And welcome into War Memorial Stadium here in Little Rock for the Class 2A state championship, the 2022 edition.

I'm Joey McWilliams, along with Wes Moore and Tyler Cass here in War Memorial Stadium, the championship between the Carlisle Bison and the Hazen Hornets.

Should be a good afternoon of football today.

Two teams that come out West with two radically different styles on offense, but they get the job done.

Yeah, he's just going to throw the ball around a little bit.

They're more of a dynamic offense.

Where Carlisle, they're gonna run it and you're gonna hear the name Jason Sullivan a lot for Carlisle.

He's rushed for over 2700 yards and 44 touchdowns this season.

He's won off from a state record for rushing touchdowns in the season.

Carlisle 11 and one on the season.

Hazen is 12 and oh the one loss for Kyle Lott.

Carlyle came against Hayes and these are conference foes only 10 miles apart and way back when I say way back with tongue in cheek.

Early November, Week 10 last week of the regular season, these two teams met and it was a 38 to 30 game A1 score game with Hazen coming up on top.

And for most of the year, Hazen and Carlyle have been #1 and #2 and two a.

So you have real what turns out to be the two best teams.

Playing for state championship and you look down at the stands, I think all of Hazen and all the Carlyle are here to play this to a state title game.

Yeah, somebody needs to turn the light off in the town.

So before they leave to come over here making the trip W to Little Rock.

These two teams from 2A four, it's the Highway 70, Smackdown and Western.

We talked about the the dominance that that they've had in Class 2A specifically in their conference as well.

But there are no strangers to one another.

And then what does that mean when we see on the field today because.

They know what they're going to get.

Well, a lot of times when a team plays another team for a second time, you make adjustments.

And especially the team that loses, they make adjustments because you figure the team that won the first game, they're not going to make any adjustments because, well, what they did work the first time.

Well, these teams know each other so well.

They play each other every single week.

One of the head coaches told us this week that they could have played this game on Monday because they know each other so well.

They know Carlisle knows what Hazen's.

Going to do and hazing knows what Carlisle is going to do today.

It's all about who can execute, who takes care of the football and who scores in the red zone.

And that's going to decide this game.

It's going to be a lot of fun and can't wait to get this thing started.

We'll start in about 5 1/2 minutes.

We'll take a break.

We'll come back and we'll go down to the field, find out about some of the conditions here at War Memorial Stadium.

Stick around.

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Back at War Memorial Stadium, we are getting set for the 2A state Championship game between Carlisle and Hazen.

Let's take a look at some of the players you need to know for this game.

And it starts with the Carlisle and we mentioned him off the top a few minutes ago.

Jason Sullivan, the running back for Carlisle, he's going to carry the ball a lot today, no doubt about that.

He's averaged 20 carries per contest and a little bit more than 227 yards per game, 27127 yards.

What a fantastic player he is.

He's actually now the state record holder as he just passed teammates from Carlisle.

Actually a lump from Carlisle, 44 rushing touchdowns on the year passed Anderson and he is leading the way for the state and his class.

Here's a look at Hazens, Braylin, Anderson.

He is our impact player.

He's rushed for 1500 yards, 1520 to be exact, 21 touchdowns, 285 yards.

Receiving six more touchdowns, so 27 touchdowns on the season for Braylon Anderson.

Luke King's a heck of a quarterback and he's going to make sure Braylon Anderson gets many touches today in this game.

I you know, we talk about that and it's 71 touchdowns between the two of them.

Should be a big offensive day.

Look down to Tyler cast who's on the sideline right now and and tell us what it looks like as these two teams are going out for the coin toss.

Yeah guys, I can't imagine a lonely or stretch of highway in Arkansas right now.

Then that 10 miles of Hwy 70 that's separate Hazen and Carlyle because no one's there.

They're all here.

This is one of the best crowds for A2 way state title game I've ever seen.

I know both school districts shut down today, so all the students could be here and Carlisle actually put out, I don't know if you guys can see that.

A little notice if you are an employee somewhere in Carlisle they said that'll get you out of work today so you can be here.

Or at very least it also specifies if you don't let your employees come to War Memorial, they're going to be sitting on their phone watching this.

Arkansas PBS broadcast.

I was at the game a month ago in Carlisle where they battled for A2 Way 4 championship.

That was one of the best atmospheres in the year.

The only thing that could top it going for another trophy.

Like you guys mentioned Hazen one that Highway 70 Smackdown Trophy earlier this year, but this is the trophy that both teams really want.

And you mentioned Luke King in that first game.

He wasn't able to play in the first half.

Carlisle actually took a halftime lead and then when Luke came back in the second-half, Hazen was able to win that ball game, now the Hornets.

Will have their guy from the get go.

I looked for that to make a big difference today.

Almost a big difference as this fans on either sidelines.

We don't have just the students here.

We've got the whole towns and it's going to be a fun one.

Now let's go back up to you guys before kick up we'll indication of what hazens thinking.

They won the toss, they want the ball.

A lot of times you see the team that wins the toss deferred to the second-half not Hayes and they said Nope we won the toss.

We want the ball, let's go.

Carlos head coach told us a great story earlier this week.

Caleb Shock, he said.

One of his players is a member of a hunting club in Hazen and Black.

Many of these kids, they know each other really well.

They go to churches in different towns and they they're friends, family at different towns.

But he said, coach, you know what?

We should pick a field about 5 miles right here in the middle between Hazen and Carlisle, pull up a couple bleachers and just play the state championship game there.

That's the mentality of these two schools.

These two teams, they don't care where they're going to play.

They just want to play each other and they want to get it on and they're ready to go, as you mentioned.

This person said they're they they were ready on Monday.

If they if they have found that spot midway in between the two towns, I think they they might have done it.

But he gets to play out here at War Memorial and that's a fantastic venue for this as Carlisle is running out on the field right now.

And what a great sight then for the the Highway 70 Smackdown.

I mean it's never had a venue like this before and a big big trophy on the line, which is something neither of these teams have brought home.

Owen 9 combined in state finals opportunities.

That's going to change for one team.

Today when Hazens coach Joe Besancon said that it would make it even sweeter to get that first title over your rival.

But he said the one thing you don't want to happen is to lose to your rival and not win that trophy.

So this game means a lot when they play in the regular season.

This year it meant a whole lot because it was for a conference title and this time it means even more because it's for a championship title.

We are just about set to get this thing kicked off.

The Hazen Hornets will receive.

They are making their way out.

Onto the field.

Carlisle is ready now and they are going to be kicking into our with a little bit of a breeze.

It is nice outside.

I for December.

I'll take this any day.

50 degrees, a little overcast.

We had some sprinkles earlier in the day.

Funny story, I pulled up to the stadium about 9:35.

I did my radio show from here.

We get started at 10, so when I got here traffic was already backed up.

Carlisle kicks it and it's going to bounce out of bounds.

Black flies.

That'll be our first penalty of the game and Hazen will take over with pretty good field position to get this thing started for Hayes.

And on offense we've mentioned him.

Luke King, the starting quarterback he's passed for over 2200 yards.

Take a look at this ratio.

29 touchdowns passing and three perceptions.

I think every coach in America would take that a 29 to 3 ratio.

He's also rushed for five touchdowns.

Maryland Anderson #33, he's lined up right behind Luke King.

He's going to get the ball a lot.

27 combined touchdowns, 21 rushing, 6 receiving.

Now Anderson is to King's left.

King goes in motion.

King gonna keep it and look at the Carlyle defense right away, trying to set the tone.

Nothing there for King Carlyle wearing those white uniforms, all white uniforms, gold letters and numbers.

Didn't set apart that much from this distance.

Check those numbers today.

