PEA RIDGE -- A ballhawking Prairie Grove defense offset a 268 yard passing performance by Pea Ridge quarterback Gavin Dixon with four interceptions as the Tigers won 41-28 Friday.
"Colin Faulk had two and Paytin Higgins had two for a total of four interceptions," said Prairie Grove defensive coordinator Craig Laird.
Prairie Grove junior wingback/halfback Ethan Miller accounted for 195 yards from scrimmage. He rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and contributed 99 yards on four receptions with including a 51-yard touchdown on a catch and sprint to the end zone that pushed the Tiger lead to 34-20 early in the fourth quarter. Prairie Grove extended the margin to 27-12 at the end of the third.
Pea Ridge scored twice in the fourth with Trevor Blair catching passes of 23 and 42 yards from Dixon. The pair hooked up twice on 2-point conversions to pull the Blackhawks within 34-28 before Prairie Grove put the game away with a late touchdown.
Prairie Grove fullback Coner Whetsell gained 81 yards on 14 rushes and Faulk added a 68-yard 'pick six' while rushing for 60 yards on eight runs.
Pea Ridge dominated the first quarter outgaining the Tigers 149 to 64 in the period and taking a 12-7 lead on Dixon's 11-yard touchdown run and later a 12-yard pass to Blair sandwiched around a Prairie Grove touchdown.
Faulk swiped a Blackhawk pass and was off to the races just before the half. Sixty-eight yards later he reached the end zone and Paytin Higgins kicked the extra-point to put Prairie Grove on top 14-12 at halftime.
The game ended on a Prairie Grove interception in the end zone.
PRAIRIE GROVE 41, PEA RIDGE 28
Prairie Grove^--^7^7^13^14^--^41
Pea Ridge^--^12^0^0^16^--^28
First Quarter
Pea Ridge -- Gavin Dixon 11-yard run (kick failed), 4:17.
Prairie Grove -- Ethan Miller 28-yard run (Paytin Higgins kick), 3:36.
Pea Ridge -- Trevor Blair 12-yard pass from Gavin Dixon (kick failed), 1:15.
Second Quarter
Prairie Grove -- Colin Faulk 68-yard interception return (Paytin Higgins kick).
Third Quarter
Prairie Grove -- Matthew Velasco 29-yard pass from Paytin Higgins, (kick failed), 6:49.
Prairie Grove -- Ethan Miller 25-yard run (Paytin Higgins kick), 1:38.
Fourth Quarter
Pea Ridge -- Trevor Blair 23-yard pass from Gavin Dixon (Trevor Blair pass from Gavin Dixon), 11:25.
Prairie Grove -- Ethan Miller 51-yard pass from Paytin Higgins (Paytin Higgins kick), 11:16.
Pea Ridge -- Trevor Blair 42-yard pass from Gavin Dixon (Trevor Blair pass from Gavin Dixon), 7:53.
Prairie Grove -- Coner Whetsell 11-yard run (Paytin Higgins kick), 3:42.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Pea Ridge, Joe Adams 9-107, Seth Foster 6-10. Prairie Grove, Ethan Miller 10-96, Coner Whetsell 14-81, Colin Faulk 8-60. Totals 39-250.
PASSING -- Pea Ridge, Gavin Dixon 20-32-268-3-4. Prairie Grove, Paytin Higgins 2-3-80-2-0, Camden Patterson 4-8-61-0-0. Totals 6-11-141-2-0.
RECEIVING -- Pea Ridge, Trevor Blair 12-215, Will Anderson 4-30, Caden Thompson 2-21, Bowen Phillips 1-8. Prairie Grove, Ethan Miller 4-99.