FARMINGTON -- With a gathering thunderstorm looming on the horizon Sept. 7, the Gravette Lion varsity football team traveled to Farmington to take on the Cardinals in a non-conference contest. By the end of the night, Lion fans would face yet another defeat as Farmington prevailed 40-2 over Gravette.

Lion fans, along with the band and cheer team, filled the visitors stands in support of their favorite Gravette players. But as the contest began, black clouds rolled into the area. But the oncoming storm did not stop the Cardinals; they scored the first touchdown of the night with only two minutes elapsed into the contest. Gravette stopped the two-point conversion attempt, holding Farmington to a 6-0 lead.

Five minutes into the first quarter, a lightning strike within the 10-mile safety zone, along with heavy rain, forced officials to postpone the game for 30 minutes.

Lightning struck several times score-wise for the Farmington Cardinals when the game resumed, in the second quarter. Farmington's Drew Sturgeon took a hand-off from quarterback Eric Hill and ran for a 70-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Hill's pass to Sturgeon connected once again for a two-point conversion, making it a 14-0 contest.

The Cardinals scored two more times on touchdowns by Reid Turner, to take a 27-0 score going into the halftime break.

Farmington began the second half with an 85-yard touchdown run by Sturgeon on the opening kickoff by Gravette, extending its lead to 34.

Gravette's only score came when Jarrod Barker caught the Cardinal quarterback in the end zone for a touchback and two points.

One more touchdown towards the end of the third quarter by Tony Mayo sealed the win for Farmington. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, giving the Farmington Cardinals the win, 40-2, over the Gravette Lions.

The Gravette Lions will be on the road Sept. 14 when they travel to Jay, Okla., for a 7 p.m. nonconference contest with the Jay Bulldogs.

Sports on 09/12/2018