LITTLE ROCK — Malvern used a balance offense and suffocating defense for a 31-7 victory over Sylvan Hills on Friday at Bill Blackwood Field in Sherwood.
The Class 4A Leopards led the Class 5A Bears 17-0 at halftime. Junior quarterback David Traylor completed 6 of 7 passes for 71 yards and junior running back Dontail Henson had 18 carries for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Malvern's defense kept the Bears' offense in check in the first half, allowing 30 yards of total offense and only one first down.
Traylor's 50-yard touchdown pass to receiver James King made it 24-0 with 11:03 left in the third quarter and capped a two-play, 57-yard drive.
Malvern went ahead 31-0 after a 5-yard run by Henson with 8:20 left in the third.
Sylvan Hills' lone touchdown came with 2:52 left in the third on an 11-yard pass from Jordan Spears to Ahmad Scott.
Malvern Coach John Fogleman liked his team's overall performance.
"I was really pleased with the offensive side of the ball," Fogleman said. "We moved the ball when we had the opportunity. I thought the quarterback did a good job of managing the game. The defense did what we expected.
They did a great job." Malvern scored its first touchdown on its second possession of the game. Henson's 3-yard run capped an eightplay, 39-yard drive with 4:55 left in the first quarter. Henson accounted for 29 yards on the drive on four runs and a 19-yard reception on a screenthat set up his touchdown run.
Malvern junior James King fielded a punt at his 32-yard line and returned it 48 yards to the Sylvan Hills 20 to set up another scoring drive. The Leopards took three plays to go the 20 yards ,with Henson scoring from a yard out with 1:40 left in the first quarter to go up 14-0.
The Leopards' finished their first-half scoring with a 38-yard field goal by 5-4, 120-pound junior Alfonzo Torres for a 17-0 lead.
GREENBRIER 31, BEEBE 22
BEEBE - Neil Burcham passed for 286 yards and four touchdowns as the Panthers opened the season with a road victory.
Burcham, who completed 18 of 23 passes, had scoring throws of 29 and 22 yards to Tyler Hardy, 22 yards to Jo Oluoky and 25 yards to Hunter Winston, who finished with 12 catches for 118 yards.
Beebe ran for 326 yards, led by Adam Griffis' 98 yards. Victor Howell scored on a 68-yard run for the Badgers, who also got two touchdown passes from Scot Gowin.
LONOKE 27, PULASKI ROBINSON 0
LONOKE - Brandon Smith rushed for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 carries as Lonoke beat Pulaski Robinson.
Smith's had runs of 14 and 65 yards in the second quarter, the last coming with nine seconds left.
Smith added a 55-yard touchdown run with 56 seconds left in the third quarter.
T.J. Scott kicked three extra points.
GREENE COUNTY TECH 33, PARAGOULD 21
PARAGOULD - Senior Standrick Williams ran for 270 yards on 34 carries and scored 5 touchdowns to lead Greene County Tech to victory.
Williams' touchdowns came on runs of 8, 2, 7, 23 and 9 yards.
Chance Sugg scored two of Paragould's three touchdowns on runs of 74 yards in the first quarter and 1 yard in the fourth quarter. Skylar Rowe also scored a touchdown for Paragould.
Sports, Pages 30 on 09/05/2009