Black Knights just miss key win

Black Knights just miss key win

10- 0 fourth quarter turns WMCS away

Sports Editor

West Memphis Christian was three-fourths of the way to a big win last Friday night.

The Black Knights were facing Oak Hill Academy on the road fresh off of claiming their first win of the season last week.

Carrying a 14-7 lead into the fourth quarter, Oak Hill found its traction on offense for the first time all night to outscore the Black Knights 10-0 in the final frame for a dramatic 17-14 victory which drops West Memphis Christian to 1-3 overall ahead of a game against Kirk Academy this week.

“It was a hard-fought game, but I’m so proud of my kids,” said third-year West Memphis Christian head coach Darrow Anderson. “Last two minutes we had the ball, had a chance to move into position, but ended up punting and they kicked a field goal with two seconds left to win it.”

West Memphis Christian sophomore quarterback Parker Benson finished 4 of 9 passing for 43 yards and an interception while senior running back Jameson Smith rushed 16 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Thomas Warren added 45 rushing yards on 9 carries and a touchdown his own, as well. Leading receivers for the Black Knights was Matthew Baker, who caught 2 balls for 29 yards, Bryce Waller with a catch for 11 yards and Smith who totaled one catch for 3 yards.

Anderson said that he knew about Oak Hill’s kicker’s range, and that affected his decision to punt late in the game.

“They popped a big run on us with a counter and got down inside the 10- yard line and we stuffed them three times and kicked it with two seconds on the clock,” said the coach.

Anderson was concerned about his team’s mentality when playing unfamiliar opponents as they had lost their first two games against teams fitting that description by a combined 77-12, but thought that the Oak Hill game was a step in the right direction.

“They stepped up,” said the coach. “I know we lost and all that, but that game at any point could have gone our way. Our game plan was in place, tried to keep the ball out of their quarterback’s hands, and

we basically did that.” West Memphis Christian will host Kirk Academy

this Friday night at Knights Field II and that game will kick at 7 p.m.

By Chuck Livingston