Hooten’s Is History As Lions Throttle Clarksville Panthers In Season Opener At Bentonville
Posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/gravette/News/455/
And you thought Gravette’s strength was going to be its offensive expressiveness ?
Well, it was last Tuesday night at a late-starting Simmons First Hootens. Com Kickoff Classic, piling up 426 yards — 275 on a soggy turf at Bentonville Tiger Stadium.
But it was Gravette’s LDC — or Lions Destructive Crew — that turned a Clarksville surge in the fourth quarter and helped Gravette preserve a 27-16 victory against the Panthers amid a steady Gustav downpour at Tiger Stadium.
Running back Teddy Selby rushed 26 times for 178 yards and a touchdown. Ethan McKinzie completed 10 of 19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more.
Both had season-ending injuries in the quarterfinals of last year’s 10-3 championship season.
Gravette’s offense scored on all four of its first-half possessions, building a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter. Selby’s first TD came on the Lions’ first possession as Gravette went 58 yards on seven plays capped by Teddy’s 17 yard scamper. The PAT failed.
Travis Eden made the score 12-0 on a 14 yard run and Montee’s toe built the Lions lead to 13-zip.
Hayden McAfee and David O’Brien intercepted passes by Panther’s quarterback Damon Redmon to set up both of McKinzie’s rushing scores — from the 1 for the 20-0 lead and from the 2 for a 27-16 lead.
In between those scores, Clarksville got on the board with an 85-yard kickoff return by Jordan Hignite, set up by a misdirection fake handoff amid three deep backs at the 15.
Ellis Foster pulled in a 27-yard pass from Redmon with 10 seconds left in the first half, culminating a 70-yard drive made possible by a recovered onside kick.
The Panthers inched with 27-16 when the second Gravette deep snap of the night sailed over its punter’s head and into the end zone for a safety.
Gravette’s defense held Clarksville’s volatile offense to a mere 148 yards, including 29 rushing yards on 24 carries.
It stopped the Panthers inside the Lions’ 10-yard line twice. The first time, Redmon was hauled down at the 2 on fourth-and-5 from the 6 in the third quarter.
The second time the Panthers recovered one of Gravette’s three lost fumbles and were at the 1 early in the fourth quarter.
But Quintin Eden came up big, recovering a fumble at the 5 to thwart the Panthers’ comeback with 10: 55 left in the game.
“ Clarksville did a great job, ” Harrelson said. “ You hold your breath every time they snap the ball. That was a big, big play. ”
Gravette then chewed on the clock awhile, driving to the Panthers’ 9 behind the running of Michael Croasdell. But the drive fizzled there.
“ We had some special team’s mess-ups and that really cost us, ” Harrelson said. ” They pinned us deep. ”
Selby had 126 of his yards at halftime on 16 carries. He cramped up with 10 minutes to play and carried just two more times late in the game.
Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said, “ Our offensive line did a great job and Teddy had a huge night. He ran like a man and played about two-thirds of the time on defense. ”
The Lions had 21 first downs to 13 for Clarksville. Gravette had 275 yards total rushing to just 29 for the opposing team and the Lions also led in the passing attack 151 yards to 119. Total offense was 426 yards for Gravette to 148 for Clarksville.
Clarksville completed 19 of 34 passes with 2 interceptions while Gravette was 10 of 19 with no interceptions. Gravette did lose 3 of 4 fumbles while Clarksville lost their lone fumble. Gravette wasn’t forced to punt while Clarksville averaged 32 yards on 3 punts. Gravette had 4 penalties for 40 yards; Clarksville was tagged twice for 15 yards.
Joining Selby on the ground, Croasdell had 36 yards on 6 carries, McKinzie had 31 on 12 and T. Eden one carry for 14 yards and a TD.