Zebras aid ‘Cats in ending Prescott’s season

RISON – Prescott’s season came to an ignominious end Friday night as the Wolves fell, 34-29, to the Rison Wildcats.

The game was back and forth until the end of the first half when the officials made their presence known, and not in a good way – at least for the Wolves. The zebras began calling in favor of the home team, making it nearly impossible for Prescott to maintain any kind of momentum. The prejudice was obvious. As the game neared the half, Prescott was moving with the ball on the Wildcat seven. Carston Poole hit D’Wayne White for six with 14 seconds left, only to have the touchdown waved off as the officials allowed Rison to call a time out after the ball had been snapped, and this was after an official held the ball roughly 12 seconds before spotting it at the two before hitting Prescott with an illegal motion call. The end result was Poole getting picked off and the ball returned to the 24.

The home cooking continued to show in the second half as the officials made call after call in Rison’s favor. Early in the third, both teams were hit with flags. However, instead of the flags being waved off for offsetting penalties, the officials marked off the penalties against both teams.

The ‘Cats worked the clock from the outset, using a solid ground attack, keeping the Prescott offense on the sidelines. Rison returned the opening kick to the 30 and drove 70 yards in 13 plays, scoring on a 32-yard play-action pass with 4:01 left in the quarter. Rison went for two unsuccessfully, but led 6-0.

A pooch kick was fielded at the Prescott 34 with 3:35 showing. Poole went to the air finding Jaylen Young for 12. Travion Dickens scampered to the ‘cat 38. The Wolves literally fought for every yard, getting to the 24 before Poole connected with P.J. Gulley for six on a 24-yard pass. The point after made it 7-6 with 1:01 to go.

The ensuing kick was returned to the 27. Rison ran two plays, getting nowhere as the quarter came to an end. The second frame began with the ‘Cats facing a third and 10 at the 27, gaining seven and having to punt, with the ball rolling to the Prescott 20.

The Wolves needed five plays to cover 80 yard, with Dickens scoring from 11-yards out with 9:37 left in the half. A low snap resulted in the PAT being blocked, leaving the score 13-6.

Starting at the 31, the Cats drove 11 plays and chewed up 6:33 as the host team moved methodically down field, scoring on a 20-yard run with 3:04 left. The try for two made it 14-13, Rison.

This is where the score stood at the half as the officials made sure Prescott didn’t score before the break. Prescott drove downfield, overcoming holding and illegal motion calls, along with the official holding the ball more than 12 seconds before spotting it and allowing Rison to call a time out after the play had begun.

Prescott got the ball to start the second half, fielding the kick at the Wolf 41. Prescott caught a break as Rison was nailed with a personal foul call for running into the receiver who’d called for a fair catch. This moved the ball to the ‘Cat 42.

Poole hit White who rambled to the 27, only to see the play wiped out as both teams were hit with penalties, Prescott for an illegal block and Rison for a personal foul. Instead of waving the flags off for offsetting penalties, the zebras marked off both penalties with the ball ending up at the Rison 36. Prescott’s offense went the wrong direction from there and had to punt, with the ball rolling into the end zone for a touchback.

Rison began a nine-play, 80-yard drive, aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Prescott and some extremely generous spots by the officials. On the first third down of the drive, the runner was clearly stopped short of the first down marker, but the officials placed the ball where it would give the ‘Cats a first down and keep the drive alive. The drive ended with a 24-yard strike with 3:41 left in the period. The two-point conversion was no good, but the ‘Cats led 20-13.

The pooch kick was fielded at the Prescott 43. Poole hit Jaylen Johnson who fought to the ‘Cat 39 before Dickens found a gap in the defense and raced in for the score. Prescott’s try for two made it 21-20 in favor of the Wolves with 2:43 remaining.

Rison set up shop at its 38 and drove to the Prescott 26, with the help of a phantom facemask call, as the third quarter came to an end. Two plays into the fourth quarter, the ‘Cats scored. The two-point conversion gave the host team a seven-point lead at 28-21.

For the first, and only time, of the game, Rison kicked deep, with Gulley fielding the ball at the 20 and racing 80 yards for the touchdown. Again, the score was wiped off the board as Prescott was hit with an illegal block call, putting the ball at the Rison 42. It took the Wolves seven plays to score, with Dickens going in from five-yards out. Prescott made a two-point conversion to take a slender 29-28 lead with 8:33 left in the game.

The kick was returned to the ‘Cat 38. Rison kept the ball for 11 plays and 6:23, scoring on a one-yard plunge. The try for two was no good, leaving the score 34-29.

The ensuing kick went out of bounds giving Prescott the ball on the 35 with 2:10 remaining. Prescott drove to the Wildcat 22 before the drive stalled, ending on an interception with 14 seconds left.

Rison did what needed to be done in the victory formation and took a knee to preserve the win.