Hazing wearing the the purple, all purple jerseys and pants, and the white helmets.

King set up in shotgun.

He's got Anderson to his right.

He's gonna check out, look over at the sideline.

Carlisle playing pretty close to the line of scrimmage, not a lot of guys in the middle of the field, they attack it wide open.

In the middle of the field is Josh Dawson and Dawson's inside the red zone.

He gets down to about the 13 yard line.

So King connects with Dawson for the first big play of the game.

52 yards on the pass and catch that time for the Hornets and it was just a wide open opportunity as the bison were in single coverage in Dawson found a way to get past that linebacker right in the middle of the field poll looked like they were setting up for the.

Run.

They had a lot of guys in close to the line of scrimmage.

They had one safety back deep, and Hazen took advantage of it and they ran Dawson right down the middle of the field.

Bunch formation this time for.

Amazing hand off the Anderson's not much there maybe 2 on the play.

So Carlisle and that's the first two run attempts have gone.

They've passed the test.

They stopped the first one for no gain this time a a short gain gain of two.

Be second down, just getting started, first driving the game in this two way Championship game.

Well, you're right, they are, they are prepared for that run crowding that line.

Eight men in the box more than once.

Amazing.

This time it's gonna spread it out a little bit.

2 receivers to the left, one to the right.

Anderson in the backfield with team.

Receiver comes in motion, that's Dawson, and he's gonna throw it out to Dawson.

Dawson makes one man miss, but not the second.

The balls on the ground and carlyles got it.

That's our first turnover of the game.

Dawson put it on the ground.

Hazen has committed.

The turnover in Carlisle picks it up.

They're gonna look at it, but that they're they're gonna see just what we saw up here.

That ball stayed inbounds.

The recovery was made.

It is bison ball, and it was kind of a dangerous pass anyway.

A backward pass it looked like, or very, very close to that lateral to begin with.

Over to Dawson.

And they just knocked it loose right there.

For Carlisle, that is Lawson Petrus.

The sophomore that makes the tackle, strips the ball out and Carlisle falls on it and there you go, Carlisle with it first and 10.

They're on about the 7-8 yard line.

There's a handoff right up the middle and you got to feel if your car Carlisle fan, you just got away with one you, you cause a turnover inside the 10 yard line.

That is a huge play in this game.

And and think about it too from what you mentioned of the coin toss they'll get, it starts second-half, so you're right to you.

You get that extra possession for Carlisle.

Holton Jones is the quarterback.

He's only thrown the ball 71 times all year.

So you do the math.

12 games, 71 times.

That's about 5.9.

Yeah, not a whole lot.

There's going to be a whole lot of running in this game with Jones running it and Sullivan running it.

Jones rolls out non cue.

He throws it when I tell you he doesn't throw it much and it's completed down to the 24 yard line.

Thank you Carlyle for making me look stupid.

Holton.

Jones completes the pass and that is huge.

They're not in the shadow of their goal line anymore.

They get the ball and move it out to the 24 yard line and that was a good pass for Jones.

I mean he was right on the money.

Found the receiver cutting out little out route.

Now Carlyle gets a new set of downs.

And marking down at the 24 yard line, Sullivan in the backfield with Jones.

Jones is going to keep it.

Nothing there.

He was following Sullivan.

Sullivan's not only a good runner, he's a good blocker.

Sullivan is powerful.

What his coach going says.

He has a 480 pound squat, 295 pound bench and that Tim Sullivan was a a lead blocker.

But Hazen slipped that block and made the tackle.

That was Bryan Anderson coming through.

So we've seen what he can do on the offensive side.

We've talked about it.

Haven't had a chance to see too much today, but there's what he can do when he's on the defensive side of the ball.

Good look at Sullivan.

Big young man.

Jones coming to pass it again second time on this drive has his receiver and looks like he has a first down.

He's gonna be marked very close to that marker.

The marker, the guy holding it wisely dropped it and got out of the way.

So they're gonna look at it, eyeball and say it's a first down for Carlyle.

Jones out to David Hayes Hayes had 12 catches coming into this game for 123 yards, one touchdown on the year, so Jones has already thrown it twice on this first series.

David Hayes on the catch.

Jones tosses it out, receiver coming out wide looking for a block.

Got outside and picked up about 6 on the play.

He'll move the ball to the 41 yard line.

To gain A7.

So second and three, Carlos gotta be happy with this drive, Joey.

I mean, to get the ball inside your own 10 yard line, you're just wanting to get a couple of first downs, maybe give your punter some room.

They bought, gotten a couple of first downs now moved it all the way to the 41.

Well, Jones has had that good protection as well.

I mean for someone who hasn't thrown the ball that much this year, he looks very comfortable back there.

Jones and Sullivan, another receiver coming in motion.

Sullivan gets it.

He's going right up the middle.

So look at the power.

And that's exactly what we were talking about right there.

Not a whole lot there, but he gets the first down, moves the ball to about the 46 yard line, move those chains.

When you sometimes you talk about key players, that they're both on offense, you don't get the chance to see them go up against one another.

That was Sullivan who was brought down by Luke King.

Star OnStar and you saw that leg drive right then from Sullivan and he must have taken 5 steps with King on his back.

Balls on the ground?

Bad snap.

Jones just is going to fall on it.

Did the smart thing.

Probably could have picked it up and tried to make something happen, or maybe just try to throw it out of bounds and make it have an incomplete pass.

But I think the coach will be happy.

You just fall on it and live to play another down.

Well, you're exactly right.

From our vantage, he had about four yards with which to work, but on field level, that's probably not what he was seeing, and it was the smart decision.

A loss of 12 on the play that will make it second and 22.

1st Dr of the game for Carlisle.

Paysend turned it over on their first drive.

Handoff right up the middle.

Sullivan had some room, but he got tripped up as he was making his cut.

That had the a chance to be a very big play.

It did.

Anderson comes in, grabs a foot right up, right about the line of scrimmage, and Sullivan did a good job to get an extra two or three yards, but he couldn't keep his feet for much longer.

Solvan was following his pulling guard, Bryce Isbell had an open hole and Yep, just got tripped up.

Be third and 17 picked up about 5 on the play.

They've done it twice on this drive.

3rd and 17th nodded down many teams like and especially not Carlisle Jones with the pitch pitches it outside that haze and defense was able to string it out.

Nothing doing that'll bring up 4th down.

That's Cooney there on on the the run that time off the pitch back and the you.

Sullivan is a bit of a decoy there.

Had the ball in his chest for just a moment and then Jones makes the pitch back and.

You see, cooning have really had nowhere to go.

Anderson was there once again, running back for Hazen, playing on defense.

So Carlisle will put.

Hazen sends them in back deep.

That's slinker Justin schlinker.

It's gonna let it just go out of bounds.

I'm going to mark that out about the 36 yard lines, so no score after each team has them all for one possession.

No, for Carlisle too.

I mean, you talked about maybe getting away with one.

They they get the ball, but they get it deep in their own territory.

They move back near midfield and so a wore a field position right now going back and forth.

They did a good job to get it as far as they did against this tough Hornet defense and a defense that's giving up just 7.2 points per game this season.

Yeah, he's in, has been outstanding this year.

They've got twelve wins, ten of them by at least 40 points.

That's how dominant they've been.

And all their playoff wins have been by at least 40 points.

Hazing going deep on the 1st play and it is completed and it's gonna go for the touchdown.

How about that coming out of the break in Hazen strikes quickly.

Luke King to Justin's Slinker touchdown.

Hazen he had to come back to make the catch.

Had to make sure he could get it over the defender and then stay in bounds on top of that.

Looked like he was going to be close to those steps.

He tightropes it and makes it on in for the score.

Watch this grab.

