CLASS 4A/3A : Shiloh Christian crashes Gravette’s party
Posted on Saturday, September 8, 2007
GRAVETTE — A typical effort from Shiloh Christian was enough to take the luster off a monumental occasion at Gravette on Friday.
Blake Roberts had 357 yards passing and accounted for five touchdowns as the Saints crushed Gravette 49-14 in the Lions’ home opener at their new stadium. It was Shiloh Christian’s 16 th consecutive victory.
“They spoiled it,” Gravette Coach Bill Harrelson said. “They definitely did that. I thought we’d give Shiloh all we wanted, and it didn’t work out that way.”
Matt Gerlt led the Saints (2-0 ) with 102 yards rushing on 13 carries and caught 3 passes for 115 yards and another touchdown.
“It was just a great environment,” Gerlt said. “They had some hostile fans, and we knew it would be loud when we got here. We just clicked tonight.”
Roberts completed 13 of 27 passes for 2 touchdowns and added 9 carries for 56 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“Blake was unbelievable tonight, when you think about this being his second start ever,” Shiloh Christian Coach Josh Floyd said. “When the protection broke down and the receivers were covered up, he made some plays.”
Shiloh Christian took a 7-0 lead on its second drive with a 74-yard touchdown pass from Roberts to Jake Ryan.
Gravette (0-2 ) answered on its next possession when Frankie Walburn dove to catch a 26-yard pass from Ethan McKinzie. A 52-yard kick return by Michael Croasdell to the Saints’ 43 started the drive.
Another three-play drive late in the first quarter ended with Shiloh Christian’s second touchdown.
Roberts bobbled the snap on the second play of the drive but still managed get a 48-yard pass off to Jordan Moore, who took it to the Gravette 28. Roberts found Gerlt wide open in the end zone on the next play to give the Saints a 14-7 advantage.
“They were kind of daring us to throw deep, and we were able to throw it downfield,” Floyd said. “That helped us a lot.”
The Lions went about 12 minutes without a first down until one of Shiloh Christian’s nine first-half penalties gave them one midway through the third quarter.
The Saints extended their lead with two keepers for touchdowns by Roberts in the second quarter, one for one yard and another for eight, giving them a 28-7 halftime lead.
Shiloh Christian quickly invoked the mercy rule with rushing touchdowns by Gerlt and Roberts in the third quarter.
Gravette finished with 131 yards passing from McKinzie and just 27 yards rushing.
“I’ve been excited about this game for two years, and we didn’t tackle or execute offensively,” Harrelson said. “That’s what happens when you play a good football team.” UNION CHRISTIAN 47, MAGAZINE 6
FORT SMITH — Matt Price made three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and Dustin Pohler threw for two touchdowns to lead Union Christian (2-0 ) past Magazine (0-2 ) in a nonconference game.
Price returned one interception 40 yards for a score and the other 35 yards for a touchdown.
Pohler hit Dawson Urrutia with touchdown passes of 80 and 40 yards.
Chase Gushing had 11 carries for 121 yards for Union Christian. CLARKSVILLE 35, HUNTSVILLE 7
CLARKSVILLE — Doug Nelms rushed for 118 yards and 1 touchdown on 15 carries and Cameron Looper had 11 carries for 109 yards and 1 touchdown as Clarksville (2-0 ) defeated Huntsville (0-2 ) in a nonconference game.
Jordan Hignite added 5 carries for 76 yards and 1 touchdown.
Blake Neumeier led Clarksville with 14 tackles. Hignite, Matt Periman and Dustin Jackson also had interceptions for Clarksville. ELKINS 57, GENTRY 31
GENTRY — Antonio Valdez had 18 carries for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead Elkins past Gentry in a nonconference game.
Valdez scored on runs of 5 and 82 yards.
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