GRAVETTE — The first quarter stat sheet was pretty dismal for Pea Ridge. The Blackhawks ran just eight offensive plays, had a 9-yard punt, lost a fumble and trailed Gravette 10-0. The other three quarters were a different story.
Pea Ridge kept its unbeaten season intact, and rolled to a 46-16 win Friday night in 4A-1 Conference action by converting Gravette turnovers into points.
Gravette (3-3, 1-2 4A-1) took advantage of the Pea Ridge mistakes, turning the short punt into a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kilby Roberts to Austin O'Brien. And after Gunner Berger recovered a Pea Ridge fumble, the Lions added a 26-yard Chris Childress field goal and a 10-0 lead with 33 seconds left in the first quarter.
"The kids came out fired up and played hard, and we got a break or two," Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said. "The offense finally moved the ball after last week and we got down there and scored. But my hat's off to Pea Ridge. They have a great team."
The Blackhawks (6-0, 3-0) scored three touchdowns in a little under five minutes to seize control of the game. Pea Ridge quarterback Jakota Sainsbury found Hayden Holtgrewe on a short pass over the middle, and Holtgrewe went 47 yards for a touchdown to put the Blackhawks on the board. The score came three plays after Holtgrewe intercepted a Gravette pass, one of three picks for the Pea Ridge secondary.
Another turnover, this one an interception by Britton Caudill that was returned to the Lions' 17, set up Zaine Holley's 10-yard scoring run and a 14-10 lead. The Blackhawks added their third score of the quarter when Sainsbury hit Holtgrewe on a 67-yard strike with 1:52 left in the first half and a 21-10 lead.
Gravette cut the deficit to 21-13 by marching 80 yards on its first possession of the second half, keyed by a 24-yard pass from O'Brien to Bailey Soule'. The Lions moved inside the Pea Ridge 10, but had to settle for a Childress field goal, this one from 24 yards.
Pea Ridge scored three straight touchdowns to put the game away, the first on a 35-yard pass from Sainsbury to Holtgrewe, and the second came when a Gravette punt was blocked and Jacob Torres returned it 44 yards. The Blackhawks added a third score when Caudill came up with his second interception of the game and Drew Winn raced 22 yards to extend the lead to 40-13.
"The defense kept us in the game. They did a fantastic job," Pea Ridge coach Stephen Neal said. "It should have been 14-0 actually and it's going to catch up to us sooner or later. We've got to get our offense clicking sooner, but it's one of those deals where, when they start clicking, they start clicking."
Sainsbury was 7-of-16 for 186 yards, and Holtgrewe caught six passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns.
The win sets up a huge conference game next week for Pea Ridge when it travels to Prairie Grove to take on the unbeaten Tigers. Gravette is on the road next week to Berryville.
PEA RIDGE 46, GRAVETTE 16
PEA RIDGE 46, GRAVETTE 16
Pea Ridge ..........0 21 19 6 -- 46 Gravette ........... 10 0 3 3 -- 16 First Quarter
Grav -- O'Brien 27 pass from Roberts (Childress kick), 6:52. Grav -- FG Childress 26, :33.
Second Quarter
Pea -- Holtgrewe 47 pass from Sainsbury (Green kick), 6:26. Pea -- Holley 10 run (Green kick), 4:32. Pea -- Holtgrewe 63 pass from Sainsbury (Green kick), 1:52.
Third Quarter
Grav -- FG Childress 24, 5:15. Pea -- Holtgrewe 35 pass from Sainsbury (Kick failed), 4:33. Pea -- Torres 44 blocked punt return (Kick failed), 2:09. Pea -- Winn 22 run (Green kick), :32.
Fourth Quarter
Grav -- FG Childress 36, 8:20. Pea -- Holley 5 run (Kick failed), 2:06.
10/8/2016
Sports on 10/12/2016