Just a 5050 ball and schlinker goes up, catches it, and then is able to stay on his feet, turn and run down the sideline for the score 6.

Nothing.

Hazen 604 to go in the first quarter and hazen lines up to go for two.

King and the shotgun he's got.

Anderson to his left now Anderson goes in motion.

King looking to his right scrambles right.

Now he's going back to his left.

Over the middle of his tipped ball was tipped.

He was trying to find his receiver in the middle of the field.

So the two point conversion is no good.

That's where we are.

6 nothing.

Hazen with six minutes and four seconds to go in the first quarter you're watching the two way state championships on Arkansas PBS Sports.

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A 64 yard touchdown pass by Luke King and the haze and Hornets are on the board.

First we talk about field position and and what it might mean in this and it really doesn't mean that much at all when you have an offense that's as powerful as that is Wes and right off the bat, one play and one score, 64 yard touchdown drive in just one play.

But Carlisle trying to make something happen off the kickoff and getting back to the 30 and a little bit beyond.

You can see that patience in Hazen and that's one of the reasons why if the run.

Games not working.

They know that in their back pocket they can run the ball or they can throw the ball, and that's what you had right there.

Join the football conversation on social media with #ar PBS Sports, Hashtag AR PBS Sports.

So Carlisle now with another opportunity here midway through the first quarter they find themselves down by 6 points, it could be 8, but good job on defense while ago to keep the two point conversion off the board and keep Luke King scrambling.

And now in an under center, Jones has in the give to the right side and bullying his way forward near the 35.

He's going to pick up four in that Sullivan.

Haggen's defense.

So you have you see the defensive line when you see those double digit guys in there on the tackle Brance Williams 58, a sophomore.

There's a good look at Hunter Smith 66, another sophomore.

When those guys are there to make the tackle that deep into lines doing a good job and not creating and and letting that and running back get to the second level to those linebackers or to the safety.

But that time the defensive line won the Battle of the line of scrimmage.

Jones is going to go under center again has three in the back.

Dealed with him 2 split to the right side to give us to Sullivan again.

Trying to find blockers on that right side and he'll pick up just two.

You know, Jones throwing the ball in the in the first possession though, that could be one of those wrinkles that you see.

I mean, you've seen the team already once this year, week 10 coming with the loss and you talked about that.

The fact that sometimes it's the team that that loses that makes the adjustments that could have been what we saw in that first possession.

Well, you want to do what you do best, and what they do best is running the ball with Jason Sullivan when Hazen is starting to.

This crowd, the line of scrimmage, that time every single defender was within 7 yards of the ball.

You gotta make Hayes and get out of it.

Look at it again, you can see it again.

Every single player for Hazen is right there next to the ball, and Sullivan goes behind those two blockers and is able to find a gap near the sideline past midfield, and he makes it down to the 46 yard line and the bison are on the move.

The chains move as well.

That's one of the good things though for Carlisle.

If you can get a hold, if you can give Jason Sullivan some running room, everybody so close to the line.

Scrimmage.

Once you break through the line of scrimmage, that's where you get these big plays.

Carlisle gets a big play in the out of the running game, that time setting up on the right hash.

This time we'll see if this formation looks a little bit different than we're running.

Two blockers there, split wide to the right or split in a slot there.

Now to the left.

With Sullivan, the deep back, he's the tailback and it's going to be Jones to throw.

It hit as he throws, but he gets it off anyway.

Catches made it to 12 and in for the score.

Carlyle with the touchdown.

David Hayes with the catch, David Hayes, second touchdown of the year and what you had there is just straight up man to man.

There were ten guys for hazing inside the box.

They're all within the line of scrimmage and within probably 6 yards of the line of scrimmage.

A little play Action Pass lets it fly and it's a 5050 ball.

We just saw Hazen win a 5050 ball and that time it was an excellent pass from Holton Jones to David Hayes.

And Hayes brings it in, goes in for the score.

They're knotted up at 6 and now Carlisle will go for two.

And what can you say about Jones to stay in there and take the hit like he did and still get that pass off as he did?

Sullivan back Deep Jones it's gonna pitch.

And it's it goes as a pass.

It'll be an incomplete pass.

So two point conversion fails.

And Tyler, what did you see?

Sorry about that.

Alright, yeah, look, you guys talked before the game about how familiar these two teams are with each other, but how they thought, yeah, we could just lie and play this game at any point.

But what we just saw there was the wrinkle.

Carlisle has been almost an exclusively running team all year.

These two teams so familiar with each other, you might try to find that edge in any way you can, like breaking out the pass game like we just saw.

And maybe it's that little bit of unfamiliarity, the reason why this game is tied up right now.

How about Holden Jones?

3 for 367 yards in a touchdown now, and this was a guy that you said he was averaging 5 attempts a game for the entire season.

He's got 3 completions in the first quarter of the state championship game.

Yeah, I would say they've made a little bit of an adjustment his 7th touchdown pass this season.

A nice adjustment, good wrinkle.

And again, heads up play hit as he's thrown and still got that down the field in stride.

Hayes makes the catch so we're tied at 6 apiece.

2 point conversions, not good for either team, but both have a touchdown on the board and we're 2/3 of the way through this first quarter here.

State championship game.

Carlisle and Hazen tied at 6 apiece and little squib kick onside kick look right there, goes past the 10 yards, but it's recovered by the Hornets.

Phoenix Urban there for Hazen this falls on the ball, is able to control it so Hazen will take over at their own 48 yard line.

Great field position for them.

You know, I saw the Razorbacks executing onside kick just like that.

The only problem was the other team wasn't ready for it and not thinking about it.

And that time it looked like Hazen was right.

Yeah, they they they saw it coming and it did not fool anybody.

They were definitely ready.

King back deep in the shotgun has Anderson to his left and there is the give Anderson still on his feet past the 40.

He has nothing but green in front of him and he will go in for the score.

How about that for Hazen?

Another one play touchdown drive, 52 yards for Braylon Anderson and you saw the quickness and then you saw the speed.

He gets outside to his right.

Makes one man Miss.

Actually made a man miss there kind of in the back.

Your little dance got outside and then just sidesteps the defender.

Here's a great look at the replay.

Right there shrugs off 1 tackle.

Then there's nobody there.

He is gone.

They're not going to catch Braylon Anderson.

I would bet he's the fastest person on this field.

Once he gets into open territory, he's going to score well.

We see no evidence to the contrary of that right off the bat.

The king looks to his right.

He's got pressure, he's going to throw a little bit too high into the end zone.

Colton Tosh tried to make that leaping up.

He couldn't find it.

And so hazen, with another quick six on the board, that's all they're going to get.

But they do have a 6 point advantage.

That Tom Hazen put 4 receivers to the right and just tried to flood that area of the end zone and keying had all day to throw.

He was looking and looking, and finally Carlisle brought a loose backer at the end.

And he came just flying down on top of King and King had to make a decision do I try to maneuver past this guy or not get rid of it.

And so he just got rid of it and threw a jump ball and it was incomplete.

So the difference in this game so far is the two point conversions O for three combined for the two teams.

But but we've seen the offense that we expected to see and maybe a little bit different look from Carlisle.

But still they moved it down the field well once they got it back their second possession and it did take a possession from each of these teams to really kind of.

Maybe work the bugs out just a little bit.

Well, I go back to the first possession or the first time these two teams played, hazens quarterback was suspended for the first half and the second-half they put up 28 points with him.

They put up a lot of points with him as the quarterback they're they're on the they're pace to do that's going to touchdowns in the first quarter.

So we know Hazen can put up the points.

My question can Carlyle keep up with them today, score enough points and can they get the couple of stops that they need to stay in this game?

