WONDER BOYS FALL IN SEASON FINALE SATURDAY AT HARDING

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Football closed out its 93rd season of football here Saturday by dropping an offensive shootout 62-55 to Harding at First Security Stadium in Gulf South Conference action.

          Saturday’s contest was an offensive shootout from the outset as both teams combined for 70 first downs, gain 1,206 yards of total offense and score 117 points, which was one point shy of Tech’s school record for most points combined in a single game. In the first half, both teams combined to score 69 points and gain 656 yards of offense.

          “I was proud of our kids today for not quitting and playing hard, we just fell short for the second consecutive week,” Tech Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Steve Mullins said. “Harding played a tremendous game today.”

          With the loss, Tech, who finishes the season with a 5-5 overall record and 3-5 mark in the GSC, failed to record its fourth consecutive winning season.

          For the game, Tech’s offense collected a season-high 31 first downs and ran a school-record 98 plays for 532 yards. The 98 plays were eight more than the previous record set against Delta State in 2003. In addition, Tech gained a season-high 288 yards rushing, but lost two fumbles and had four turnovers for game. Meanwhile, Harding, who improved to 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the GSC with the victory, had 39 first downs and gained 674 yards of total offense, including passing for 529 yards and rushing for 145 yards.

          With the game tied at 48 heading into the fourth quarter, it appeared Tech had seized some momentum as junior receiver Tracey Stiger (Russellville, Ark.) returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown to give the Wonder Boys a 55-48 lead just 30 seconds into the quarter. Stiger’s punt return was the first for a touchdown by a Wonder Boy since Greg Washington returned a punt 75 yards for a score against Ouachita Baptist in 2001.

          Following Stiger’s punt return, Harding responded with a scoring drive of its own that was capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from David Knighton to Jordan Watson to retie the game at 55 with 12 minutes remaining in the game.

          From that point, neither team was able to mount any scoring opportunities until Harding drove 80 yards in nine plays and retook the lead, 62-55, on a 1-yard run by Knighton with 1:41 left in the game. Tech, though, had one more opportunity, but junior quarterback Justin Ray (Benton, Ark.) fumbled the ball at Harding’s 21-yard line on a 4th-and-5 play with 1:01 remaining in the game. Tech’s drive was set by a 45-yard kickoff return by sophomore defensive back Marcus Arnold (Joiner, Ark.).

          For the game, Ray, who gained a career-high 479 yards of total offense in last week’s 55-49 loss to Southern Arkansas, finished with 375 yards of total offense, including being 21-for-39 passing for 244 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and rushing the ball 24 times for 131 yards and scoring four touchdowns. With his four rushing touchdowns, Ray became the first Wonder Boy to score four touchdowns since Ed Duncan scored four times against Arkansas-Monticello in 1999.

          While Ray had a solid game under center, so too did Knighton. The junior tied a single-game GSC record with seven touchdown passes and also completed a GSC record 46 passes in the win. On the afternoon, Knighton accounted for 549 yards of total offense, including going 46-for-62 through the air for 529 yards. Knighton, who threw two interceptions, also gained 20 yards rushing and scored once.

          Harding opened the game’s scoring with a 4-yard pass from Knighton to Zac Ross just a little under three minutes into the game. Following HU’s score, Tech answered with a touchdown of its own as Ray scored on a 1-yard run. The Bisons, though, answered on its next possession as Kurt Adams scored on a 19-yard pass from Knighton with 7:42 left in the first quarter. Tech tied the game at 14 with 2:40 left in the first quarter on a 5-yard run by Ray. The drive was aided by a 25-yard pass from Ray to senior receiver Chris Gunter (Beebe, Ark.). Beebe finished the game with nine catches for 111 yards.

          In the second quarter, HU retook the lead at 21-14 as Ross, who had 125 yard receiving on 10 catches for the game, caught a 13-yard pass from Knighton, before Tech answered with a 7-yard scoring run by Ray, but the extra-point attempt by junior kicker/punter Michael Podobnik (Frankfort, Ill.) was blocked. Following a 13-yard scoring pass from Knighton to Ardell Briggs with 8:33 left in the first half, Tech drove 69 yards in 10 plays and pulled within 28-26 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Ray to Stiger, but Ray’s 2-point conversion pass failed.

          Tech finally took its first lead of the game with 2:42 left in the half as senior running back R.J. Vanhook (Prescott, Ark.) scored on a 1-yard run. Vanhook’s run came eight plays after Tech’s defense forced a fumble by Knighton. The score by Vanhook, who finished the game with 93 yards rushing on 19 carries, was his 29th career Tech touchdown and moved into eighth place on the school’s career scoring chart with 176 points. Tech, though, didn’t hold the lead long though as Harding closed the first half with a 21-yard touchdown run by Calvin Roberts with 1:25 left to go into halftime with a 35-34 lead.  

          In the third quarter, Harding increased its lead to 41-34 on a 2-yard pass from Knighton to David Webster with 10:53 on the clock, but Ryan Ferrell’s extra point was missed. The Wonder Boys, though, responded as they retied the game at 41 on a 13-yard touchdown pass to Stiger and then pushed in front 48-41 on a 4-yard run by Ray with 5:02 remaining in the quarter. Stiger finished the game with five catches for 61 yards and had four kick/punt returns for 109 yards.

          Following Ray’s fourth touchdown run, the Bisons drove 68 yards in nine plays and retied the game at 48 on a 10-yard pass from Knighton to Webster with 3:15 left in the quarter. Tech, though, drove 57 yards in eight plays and was threatening to retake the lead but Ray fumbled the ball with 18 seconds left in the quarter.

          In addition to Ray and Vanhook, sophomore running back Tim Childress (Batesville, Ark.), who gained 64 yards on 15 carries, while Arnold returned four kickoffs for 118 yards.

          “We have to get better and improve during the offseason,” Mullins added.

          Saturday’s game marked the final one for Tech’s 17-member senior class. The seniors were: Gunter, linebacker Arthur Douglas (Shreveport, La.), defensive tackle Clayton Elliott (Dickinson, Texas), running back Marcus Godfrey (Junction City, Ark.), linebacker Zach Hall (Irving, Texas), defensive tackle Hollis Hoskins (Batesville, Miss.), offensive guard Chad Langdon (Louise, Miss.), offensive guard Shane McCaa (Waynesboro, Miss.), receiver Justin McCutcheon (Harrison, Ark.), defensive tackle Milan McDaniel (Morrilton, Ark.), defensive end Andrew Murphy (Booneville, Miss.), linebacker Zach Noel (Paragould, Ark.), defensive tackle Travion Scott (Crossett, Ark.), center B.J. Tilley (Lucedale, Miss.), running back R.J. Vanhook (Prescott, Ark.) and Jonathan Webster (Batesville, Miss.).

            Harding Box Score

-- Tech Athletics --