra point made it 15-0 with 4 minutes, 58 seconds to play in the first. It was 22-0 for the Pioneers.
Gentry led 35-0 with 7:53 to play in the second quarter as Taylor scored on an 11-yard run. After that, the Gentry attack slowed.
Nonconference
Gentry 49, Decatur 7
Decatur^0^7^0^0^--^7
Gentry^22^13^7^7^--^49
First Quarter
Gentry -- Jake Faulkenberry 48 pass from Jon Faulkenberry (Cripps run), 10:06.
Gentry - Taylor 6 run (Matthews kick), 4:48.
Gentry - Jon Faulkenberry 13 run (Mathews kick), 2:28.
Second Quarter
Gentry - Jake Faulkenberry 25 pass from Jon Faulkenberry (kick failed), 11:43.
Gentry - Taylor 11 run (Mathews kick), 7:53.
Decatur - Vang 40 pass from Lang (Lopez kick), 3:30.
Third Quarter
Gentry - Taylor 27 run (Mathews kick), 10:43.
Fourth Quarter
Gentry - Christie 35 run (Mathews kick), 8:75.
Sports on 09/16/2015