Getting ready to kick off one more time here for Hazen.

The King puts it low and it's gonna take a couple of hops and eventually it will not roll into the end zone and it goes down on the 1 yard line.

And this is reminiscent of what we saw in the eight Man championship last night.

Saw something very similar, king with an incredible kick and it just takes the role just exactly as the Hornets need it.

And so Carlisle will take over at the one yard line.

Hazen this year can do it with a lot of personnel or maybe not as much.

Tyler, you know a little bit more about that.

Yeah, guys, I just counted.

There's 30 players in uniform for Hazen right now.

That's actually up about 10 from where they were last week.

Since I've got their freshman team now joining them.

That 20 guys, that's who they've rolled with all year.

That's actually more than they had last season.

Last season, Payson did it with just 14 players.

There was even some chatter about potentially moving down to 8.

Man, they said no, they wanted to stay up in the two way and clearly that's paying off in a big way now.

Thank you, Tyler.

I I agree with that decision.

I concur.

It has definitely paid off.

The one yard line now under center is Jones and he's just going to push forward and gets a lot of help from that line.

He'll pick up seven from the one and his full back.

He came in and started pushing him from behind and they got a great push.

It was like a rugby scrum and they moved it all the way out to the 8 yard line.

I want to go back to that kickoff.

It was absolutely incredible that that ball spins and does a basically a U-turn on the 1 yard line.

I I thought the car lot of you know returned to the smart thing.

Just let it roll and roll.

Go in the end zone get a touchback and we're gonna look at it here in the second following this play.

But it was just absolutely incredible that that ball spurned.

There's a first down for Carla but it turned and stopped on the one in the in the returner had.

He had to pick it up.

Here's a look at the replay.

One more one more opportunity here.

By the way that's king.

Look at the English on that.

It's just rolling, he said.

It's going in the end zone, it's going in and then just turns, almost looked at the and said there's a goal line.

I got the only thing I wish you just picked it up and just got 5 yards out of it, you know, just trying to get something so you're now on the goal line.

That was Cooney for Carlisle, but they've been able to get, you know, a first down.

You got to pick it up.

It's a loose ball and you know, if patient recovers, it's their ball there, one at the one.

But just incredible that that ball spun like that and you have to say Jones made the most of it.

There's the inside handoff to Elliott.

He has enough for the first down and just one man to beat makes it out to the 27 yard line.

Great gift.

Now you see there, Hazens Key King on Sullivan and they're thinking Sullivan's going to get the ball here and they're looking for the pitch, man said.

They get the quick hitter right up the middle and they get another first down and they've moved it out past the 25 yard line.

Looks like they're on the 27 now.

Caleb Kelly.

It's been a solid running back this season for the Bison as well, 64 carries, 315 yards, 4 touchdowns.

Coming in and there's another give.

To the right side, this time staying on his feet and making it forward for about a yard.

They're Sullivan's second flag of the day.

We haven't had many.

We have one on the opening kickoff when it went out of bounds and now we've almost played a full quarter.

Here's our just our second flag of the day.

Where they threw it, I gotta think that's a holding call right there at the interior line.

Holding, holding, holding, holding.

That's Larry stidman.

He's the referee today in the center of Sam Harris.

The umpire Ryan Jacks linesman is Blake Crawford, Line judge Tanner Spakes and back judge is Bryant Tackette officials for today's 2A State championship.

Take a look at some of the stats early in this game.

Carlisle with 60 yards rushing.

They got 60 yards passing.

Who would have thought they would be such a balanced offense in this game?

But that's what we have so far.

Hazen with 120 yards passing, 53 on the ground.

So Hazen's got to be happy with what they've been able to do against Carlisle on the ground, holding them to 60 yards.

And Carla, we have seen now already.

Not gonna be daunted by this long first down because Jones can throw the ball, see some pressure, throws it out, screen pass and it's completed and out of bounds, making up some off the penalty.

That's Jones.

Now he's 4 for four on the game.

I'll tell you, I I honestly, I I don't think I would have thought that coming in for the season.

He is 37 of 71.

You mentioned those attempts, just more than 52% passing.

He really has shaken off that number and and is writing a new script here in the championship game.

Yeah, it's pointed out earlier that's 5.9 passes per game.

He's got 5 already or 4 already.

Pretty crazy for this first quarter.

Jones flanked by back to either side and the give is to Sullivan.

He'll go behind the blocker and make it back close to the original line of scrimmage, but it'll wind up being third down and long.

See Sullivan there getting up and getting an assist from Braylin.

Anderson that the Hazen running back, that's one of the things.

These are rivals.

You know they are.

You know they they.

Big time.

But they know each other so well that they go to the same churches.

There's a member of the same hunting clubs.

You know, they they are friends off the field, but yet they are today enemies on the field.

But it's nice to see that sportsmanship of helping each other up.

And so many, many times in these big games like this that that's a missing aspect of the game.

Yeah, and that's not the first time that Anderson's done that.

Today, the snaps on the turf, but flag goes down.

Before and it's going to be a motion, so he'll move it back five yards, 3rd and even longer.

But this is weird.

But it's probably a good penalty because that play was the snap was bad.

The quarterback was having to scoop it up off the ground.

It was just all out of sorts and didn't look like that play was going anywhere.

And so at least they get a chance now here on 3rd down another that'll move them back five yards.

But that play didn't appear like he was going anywhere.

There was a low snap.

Jones was having to get up off the turf.

You're exactly right.

Third and 15 after the illegal procedure penalty.

And Sullivan in and out of his arms to throw across the mill.

Wanna catch near the first down?

Fantastic.

Grab by Gabe Boyle and he may have leaned forward enough.

Is going to be close.

I think he's a hair short, but they are.

Yeah.

They're gonna go in and say it's 4th down.

They're not even looking at it just a little bit short.

But you are right.

What a great catch.

Here's a a replay of it.

Cross the middle, little behind him.

He stops, leans back, bobbles it and brings it in.

That's a double clutch right there.

Fantastic job is Jones will go up under center now.

He's been able to get off the one yard line before Kenny pick up 1/2 yard here instead.

It's a give enough for the first down though.

To the 40 yard line in the bison will move the chains after a great pickup by Sullivan.

Think Hazen was thinking like me, another quarterback sneak neighbor had everybody bottled up over that center that time.

They just went off guard and found a hole and picked up the first down with ease.

Can we talk again about what this bison offensive line has done so far today?

That was one of the things that coach Besancon that Hazel was worried about.

Carlisle is big.

They have a big offensive line and they're starting to get a little push as we end the 1st.

But through the 1st 12 minutes of this one Payson 2 touchdowns, Carlisle with just one and the Hornets have the lead watching the Centennial Bank State Football championships on Arkansas.

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Well, it's pretty much the the score we might have expected, although we didn't get here probably the way folks might have expected.

Carlisles had a balanced attack on offense.

We've seen passing and we've seen running.

Now we'll see more of that running game by Sullivan runs out of real estate door before he can hit up and make it past that corner.

He'll pick up five along the way.

You see a haze and just bunching up in the middle and that time carlyles attacking the outside and they had a little something there and they were able to pick up about 5 yards on 1st down.

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2nd and five now.

We talked about the the score so far.

Hazen scored a couple of touchdowns after the first possession where they gave it up on a turnover.

Carlyle scored a touchdown after a first possession where it had to punt.

So it took both these teams a little while to get going and timeout called on the field.

Carlisle is going to think about this on 2nd and five.

Look at some first quarter statistics.

Sullivan leading the way for Carlisle with 9 carries for 49 yards and holding.

Knowns 5 for five passing.

What an incredible number.

85 yards.

A touchdown pass to David Hayes for Hazen Braylon Anderson with two carries for 53 yards.

