Arkansas high school football Class 4A state final: Harding Academy holds on after giving up big lead to Rivercrest

The Colts trailed by three TDs at halftime but had a chance to tie the score on the final possession

LITTLE ROCK — Harding Academy won its 10th state championship Saturday night before an announced crowd of 4,733 at War Memorial Stadium. It looked like an easy win, but it turned out to be a nail biter.

The Wildcats (15-0), who led 40-14 early in the third quarter, held on for a 43-35 victory over Rivercrest (12-3) for the Class 4A state championship.

“We certainly did not play our best game,” said Harding Academy head coach Neil Evans. “A lot of that has to do with them. They made some big momentum plays in the game. They did a good job of converting on crucial downs. We had them in second and seven, third and eight. It felt like our defense was on the field for the entire second half.”

Photo by Kai Caddy 

The Wildcats overcame a blocked punt and a blocked field goal. In addition, Griffin Thomas missed a 40-yard field goal with 1:01 left that would have made it a two-possession game. With running back Isaac Baker out with a broken collarbone, Trenton Hall filled in and rushed for 72 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. They also had to overcome 14 penalties for 121 yards.

"I knew we weren’t going to give up, but you never know because If they get a score, then clock starts running,” said Rivercrest head coach Johnny Fleming. “We did a good job battling back. They miss a field goal when it was a 8-point game. In the second half, we changed our secondary scheme around and put an extra guy back there.”

The Colts, who took over at their 20 with 1:01 left, advanced to their 47 in eight plays with Koby Turner running 18 yards before trying to pass the ball to a teammate, but the officials called him for an illegal forward pass. Cavonta Washington completed a pass to Jayden Young for four yards and to Turner for 10 yards before time expired.

Trailing 40-14, the Colts started their comeback when Turner, who rushed for 232 yards on 33 carries with 3 touchdowns, ran 57 yards around the left end at the 9:14 mark to close to 40-21.

“Koby is player,” said Fleming. “If they don’t take him in college, somebody is going to miss out.”

Harding Academy came back with a 13-play, 50-yard drive that ended with Thomas making a 34-yard field goal at the 6:19 mark to make it 43-21.

The Colts came back when they converted two fourth downs. The first one featured a 13-yard pass from Cavonta Washington to Turner on fourth and eight to the Wildcat 33. The second one featured a 19-yard pass to Young which put the ball on the Wildcats 10. Two plays later, Turner took a pitch from Washington and thew six yards to Marcus Slayton in the end zone. Johnson’s kick was good and it was 43-28 with 5:31 left in the third quarter.

Thomas had a punt blocked by Tekulyn Sanders which Mike Faction recovered with 10:56 left in the game giving Rivercrest the ball at the Harding 28. With the aid of two penalties, Rivercrest had the ball first and goal on the four where Slayton ran four yards for a touchdown with 10:18 to play. Johnson’s kick made it 43-35.

The Wildcats’ next possession ended when Thomas had a field goal blocked by Sanders and Faction recovered. Rivercrest moved from its 30 to the Harding 39 where Alex Jones and Tanner Simmons had sacks setting up fourth and 27 which resulted in Washington throwing a seven-yard pass to Jakavion Williams, giving the ball back to the Wildcats with 5:54 to play.

That drive ended with Thomas’ missed field goal.

The Wildcats took a 40-14 lead with Owen Miller, who was named MVP of the championship game, completing 21-of-31 passes for 362 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Wide receiver Jack Citty caught 10 passes for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns and Kyler Hoover caught 5 passes for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Miller got off to a fast start when he completed 11-of-12 passes for 230 yards in the first half with four touchdowns, but struggled with windy conditions in the second half.

“Owen had some really tough conditions,” said Evans. “They have a really good defense, they made some adjustments with their secondary. It was the fastest defense we played. A lot of other games, he’s turning the corner and tonight, he couldn’t. The Photwind picked up in the third quarter He tried to throw into the wind.”

Photo by Tommy Land 

After Rivercrest punted to start the game, Harding Academy needed eight plays to go 86 yards with Miller throwing 27 yards over the middle to Hoover at the 8:23 mark. Thomas’ extra point was good and the Wildcats led 7-0.

Two plays later, Wyatt Simmons intercepted Washington and returned it 10 yards to the Rivercrest 10. Three plays later, Miller threw 7 yards to Citty at the 7:32 mark. Thomas’ kick was good and Harding Academy led 14-0.

Harding Academy’s defense set up another touchdown when Wyatt Simmons forced a fumble and Jones recovered at the Harding 20. Six plays later, Miller found Citty deep down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was no good and Harding Academy led 20-0 with 1:29 left in the first quarter.

Rivercrest’s defense set up a touchdown when Williams intercepted a deep pass by Miller at the Rivercrest 19. Ten plays later, Turner ran 40 yards to the Harding Academy 4 and on the next play, he scored over the left side. Johnson’s kick was good and Harding led 20-7 at the 7:26 mark of the second quarter.

Two plays later, Miller found Hoover down the left side, who hauled in a pass that was tipped and went into the end zone for 61-yard touchdown at the 6:50 mark of the second quarter. Miller’s pass on the two-point conversion was no good and Harding Academy led 26-7.

Facing fourth and four on its 26, Washington’s pass to Williams was incomplete. After a 21-yard pass from Miller to Citty, Hall scored from a yard out at the 5:01 mark. Thomas’ kick was good and Harding led 33-7.

With 1:56 left in the first half, Kash Spann intercepted Miller at the Harding Academy 43. Seven plays later, Turner went 24 yards around the left end for a touchdown with 33 seconds left. Johnson’s kick was good and it was 33-14.

Miler capped off a 10-play, 80-yard drive to open the second half when he went around left end for a 27-yard touchdown. Thomas’ kick was good and the Wildcats were up 40-14 at the 9:23 mark of the third quarter.

After losing 64-39 to Malvern last year, Miller said winning this year’s title was worth the wait.

“It means a little bit more this year,” said Miller. “We kept fighting and working hard. Guys kept a good level head.

“Sometimes, a team will get momentum and when they got momentum they’re hard to stop and we finished the game.”

Photo by Tommy Land 

--Jeff Halpern