Local teams make deep run at Vype
Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE - Leading 24-9 with 5: 45 to play, Fayetteville appeared en route to the semifinals of the consolation bracket Saturday in the Vype Select 7-on-7 Select Tournament.
That was until Rogers rallied for 16 unanswered points to put an early end to the Bulldogs' day. Mountie quarterback Andy Couture hit Ethan Melton for two late touchdowns that were the difference in Rogers' 25-24 win at the University of Arkansas intramural fields.
"We didn't make plays when we had the opportunity to," said Fayetteville head coach Daryl Patton. "When you get a chance to make plays, you've to make it and we didn't do it. Rogers did, give them credit, that was a great game."
Rogers then knocked off Hot Springs Lakeside inside the Walker Pavilion in the consolation semifinals. Couture's 21 of 26 passing and four touchdowns helped the Mounties stave off Lakeside 31-24. Melton and Michael Tibbs both had six catches. Melton added two touchdown receptions and Tibbs collected another.
The accuracy and field vision of Springdale Har-Ber's Zach Faust was the Mounties undoing in the consolation finals. He riddled the Rogers defense for five touchdown passes that spurred the Wildcats to a 37-22 win.
Pulaski Academy went undefeated and won the overall championship, beating Sherman, Texas, 41-14 on the outdoor practice field adjacent to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Rogers finished the tournament with a 9-4 record and had fun doing it, said Mounties coach Ronnie Peacock.
"The kids did well, and they had fun too, " Peacock said. "It's fun a thing scoring touchdowns, catching the ball, making interceptions, tipping the ball away, that's a lot of fun for the kids."
Fayetteville finished the tournament with a 5-2 record in pool play and a 2-2 record in the championship round. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Allen completed 25 of 41 passes for seven touchdowns Saturday morning during the Bulldogs remaining pool play games: A 36-18 win against Bryant and a 27-10 win against Des Arc.
Class 4 A Gravette was the lone small school representative to reach the semifinals of either bracket. The Lions (7-5 at the tournament ) fell 36-20 to Springdale Har-Ber in the consolation semifinals.
Third-year head coach Bill Harrelson lauded the pluck his team exhibited along the way. "We made a lot a great plays throwing and catching and defensively, but the heart we showed was the most impressive thing to me," Harrelson said.
Bentonville (1-7 ), Gentry (0-8 ) and Siloam Springs (4-4 ) were all eliminated in the first round of the championship bracket.
Gravette beat the Panthers 23-4 before falling in the next round to Lake Hamilton. The Lions then beat Little Rock Christian and Nashville in the consolation bracket.
Rogers Heritage finished the tournament 5-5. The War Eagles beat Har-Ber JV in the first round of the tournament before losing to Sherman. They then lost their first consolation game to Nashville.
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