Well really one for one for one and the other one for 52 yards.

And the touchdown.

Luke King, 3 for three passing for a touchdown as well, 120 yards.

So those two, those numbers, the quarterbacks have combined now to go 8 for 8 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Yeah, I did not see that one coming.

That is a great start.

Of these guys, do you think about the pressure of the moment to be able to perform like that?

And these quarterbacks are stepping up big that time a Carlisle, the play clock was running out on them and the coach called the timeout from the sideline.

He looked over the guys.

He said that's on me.

He patted himself and said that's my fault.

That's on me.

Let's go, here we go.

Let's get it going.

Double tight set now and Sullivan's able to get to that left side.

Go behind one blocker and push his way forward for another.

First down for the bison and this looks like the Bison offense.

We thought we might see a lot of Sullivan in there.

By the way, Sullivan has the the rushing touchdown record already.

We found that out just before game time and there were some some stats that interestingly enough Sullivan has 44 touchdowns on the year.

Craig.

Jackson, a former bison, has 45, but 43 of them are rushing.

Two of them were returned touchdowns.

They kind of got mixed together and so actually Sullivan is the leader now coming into this game.

Everything after this is just a bonus, I guess.

Jones thanks the handoff to pass and that looks similar to what we saw through catch by Gay Boyle.

Once again.

He's able to come back and adjust his body to make those receptions play action Pass.

Everybody's looking at Sullivan trying to tackle that running back and they slipped the tight end out.

He's wide open in the middle of the field and and give Holton Jones credit.

He puts it in the vicinity of boil and boil, makes an adjustment like a good receiver will do.

Makes an adjustment in the air, comes down with it and the bison.

Are inside the 30 yard line.

Gay Boyle 2 receptions for 35 yards and both for big first down catches.

I love that on the field angle, you can see just how big that offensive line for Carlisle is.

There's that double tight set once again and the ball is on the turf and it is picked up by Hazen.

Landon Atkins with the recovery after the Bison were moving steadily down the field, and that is a big turnover.

That is the second big turnover of the game.

This one though for Carlisle is costly as they are marching down the field, getting close to the red zone and you see it.

Jones just puts it on the turf and it's almost like he got stuck on his thigh pad or his hip and you know, loses control of it.

Yeah, you're right, it was just not cleanly received off the snap.

He just never had a good hand.

On it.

So it goes the turf.

And here comes hazing again.

Well, in the previous two possessions, it's been one play in a score, one play in a score, so we'll see what happens here.

Kind of pull back to a little different look for Hazel King and the give is to Anderson.

Bounces around, spins the other direction.

King may put up a block, cuts to the middle of the field still on his feet, and a herd of bison are going to get there to bring him down.

It's a gain of four, but I think he ran for about 35.

He ran out to the right, cut it back to the left and tries to bounce it back further outside.

That's a lot of work.

But he made something out of nothing, and that's what he had over that right side.

Pretty much nothing as he was being slung.

Down to the ground there for Carlisle.

But he's able to spin out of that, makes a man miss and finally Carlisle is able to bring him down and.

Stop him from getting out to the outside, where it could have been a really big point.

There's that full backfield look again, receivers out to either side, and the fake is to Anderson.

Throw them down.

The field has a man and can't come back to make that catch.

Slinker is there.

Good defense from the Bison one-on-one coverage there.

Preston Parker in coverage for Carlisle.

Well, just think, you're gonna give your receiver a chance to make a play.

Luke King throws it up.

It's man on man coverage.

Another one of those 5050 balls with a look at the replay.

A lot of air under the ball so the receiver can make an adjustment.

He's there, he's he got the corner, he's got his head turned around.

He's looking for the ball in the air.

So I think that's why they let him play, let him play with it.

Five wide out right now for Hazen King can pick his target, finds the one across the middle of the field.

That's enough for the first down past midfield, a little bit more Joshua Dawson with another reception.

Josh Dawson is their leading receiver.

He's got 33 catches on the year for 522 yards, leading as far as the number of receptions.

Also four touchdowns on the year and Dawson.

I just found a little hole there and the king found him in stride.

Picks up the first down.

Just four wide right now with Anderson in the backfield along with King and King inside, Slant once again catches made for another first down very similar plane.

Just instead of throwing the slant on the right and threw it to the left, find Slinker.

Schlinker picks up another first down.

And you can see how king.

For the season would have amassed 2270 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns this year at the way this the pace of this offense right now.

Love that.

The offensive line.

I wanna make sure they're on the same page.

The big tackle goes over, the big guard goes over there and talks to the other guard.

Here's what we're gonna do back and forth.

Anderson really had nowhere to go.

Hop to his left and his right finally just falls forward for about 1/2 yard.

It'll bring up second down.

He's putting up 48 points per game.

That's an amazing offense and many of those points coming in the first half.

If you look at a lot of their games, they're invoking the sportsmanship rule and they're getting some of their other players, some not that they got a lot of other players to come in and sell them out, but they're shutting it down and not scoring as many points as I'm sure they could.

Five wide again and King's gonna run.

He's gonna keep it.

Has nowhere to throw it, and he'll be able to pick up the first down as he goes out of bounds right at the 25 yard line.

That should be enough.

And it is.

Knew where he needed to get stepped right at that mark that Tom the Carlyle defense did a good job of secondary.

Had everything covered up.

I was looking downfield just like King was.

He couldn't find anybody open because there wasn't anybody open.

Got a little pressure, escaped out of the pocket and that was the.

What was it for Carlisle Foster that was putting a little pressure on him so he gets out of the pocket and gets the first down.

I think that exemplifies the strength of that defensive line as well for the bison.

See it again.

Three down, 4 down lineman now as King looks to his left.

Finds the man, Schlinker is there.

Touchdown hazen.

Just inside the pylon and the Hornets are on the board once again, a 24 1/2 yard touchdown pass.

Just a little corner out and he just tells the receiver, run to the pylon, I'm gonna put it on the pylon.

You catch it, we're gonna score.

And that's exactly what they did.

A great catch goes up at with it catches it with his hands and schlinker scores another one.

There are definitely some playmakers on this Hazen team and it it has to be tough for that.

Mice and defense one-on-one coverage has has just have to be.

That's an assignment you look at and go OK I can do it coach but wow.

See if we can get our first two point conversion of the game.

They've combined to go an oh for three on two point conversions.

No one converted yet.

Receiver stacked on either side and King has to throw it quickly.

Nearly picked off in the end zone.

It'll fall harmlessly to the turf, but no points anyway around.

That's pressure, pressure right there.

Carlisle up the middle.

He had to get rid of it.

18 points on the board for the Hornets here in the second quarter and they have a lead.

You're watching Centennial Bank State Football championships on Arkansas PBS sports.

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Hazen with an 18-6 lead now over Carlisle and getting ready to kick off once again.

You see if Luke King can make some more magic happen.

Instead, going back deep, it's going to be Cooney.

To take it up the field on the return past the 20 and out of bounds at around the 23.

Phoenix Urban rides him out of bounds, makes the tackle, and.

Carlisle will try to respond.

Good make it A1 possession game.

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Luke King's 25 yard touchdown pass.

At the 821 mark.

And it's just an another.

Another big notch for him, his second touchdown pass the game.

He has 175 yards passing.

Jones trying to get his team back in it now.

Jones under center.

And the pitch is to Sullivan, Jones a little block there as well, makes it up to the 30 yard line, a gain of about 7 on the play going behind the blocks not only of Jones, but Caleb Elliott and that Big line.

It's so impressive that this is a big line like you mentioned.

But they're they're quick on their feet and they're they're pulling and they're doing a good job of leading the way.

