LINCOLN — Farmington overcame two weeks of offensive futility coming back from a 13-12 second quarter deficit to defeat U.S. 62 rival, Lincoln, 40-26, on Friday.

“It’s been 10 quarters since we played very well,” said Farmington coach Mike Adams.

The Cardinals have not scored a point, since taking a 34-7 lead against Gravette 17 seconds into the third quarter on Oct. 12. Although Farmington managed to hold on and win that contest, the Redbirds were outscored 71-0 in two successive losses to Ozark and Pea Ridge.

The start had Adams on edge Friday.

“The first play of the game we had a chance to do something big and didn’t do it,” Adams said. “That kind of concerned me.”

Lincoln forced a punt and capitalized after beginning near midfield. The Cardinals defensive line jumped offside. Then, Lincoln completed a 42-yard pass from Dalton Simmons to Patrick Haynes. On fi rst and goal from the six, Simmons gained 3 yards, then Johnny Yang scored and Manual Ortiz kicked the pointafter for a 7-0 Lincoln lead with 9:35 to go in the fi rst frame.

In a season of adjustments, Harris noted the Wolves moved Dalton Simmons to tailback and Drew Harris to quarterback after Tyler Cummings was injured and Cheyenne Vaughn transferred.

“Then Dalton comes in for him (Drew Harris)when he gets hurt,” Harris said. “Dalton has done a tremendous job for us all season. He continued to get better. He’s our utility player. We used him wherever we needed him.”

The Wolves tried an onside kick which Farmington recovered but the Cardinals had to punt again. Penalties pushed Lincoln back and Wolves inserted injured quarterback Drew Harris, who tried to throw deep but lacked the arm strength with a sore elbow. Farmington’s Matt Brackett intercepted.

On the next play, Lincoln picked off a Cardinal pass and ran the ball back near the Farmington 40 but a holding penalty negated the turnover. The flag represented a turning point in the game as Farmington drove for their first score in 116 minutes and 26 seconds of football when freshman Justice Hobbs took a quick pitch right for a 5-yard touchdown.

Hobbs, who carried the ball 20 times for 144 yards, in a Thursday junior high game the night before, was moved up to varsity giving the Cardinals a bruising straight-ahead run threat.

“He’s a real good northsouth runner,” Adams said. “We’ve got him in our goalline package. He’s a good addition for us.”

Farmington went for two, trying to take the lead, but the conversion failed and Lincoln led, 7-6.

In the second period, a joint possession was ruled a touchdown as Lincoln defensive back, Danny Calvillo, and Farmington receiver, Matt Brackett, fought over a catch in the end zone. Farmington wasagain unsuccessful on a 2-point try and settled for a 12-7 lead.

Lincoln responded with a 64-yard scoring drive in 9 plays. Yang’s kickoff return started the Wolves at their 36 and the junior runningback finished it with a 2-yard touchdown run. A dropped pass on a 2-point try left Lincoln with a 13-12 lead inside six minutes to go in the fi rst half.

Farmington answered with a 15-play, 70-yard drive, capped off by Spencer Boudrey’s 32-yard touchdown when he took a short flare pass the distance.

The Cardinals led 18-13 at halftime and scored two plays into the third quarter on Boudrey’s 49-yard run. Adams changed his strategy on the 2-point conversion and instead of passing, sent Hobbs in for the score anda 26-13 Farmington advantage.

Lincoln lost the ball on an interception on the ensuing possession. Farmington seized momentum and Boudrey scored on a 9-yard run with Hobbs again doing the honors on a 2-point run, which pushed the Cardinals ahead, 34-13.

After stopping Farmington on fourth down at their own 11, Lincoln put together an 89-yard, 9 play drive, which culminated with Colton Barnum’s 5-yard touchdown reception on fourth and goal. The extra-point kick was blocked leaving Farmingtonin front, 34-19.

Boudrey caught a wideopen touchdown pass from Keaton Austin on a blown coverage to account for Farmington’s last score with the P.A.T. missing.

Lincoln’s fi nal touchdown of the season came on Nou Long Thao’s 2-yard rush as the senior, who battled back from injuries, capped off his high school football career with fellow senior, Ortiz, booting one more pointafter.

Farmington won 40-26 and will travel to Newport for a 7 p.m. game on Friday as the fourth seed in the 4A-1 Conference.

“We overcame some mistakes,” Adams said. “We are not where we should be but we are getting better.”

Lincoln fi nished (2-5, 5-5) and was eliminated from post-season competition by the loss.

“I’m real proud of our kids, we’ve had adversity since week one,” said Lincoln coach Brad Harris. “We just had guys keep stepping up. We’re going to get there. We’re competing with bigger, stronger guys.”

“Losing to them 40-26, that’s respectful. We just made a few mistakes, they’re a good team,” Harris said.

Sports, Pages 8 on 11/07/2012