Our week 4 match-up from the 7A Central featured the 3rd-ranked North Little Rock Charging Wildcats and the 7th-ranked Little Rock Central Tigers.
Central received the ball to begin the game and started off strong as senior quarterback Lawson Gunn ran for a combined 33 yards on the first two plays.
Running back Sam Franklin got the Tigers deep in the red zone, but penalties, mistakes, and an eventual interception allowed North Little Rock to take over on their own 34 with 8:43 remaining in the first quarter.
On the very next play, NLR fumbled and Central recovered beginning a new drive on the NLR 32. Some good running from Franklin and Gunn got the Tigers to the NLR 3-yard line where they attempted a field goal, but it was unsuccessful.
North Little Rock responded quick on the following possession after some big runs by running back Fred O’Donald. Quarterback Kareame Cotton added the exclamation point darting for a 22-yard touchdown with 3:42 remaining in the first quarter on an option keeper.
Defensive stands mixed with dropped passes were the story for the final minutes of the first quarter and the majority of the second, until O’Donald took a handoff to the left, broke through multiple tackles, and scampered for a 46-yard score extending NLR’s lead 14-0 with 2:43 to go in the first half.
The Wildcats were not done yet as Cotton scored for the second time on an option keeper this time from 25 yards out with one minute to go in the before the break.
Cotton and the Wildcats continued to dominate into the third quarter as he rushed for his third touchdown of the night from 58 yards making it 28-0.
Central responded returning the ensuing kickoff deep into NLR territory and a personal foul against the Wildcats put the ball on the NLR 7.
Franklin did the rest on the next play rushing for the score and giving Central their first points cutting into NLR’s lead 28-7 .
The scoring marathon in the third quarter continued when Cotton found Damon Bell down the seam from 30 yards out getting NLR into the end zone for the fifth time adding more insurance to their lead 35-7 with 6:18 left in the third.
The Wildcats did not take their foot off the gas heading into the fourth as they scored on the first play of the quarter on a pass from Cotton to Chris Jefferson. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful making it 41-7 NLR with 11:41 remaining in the game.
Running back Aaron Sims got in on the action scoring for the Wildcats with 5:49 left in the game putting the mercy rule in effect and giving NLR a dominating 48-7 lead which would be the final.
The Tigers just could not execute when needed and were not able to stop the run game of the Wildcats. North Little Rock stays undefeated advancing to 4-0 while Central falls to 1-3.
Published by Kyle Sutherland @k_sutherlandHTP on Twitter