For Sullivan that time he's able to pick up almost 7 yards, 8 yards on 1st down and it was just following some of those big lineman and they were getting key blocks.

Well, the previous possession, this is a Bison offense that was just moving meticulously down the field and it was a turnover that put them in a bad situation.

Hazen makes them pay points off the turnover there, so the offense just needs to hang on to the ball and Jones is going to do just that, puts it right back into his stomach and works his way forward for the first down.

Picks up five, he needed three.

He made that look easy.

It's almost to the point.

They could run that play anytime they want to.

It is just A and it's a version of the quick hitter when you got the full back hitting it.

And because they're all keyed up on stopping Jason Sullivan, they've played him enough.

They know what he can do and all eyes are on him.

And so when all of a sudden somebody else has got the ball, they're just not ready for it.

I would imagine if if if I'm one of those horned defenders, I don't want to get beat by #6 of of anyone because they know that number.

They've had that number drilled into them.

#6 has the ball right now and it's ripped out of his hands.

Coming in to just take it away is Braylon Anderson just reached in there and ripped the ball away from Sullivan.

That's huge.

Yeah he did it all in that play.

He he ripped the ball out and he recovered it and he if he would have been on the ground it would have been a score because he was going the other way and no one was going to catch him.

But he was on the ground when he ripped it away and and Anderson he he knows what to do with it once he grabs it and he reaches in there tries to wrap up and.

And get the ball as well.

Well, you're exactly right.

There's anyone who knows what to do once he gets the ball.

It's Anderson he just fell on at that time, but another big turnover.

If he wouldn't bobbled that ball, if it wouldn't fall into the ground and he had to go to the ground to get it, he would have scored.

It would have been a ripping score, not a scooping score.

But Anderson now quickly recovers the fumble and he lines up in the backfield and wants to make a play on offense.

That's that's 2A football right there.

That's that's going both ways.

He'll go in motion to the left where there are three receivers on that side of the field as well, but King looks to the right inside slant.

The ball tipped and tip drill won't work.

Really could have gotten that one.

Really.

I'm.

I'm sure later on when you talk to carlyles, Corey Lynch, he's gonna say I should have caught that ball.

He undercuts it, has it right there, and goes off the top of his hands.

If he was a couple inches taller, if he could have jumped a couple inches higher, he he would have coming down with that.

Cam Johnson, the intended receiver for Hayes, and he's one of seven seniors on this Hornet roster.

2nd and 10 now and that may have been petrous.

I can't see these numbers up here.

I thought that was a A7.

It may have been or.

I thought I saw an 8, but it may have been a 7.

So either Patrick or something.

Lens made a great play, almost had the interception.

King will keep it himself.

Has a couple of blockers and.

He moves forward for about 5, maybe a little more on that play.

Just kept that close to his body and and tried to follow some some leads.

6 yard well and to your credit also Wes it's it is a little bit difficult to see those gold numerals on the white jerseys down there when we have the on the field camera like the angle we're seeing now it's easy to see but now I mean you tell me who's who when you look at that angle that is hard to see the numbers that gold on white it's very difficult.

3rd and four now for the Hornets.

Gotta think it's two down territory if they don't get it here.

5 seconds on the play clock.

They're going to get it off King with a quick throw screen pass to the left and the catch by Dawson is going to be close to the to the first.

Now he's he's not as close as I thought.

The official on the far side of the field was walking forward, but he's still a couple yards away.

Yeah, they marked him out at the 26 yard line.

He's got to get almost to the 24.

So it's going, it's almost fourth and two it and we'll say 4th and 1 1/2.

King will come over and.

Get the play.

And I agree with you, easily 4 down territory for this Hornet offense too.

There's there's no need to.

To be in a hurry.

But no need to be concerned either.

And the way the defense is played here and in.

Pulling off turnovers, you have to be confidence if if you did have to send the defense back out on the field, they let the play clock run down and call a timeout.

Coach has sent us the stats for for both teams.

We did a really good job of providing stats, but I did not see any stats for kicking and I gotta wonder out loud if they've even tried an extra point this year because all we've seen are two point conversions.

I don't even know if they've tried to field goal or an extra point.

The roster we have here, do you see either a pay or a K?

Beside anyone's name.

Well, somebody's gotta kick off.

But that's just an additional duty for him.

That's not their main duty.

Right?

Well, we saw Luke King do it.

Yeah, yeah.

Now he has the K in his name.

I'll, I'll give him that.

It's it's part of his name.

But still.

Midway Point here in the second quarter, Hazel on top by two scores 18-6 and these two teams have made it to the state title game before.

We've talked about that.

No wins combined.

O and nine believe this is the 7th time for Carlisle to make it here and they just have come up short in all of those trips.

The two teams combined.

So many options here for Hayes.

And I mean, you can hand it off, you can run it, they they can throw it.

Your king could run for it.

He looks like King's going to be in the back.

Still, by himself, I mean, he could take off and run forward on the quarterback.

It just opens a playbook for Hazel.

Does a quick little pitch inside kind of a shovel pass.

It's enough for the first down and more into the red zone and down to the 12 yard line.

For Hazen, that was Colton Tosh on the carry.

I guess when it opens up your playbook, that's exactly what I was talking about that just a quick little easy toss into the receiver coming in motion and picks up the first down, takes it to the 12.

It looks like that playbook is is pretty well stocked though and we have playmakers like this, though you can go so many different directions.

1st and 10 now on the 12.

Anderson in the backfield tosses over to Dawson, spins around a potential tackler and is finally wrapped up.

But he made about four on the play and you have to give a lot of credit right now to Preston Parker.

Parker has Dawson spun out of his first attempt at a tackle.

Watch him, he's going to get out of it and stay with it.

I mean, Parker did not give up on that play.

Dawson winds up getting 4 yards on the on the reception, maybe three, but still it you got to give a lot of credit to park.

For not giving up on the play?

Yeah.

When Dawson first spun out of the tackle, I thought he was going to school.

Yes.

And then Parker just stayed with it.

Anderson takes the ball this time, passed the five stays on his feet and trots into the end zone for the score Hornets with another touchdown.

Bryan Anderson, 22nd touchdown on the ground this season.

He's got six on the air, so that's 28 total touchdowns.

But Anderson goes off left tackle, gets a good block, makes 2 miss and dances into the end zone.

The Hornets are going to go for two once again.

No one's been successful with this play today.

Tackling in space.

That's what cost call all that time.

They had two attempts to bring Anderson down short of the goal line.

Both missed the tackle and Anderson scores.

4 receivers to the right side, King's gonna throw back to the left and the ball is knocked away.

Parker, again, Parker from his cornerback spot, did a great job.

That's a little jerk route right there that that Hazen ran and they call it a jerk route because you usually looked at make the DB look like a jerk.

You go inside and he bites on it and you go outside.

He was open.

King was just a little slow getting into him and that's what allowed the DB to get back in there and knock it down, almost pick it off 24 to 6 and we get a moment here from Tyler Cass on the sideline.

Yeah guys, you just saw Bradley Anderson take that touchdown and he was banged up.

Their last game didn't practice at all this week.

I was out here at War Memorial earlier watching when they practiced a couple days ago.

Coach said he wanted to practice, but he told him no, man, we need you on Friday and we're seeing it pay off now.

And by the way, guys, I I was listening.

I did some investigative work on the sideline.

Hazen does not have someone who's attempted either an extra point or field goal all season long.

So we're going to keep seeing those two point conversions no matter what.

My question has been answered.

Thank you, Tyler, on that big fourth down conversion a few minutes ago when they pitched it to the receiver.

With the motion, I couldn't find Anderson on the field and so I was.

I'm scanning the sideline and so they may be limiting the place because we've seen him on defense.

