Sports

LATE PENALTY NULLIFIES RISON’S COMEBACK BID

By Stan Sadler/SPECIAL TO THE COMMERCIAL
Saturday, October 31, 2009 1:48 AM CDT

EL DORADO — An apparent 12-yard touchdown run by quarterback LaJuann Jones with 20 seconds left in the game was nullified by a holding penalty and the Parkers Chapel Trojans held on for a 19-16 win over the Rison Wildcats in a 7-3A conference game Friday night.

The loss dropped Rison to 5-1 in the conference and 7-2 overall while Parkers Chapel improved to 4-2 in the conference and 7-2 overall.

The Rison rally that ended at the Parkers Chapel 14 as time expired was climaxed by a furious last-minute march from the Wildcats own 4-yard line trailing 19-16 with 1:28 left. Raphael “Rock” Caldwell ran 62 yards to the Parkers Chapel 34. Then on fourth-and-five, Caldwell ran 17 yards to the Parkers Chapel 12 with 38 seconds left in the game.

After Jones spiked the ball to stop the clock, the Rison quarterback ran 12 yards for the apparent touchdown only to be called back by penalty. On the last play of the game Caldwell ran to the 14 as the time ran out.

“I tip my hat to Parkers Chapel. They deserve to win,” Rison head coach Clay Totty said. “This is a big win for coach Mark King and his program.

“I’m proud of our kids. We did not quit. In the end we got a stop from the defense when we needed it, and we got a drive from the offense when we needed it. We just ran out of time.”

Rison took the opening kickoff and drove 49 yards for a touchdown capped by Caldwell’s 9-yard touchdown run. The extra point failed, leaving Rison on top 6-0 with 7:28 left in the first quarter.

Parkers Chapel responded on the very next play with a 73-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jacob Midyett.

Zach Abbott added the extra point to put the Trojans ahead 7-6. Rison responded on its next possession as the Wildcats got a 28-yard field goal from Christian Uhl to make it 9-7 with 2:21 remaining in the first period.

Parkers Chapel took a 13-9 lead with 9:53 left in the opening half on a 3-yard run by Abbott. The touchdown came after the Trojans covered a fumble at the Rison 17.

Rison regained the lead with 40 seconds left in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Caldwell. Uhl‘s extra point made it 16-13 with 40 seconds left in the 3rd quarter.

Following Rison’s touchdown, Parkers Chapel drove 70 yards for the winning points on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Midyett snuck across the goal line to put the Trojans head 19-16 with 6:50 left in the game.

Print this story   |   Email this story