PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove set the tone from its opening possession with Joseph Sims busting a 52-yard jaunt for a touchdown and routed Green Forest, 42-14, in junior high football Sept. 24.
Prairie Grove coach John Elder dished out praise for the efforts all-around from skill players to linemen on both sides of the ball, particularly with some tweaks to the defensive line.
"We just jumped on them fast. Joe Sims had a big run and he scored on it on the second play of the game," Elder said. "The offensive line, they did a good job handling things up there, blocking and making holes especially right up the middle on traps. The defensive line, we did a little different defensive front so they kind of had to get adjusted to that a little bit, but I think when we run it a little bit more they'll get better."
Quarterback Luke Vance ran in the 2-point conversion and the 8-0 lead increased throughout the first half with Green Forest falling victim to a deluge of big plays by Prairie Grove.
Ethan Grothaus blocked a Green Forest punt setting up a short field with Prairie Grove taking over at the Green Forest 26. Halfback Conner Hubbs scored on a 7-yard sweep and the lead went to 14-0. Hubbs intercepted Green Forest on the next series, running the pick back 32 yards inside the red zone.
On first-and-10 from 11 yards out, Hubbs ran to daylight with Vance adding another 2-point conversion carry to push Prairie Grove's advantage to 22-0 at the end of the first quarter.
"Our quarterback Luke Vance played well and Conner Hubbs had a good game carrying the ball," Elder said. "Our defense played well. Spencer Allen had a lot of tackles at linebacker and Conner Hubbs had a big interception that set up a score in the first half and he played a really good game."
In the second period, Sims bulled his way in from 4 yards away and later in the quarter Vance snuck in from the one to cap a 53-yard drive. Both conversions failed, but Prairie Grove held a commanding 34-0 halftime lead.
Prairie Grove got a running clock going in the third quarter with Jace Edwards scoring a 2-yard rushing touchdown and Tate Cox running in the 2-point conversion giving Prairie Grove its largest lead of the contest at 42-0.
"We had a pretty long pass from Luke Vance to Eric Henderson [38 yards]. It was a deep pass. That got us down to their 16 and we punched it in," Elder said. "It was 42-0. We got the mercy rule going that way. We started subbing pretty freely after that and they scored a couple of touchdowns on our second and third team defense."
Green Forest got a touchdown and 2-point conversion in the third quarter and a touchdown in the fourth to make the final 42-14.
"The kids played well. We still got to work on our 2-point conversions, get a little better at that, but other than that they played a really good game," Elder said.
PRAIRIE GROVE 42, GREEN FOREST 14
Prairie Grove^22^12^8^0^--^42
Green Forest^0^0^8^6^--^14
First Quarter
Prairie Grove -- Joseph Sims 52-yard run (Luke Vance run).
Prairie Grove -- Conner Hubbs 7-yard run (Pass failed).
Second Quarter
Prairie Grove -- Conner Hubbs 11-yard run (Luke Vance run).
Prairie Grove -- Joseph Sims 4-yard run (Run failed).
Prairie Grove -- Luke Vance 1-yard run (Run failed).
Third Quarter
Prairie Grove -- Jace Edwards 2-yard run (Tate Cox run).
Green Forest -- run (run).
Fourth Quarter
Green Forest -- run (Run failed).