We have, yes.

And they may be giving him a break from time to time.

And I was worried that maybe something was wrong with him.

And then I saw him in a couple plays later and obviously he's OK scoring on that touchdown run.

King will kick off and Hayes is back deep and we'll take it at the 11.

Up the middle of the field.

Just long forward, get to about the 29 yard line.

That's where the bison will set up shop here and they find themselves trailing by 18 against a very, very tough Hornet offense.

I will say this about Carlyle, watching their scores come in on Friday nights.

There have been a couple of times in the playoffs where I thought, Ohh Carla's in trouble, they may not win this game and these were home games and Carlisle was a team that came back in the second-half and was able obviously to win the game.

Get to the state championship game so they're they're not in unfamiliar territory right here, but I will say this is a big drive.

At the very least, they need to move the chains, run that clock, and not let hazen get another opportunity to score before the half.

The last thing in the world they want is to go down at the half 30 to 6 or 32 to 6.

Ideally, they will March down and score.

Use this last four minutes and 20 seconds of the first half and score a touchdown, but if nothing else.

Worst case scenario, they want to chew up the clock, get a couple of first downs and keep hazing from scoring again.

And that's what a ground game like this will do.

Jones, under center right now, has two in the backfield.

Little double.

Give that time.

And really went nowhere.

In fact, it may have lost a yard to your point.

Talking about the playoff run for Carlyle defeated Mineral Springs 3228 in the opening round of the playoffs.

In the quarterfinals, defeated Earl 49 to 34, and it was just a 5 point victory over Mount Ida in the semifinals.

To get to this championship game.

I'm getting old.

My memory is getting worse as the years go by, but I want to say they trailed in all three of those games.

I'm pretty sure they were behind.

And had to make a second-half comeback.

Clock continues to run now and buy some don't seem to be in a hurry.

Jones and the shotgun man in motion to the left.

Jones hit as he throws tipped and intercepted, picked off at the 46 yard line Dawson has it.

Cuts back to the middle of the field, splits 2 defenders.

He's still on his feet to the 10 to the five and he's tripped up.

Running over one of the bison makes it down to the four yard line.

What did you say was worst case scenario?

That Hazel gets the ball back and scores again?

That could have been even worse with the pick six.

And if it's not for the Carlisle Lyman.

That's on the ground.

He scores here and I think he literally tripped him and you may want to watch this replay.

He's jumping over him, hurtling him, and I think that's how he falls.

Sticks a foot up right there.

Yeah, it was unintentional, but that's exactly what happened.

He tripped over the lineman on and fell inside the five.

But hazen with the chance to make a statement right here at the end of the first half and Anderson was one of the two.

Hornet defenders in to hit Jones inside give and the touchdown Colton Tosh in for the score for Hazen and the Hornets have 30 on the board.

So Tosh make a big play earlier in the quarter, and now Tosh gets on the board with a short touchdown run.

Look at Anderson in the backfield.

Anderson.

As soon as the handoff happened, he had his hands in the air, signaling touchdown.

He saw the whole 2 and new ties was about to get in.

And he scored enough times already this season.

But when you see a hole like that from his position to that just opens up, you know he wants to be the one that's going down the aisle there.

We didn't need the referees on the side to signal touchdown.

Anderson was doing this for us.

Full backfield as Jones and the give is titash again, slow developing play really didn't seem like it was that big of a hurry to get there and I don't think the Hornets were just giving up that two point conversion, but they have a 24 point advantage right now anyway.

It's absolutely remarkable how these teams are putting up touch.

The six touchdowns we've had and they've been moving the ball and running for big plays and they get down there for a two point conversion and they their name is sniffing.

I mean and credit in the defenses I'm sure that's something they've been working on that they both know that there aren't extra points.

We gotta work on our two point defense and and stopping what the other team likes to do.

So maybe we just give credit to the defense for snuffing out these two point plays.

Hazen on top by 20 fours as we mentioned and and you look at that their season as well you talked about this a little bit earlier and and what it means and what they've done in the playoffs putting up at least 40 points or at least 48 in each of their.

Three playoff wins for Hayes and defeated Poyon, 48 to 6.

Marked tree, 46 to 6.

Sorry, 46 points in that one, and a semifinal win over E Poinsett County, 56 to 16.

It's a remarkable run.

Ten of their twelve wins by at least 40 points?

Hmm, that's an explosive team.

And five shutouts too.

Hayes comes up and slides in under this one.

Yeah, I'm glad you said that about their defense.

I wrote this down 5 shutouts.

They held eight teams to one score or less.

It's seven points a game and I don't know how many.

I'm sure some of these hazing fans can tell me out of those eight one score games, how many of those came after the mercy rule when they got some of the backups in and the team scores a meaningless slate score?

But this defense has been awesome when you think about it.

Heck, just seven points a game all season long.

That's a remarkable stat.

And now, Carla, look, they got 3 minutes and three seconds.

They gotta get something positive before they go in the locker room.

It's a 24 point game.

You score a touchdown, you get a little momentum, you got a chance.

Jones.

Throwing long to the to his left and it was a little high.

Receiver had nowhere to go.

It was gonna be going out of bounds anyway.

The Jones has made some good throws and we we've done you know we've talked about that his first three throws were really well.

He started off the game four for four.

Now he has a an interception and this incomplete pass on his last two receivers wide open.

He just threw that well behind him and out of bounds.

When it's happening, I'm like, oh, he's got it.

He's got, he's got a receiver and this could be a big play but he threw it well behind him and out of bounds.

And so that was a miss for Jones that time.

He wonder here too if they're going to keep it on the ground.

Trying to run that clock too, because you don't want Hazen to have even another opportunity before the half.

And in a quarterback for Carlyle, that is Lawson Petrus.

You have changed something up me.

That time they followed Sullivan.

Sullivan basically the lead blocker with a another offensive lineman.

That polling lineman.

You see two polling lineman and Sullivan and the the quarterback just gets in right behind him, has a little speed, able to pick up the first down.

They moved the ball out to the 38 yard line.

That gives them a little life.

They got to move those chains to try to get down and score before the end of the half.

Yeah, it is a little bit tough to see those numbers.

I want to make sure I saw that #7 right petrosa, a sophomore.

In for that one play, he checks back out his teammates on the sideline, giving high 5 how you did your job well.

Picked up the first down and it's going to be 4-5 more here on the ground for the bison as the clock will run.

Yeah.

That time you see nine back in, that's Holden Jones, the starting quarterback.

He's able to to pick up about 5 yards there and then the thing now you you've gotten the first down the clock is running if Hazel was able to get the ball back through a pond or something and there's not going to be enough time.

So now Carlyle can go.

Carla can try to go and not worry about getting giving Hayes in the ball back unless there's a turnover.

Jones.

Rolling to his left to throw catches made for the first down and that is a nice catch by Cooney that'll stop the clock as they move the chains and minute 49 so Carlisle's good like they don't have to throw.

They can still run the ball a little bit here they got two timeouts left, Hazen has two timeouts left also, but no need to get too big of a hurry yet.

Had nowhere to go that time.

He was met soundly by that Hornets defense and maybe a little bit too soundly enough to draw a flag.

Collin Key the senior for the Hornets back in the backfield as well as Anderson.

And another flag's gonna come in after the facts as well.

I think you got intentional grounding.

He was out of the pocket but didn't get on back to lot of scrimmage.

We have a personal foul.

Roughing the passer against the defense.

With intentional grounding.

By the office.

Those penalties will offset.

We will replay the down and that intentional grounding was the 2nd flag they had to look to see and verify.

How did this play all come about?

We'll get a chance to see it here.

Key comes in and.

And the sling after the fact that that's that first flag.

