Ramay's first-half burst too much for Mounties
Posted on Friday, October 10, 2008
ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Ramay Junior High’s Eric Simmons returns a kickoff for a touchdown during the second quarter of the Indians ’ game with Rogers High Thursday at Harmon Field.
Ramay Junior High notched its second win of the season Thursday night by routing Rogers High's ninth-grade Mounties, 34-7 at Harmon Field. After the Mounties closed the gap to 14-7 late in the opening half, the Indians scored 14 points in less than two minutes to blow the game open.
The backbreaker for the Mounties was Eric Simmons' 90-yard kickoff return just seconds after Rogers had cut the lead to seven.
"Without a doubt, that's huge," Ramay coach Craig Foringer said. "We break down defensively and let them score and the momentum's on their side but for [Simmons ] to take it 90- something was a boost."
The Indians (2-4, 2-3 NWAC ) scored on their first four possessions and Ramay's defense did its part by holding the Mounties (0-6, 0-4 ) to 55 net yards. But penalties bit the Indians on occasion, including a pass interference and personal foul penalty on Rogers' lone scoring drive.
"I was a little disappointed about some of the penalties that we had. We've got to correct that. That's not what we do," Foringer said.
Casey Perry returned the opening kickoff to Rogers'35-yard line and it took just five plays before Brice Gahagans gashed the Mounties for a 16-yard touchdown.
Ramay made it 14-0 with 6: 09 left in the half following an 11-play, 56-yard drive. Devin Harvey polished off the drive with a 17-yard dart to Troy King. The Indians converted two fourth downs to keep the drive alive.
The Mounties put together their own 11-play drive to cut the lead in half. Andrew Conley avoided a sack and rambled 24 yards to the Ramay 15. Penalties moved the ball to the 5 and Corbin Sites took it in from there, making it a 14-7 ballgame.
Simmons' return made it 21-7 but Rogers decided to pass instead of running the first-half clock out. After a short punt and a 10-yard return by Perry, Ramay had it at Rogers' 20 with 14 ticks on the clock. With just seconds remaining, Harvey threw to Perry for a 7-yard score and the Indians led 28-7.
Ramay ran much of the thirdquarter clock thanks to a 14-play drive but Harrison Smith's 27-yard field-goal attempt was no good. Smith did hit 4-of-5 extra points. Ramay set the final margin with an interception return by Perry, his second score of the night.
"We put a full game together. We're very pleased with the effort of each and every one of them," Foringer said.
Harvey was 6-of-8 for 90 yards and a pair of scores and Gahagans led the ground attack with 46 yards on 10 totes. Deshun Thomas came in late and rushed for 35 yards.
Up next for Ramay is a home date with league-leading Springdale Central.
"That'll be a tough one," Foringer said.
In the eighth-grade contest, the Elmwood Raiders got by Ramay, 28-12. Nathaniel Wright and Kolton Worley scored for the Indians while Keifer Holt had a pair of touchdowns to lead the Raiders.
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