Arkansas High claims at least share of conference title in win over Hope

HOPE, Ark.-For the first time in a decade, Arkansas High has at least a share of a conference championship.

The Razorbacks got big contributions from running backs Cameron Collier and Torie Blair en route to an emphatic 45-7 victory over Hope in the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana's inaugural "Battle of the Bridge" on Friday at Hammonds Stadium.

With the win, Arkansas High (8-1, 6-0) will at the very least share the Conference 5A-South title and a victory next week against De Queen would give the Hogs the outright crown.

"This was a great win for us," Arkansas High head coach Barry Norton said. "With this victory we claim at least a share of the conference championship, and if we take care of business next week, we will be outright champions.

"It was a great day for the Razorbacks."

Cameron Collier again went over the century mark for the Razorbacks and finished with 186 yards and three touchdowns on six carries. Blair, who came in for Collier after the first quarter romp, added 152 yards on the ground and a touchdown on 11 carries.

With mercy rule invoked straight out of intermission, the Bobcats' lone score came off quarterback Hunter Hellums' 31-yard pass to Kentravious Lawson late in the fourth quarter. Hellums connected on 19 of 43 passes for 163 yards and the score. Lawson rushed for 40 yards on seven tries and Jaloni Davis led the receiving corp with eight catches for 48 yards.

The Razorbacks scored all of their points in the first half and accumulated 445 yards of offense in their victory, while Hope was limited to 236 yards.

Foreback was 7-of-20 passing for 105 yards and touchdown for the Razorbacks. Mask had a team-high 55 yards receiving and a touchdown, followed by Drake Browning's 28 yards receiving.

With not many possessions in the second half from the clock continuously running, the done most of their damage in the first half.

Arkansas High held the Bobcats to just 122 yards of total offense in the first two quarters, while piling on 443 yards of its own. Hope's best chance to putting points on the board before halftime came on their first drive when its field-goal attempt bounced off the left upright.

Collier, however, was nearly unstoppable for the Razorbacks. Just in the first quarter he scored twice on runs of 46 and wrapped up his night with 186 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries.

Facing a fourth-and-9 on their second drive, Foreback found Browning on a 17-yard strike to give the Razorbacks a first down to set up Collier's first score from 2 yards out.

Arkansas High's second score would come just 18 seconds later when Demetrias Charles recovered a Bobcat fumble and returned it 29 yards to paydirt to help the Hogs' defense record another touchdown on the season.

After a Hope three-and-out, Collier found a gap and rushed 30 yards to the right side on first down. On the next play, the senior running back broke open for a 46-yarder to help extend the Hogs lead, 21-0. On their pursuing drive, Collier once again found the end zone on another 46-yard run to end his night.

Holding onto a comfortable 28-0 advantage, the Razorbacks weren't finished yet.

DeJordan Mask returned a punt 43 yards, but the play would be negated by a penalty. With three straight incompletions, Arkansas High went for it on fourth-and-10 and a pass interference call set up a first down for the Hogs inside the red zone.

On the following play, Foreback found Mask in the corner of the end zone on a 25-yard touchdown.

The Razorback defense forced a turnover on downs and Ross got his second score of the game with a 26-yard run to help Arkansas High take a 45-0 cushion into intermission.

"We knew going in we should win the ballgame," Norton said. "Coach Turner has done a great job helping them bring up that program. He will get them going and they'll be a good team soon."

Arkansas High will finish off regular-season play next week at home against De Queen on Senior Night.

 

Arkansas High     28    17    0    0    -    45

Hope     0    0    0    7    -    7

First Quarter

AHS-Cameron Collier 2 run (Patrick Cook kick), 6:30

AHS-Demetrias Charles 29 fumble recovery (Cook kick), 6:12

AHS-Collier 46 run (Cook kick), 3:51

AHS-Collier 46 run (Cook kick), 2:02

Second Quarter

AHS-Jadas Ross 25 pass from Sean Foreback (Cook kick), 11:40

AHS-Cook 14 FG

AHS-Ross 26 run (Cook kick), 1:41

Fourth Quarter

HOPE-Kentravious Lawson 31 pass from Hunter Hellums (Jonathan Mendoza kick), 3:40

        AHS    Hope

First Downs        11    14

Yards Rushing    20-339    17-73

Yards Passing    105    163

Passes A-C-I    20-7-0    43-19-0

Fumbles Lost    0-0    1-1

Penalties        9-100    7-80

Punts-Avg.        2-37.5    3-37.3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Arkansas High, Cameron Collier 6-186, Torie Blair 11-152, Traveon Soils 1 (minus-1). Hope, Kentravious Lawson 7-40, Kenneth Anderson 9-27, Mekhi Hendereson 1-6.

PASSING-Arkansas High, Sean Foreback 7-20-0-0 105. Hope, Hunter Hellums 19-43-1-0 163.

RECEIVING-Arkansas High, Drake Browning 2-28, DeJordan Mask 2-55, Javun Beed 1-11. Hope, Nikorean Muldrow 2-15, Jaloni Davis 8-48, Mekhi Henderson 4-34, Laymon Howell Jr. 1-6, Kenneth Anderson 1-14, Kentravioius Lawson 1-31.

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