And that was an easy call.

And the second one is well.

Well, he's outside the pocket.

If he had a receiver in the area, it would have been OK.

But there was not a receiver within probably 20 yards.

The ball did not get to the line of scrimmage.

So that's why they checked.

They said the ball gets the line of scrimmage.

They say no, but alright then, that's the flag.

That's the second flag.

They replay it first down again.

Sullivan stumbles just a little bit and makes it back to the line of scrimmage.

Clock will continue to tick here.

Probably the best thing for the bison is to just have that clock continue to move.

They will have the option to receive.

In the second-half, got an injury timeout right now for Hazen, the player down on the field.

Looks like it's at 66 for Hazen down on the field.

Yes, Sandra Smith.

And Smith, a sophomore.

Only a sophomore, but a big lineman for them.

When you get an injury in a game like this, you know that that's not it's it's tough because chances are he's playing both ways.

And so you're not just losing a defensive lineman right now, you're losing an offensive lineman for when they get the ball back.

Potentially in the second-half, it would be their next time to get the ball back, but they are working on him right now.

He's got his helmet off.

That's good.

He's getting up on.

They helped him up a little bit, but he he was able to get up on his own power.

Able to put a little weight on that foot, not a whole lot.

That walks getting a little better as he gets across.

Well, that's it.

It'll be a good feeling for him going to the half.

He's given a solid effort today.

Never wanna not be able to give everything for an entire four quarters in a state championship game, so.

You have to be frustrated about that.

It's a big sophomore right there.

Yes, it is.

And the crowd appreciates him making his way to the bench.

He may have to.

I don't know if they'll keep him there during the half.

We'll see just a minute 23 away from the half and we'll see if he gets just to rest there on the sideline during the intermission.

In the meantime, it is second and 10 now for the bison nowhere to go.

Pick up of well, not very much at all.

I think they're gonna give that no gain.

And so it'll be third down.

Yeah.

May wanna call it time out here.

That's what they've done.

They just called a timeout.

They'll have one more left.

I thought he had a chance.

No, they didn't call it time out.

They're gonna keep going.

They're just gonna try to hurry up.

A little more overcast here at War Memorial Stadium has the afternoon wears on.

Clouds are coming in and the clock will stop right there.

It's a little bit darker on the field just thinking about that right now.

There's been rain earlier today and wondered if that might affect one team or the other.

It hasn't shown signs of really stopping either one of these offenses, today's particularly hazens offense.

Big play here.

It's 4th down, 4th and 10 ball on the 49 yard line.

We want to pick up that first down here and try to find a way to get some points before they get to the end of the half.

But do you want to risk turning it over and give Hayes in 48 seconds?

We've seen our explosive, that offensive.

2 * 1 Play touchdown drives.

Jones is just going to keep it.

Goes behind a block, gets to the outside 45 to the 40.

He's got close to the first down.

I think he may have gotten it.

You're right.

What did call right there, 4th and 10, you're gonna go quarterback power over the right side, couple pulling lineman, you're running behind your big running back.

He bounces it outside and they went the right direction too.

That was big.

Had plenty of field on the on the wide side there.

The clock continuing to run.

Byson just need to maintain possession here.

If you get a score, that's just an added bonus.

Jones all kinds of pressure that time he had an open receiver, probably could have caught it, picked up the first down and and more.

But he as soon as he got it was rolling to his left.

They were three Hornets chasing him.

I've been watching too.

left-handed quarterback that toss.

As he he likes to go to that left side, and with the the left side being the wide side of the field right now, has those receivers open a little bit better.

Has some room with which to work, but the Hornets on defense just get back there so quickly.

Well, now all of a sudden, you see with only third 26 seconds left, hazens got more defenders back.

They're playing a little bit more cautious and soft.

The pitch back.

Tycoon, he has it tested 35 and stumbles forward near the 32 yard line and now they're gonna stop the clock.

That's a good call.

You have two timeouts left, 17 seconds and look, he's hazen has shown the big play opportunities.

But Carla it's got some big plays and they and they got some.

Anytime you got Jason Sullivan you could score in one play.

You block it up right, you got a chance.

And what I was about to say with Hazen now playing a little further back.

They're playing safer.

They got their safeties back.

The quarterbacks are back a little bit.

That opens up the middle.

That opens up the running game a little bit.

So if I'm Carlisle, you got another time out.

Don't be surprised.

Even though there's only 17 seconds in there about the 32 yard line.

If they don't hand it off to Sullivan or or try that quarterback power again and see if they can't pick up 15 yards and then make it.

You know, with one more chance, maybe two chances left, at least you're at the 2015 yard.

Trying to throw it into the end zone a couple of times and see if you can't steal a score here at the end of the first half.

And you have to think that that even the scenario that you just presented, that's predicated because Cooney was able to pick up those seven yards.

You know, if if he had been stopped back at the line of scrimmage again they might have just said, you know what, we're back here at the 40, we don't have anything to do, but now they they feel a little bit possibly at that momentum.

Jones is in the shotgun, has Solomon to his left, Cooney in motion.

Jones three steps back and a little toss over to no one in a white jersey.

That one lines up being incomplete, but it was very, very nearly picked off.

Collin Key he I think he was a little surprised with it.

He's back in coverage and all of a sudden it came straight to him and.

He just dropped it.

That's one of those.

He's gonna wish he gets another opportunity to get that.

But Key is a two way player for Hayes and plays a little bit on center.

We talked to him last night on Fox 16 sports and I just had intense young man and was looking so forward to playing against some of his friends and people he knows from Carlisle.

4th down now and Jones is under center.

And there is the gift of Sullivan has a block.

There's a little room to the outside, past the 35 or 25, and down to the 22 yard line.

The clock will stop long enough to move the chains.

And they're going to call a timeout to.

The bison will have one more opportunity now at about the 22 yard line.

I thought they may do that on 3rd down instead of throwing it.

I I figured the opportunity would be there to give Sullivan or one of the backs or quarterback a chance to run, pick up some a nice chunk of yards and move that ball down.

But now you got one chance.

Throw the ball into the end zone and I'm, I'm I saw the last time Carlyle did this, they kept Sullivan back there as an extra blocker.

I mean you got five good offensive lineman.

Better to be that 6th live in the I mean Sylvania is a strong kid.

We were told no, he is a.

According to the leader, he he is this the leader of this team, but not only powerful, but the the leader and expecting we may see him back there.

I wonder if they got even a maybe a screenplay.

I don't know if it would work here with Hayes and playing so far back.

I doubt they're going to put a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks.

I don't know if you'd slip a screen in, but they got to get the ball somehow into the end zone.

Find some kind of A1 on one situation where you can get a jump ball and let that receiver go to work.

Double tight set.

Now 6 seconds remaining here in the first half and one opportunity.

It's a reverse.

And.

Hayes trying to find somebody down the field instead.

He couldn't find any one of the end zone, so he just ran forward with it.

Hayes makes it to the 15 yard line clock runs out here in the first half and final thoughts of the first half before we take the break.

Well, turnovers for Carlisle, that's going to be the first thing they got to stop.

They got.

They cannot turn the ball over.

When you're playing a team as good offensively as Hazen and even the team as good defensively as Hayes and you can't afford to make mistakes, shoot yourself in the foot so they can't afford any more turnovers and they're honestly, they're going to have to get some turnovers.

They're going to have to.

Stop hazing, get a couple of turnovers and capitalize on those if they're going to get back in this ball game.

Hazen with the 36 lead and halfway to its first state title as we have an opportunity now.

Tyler's on the sideline talking with coach Pesenka.

Yeah, Coach, we saw Carlisle kind of come out and throw the ball there more at 1st and they have all season.

Just how well is your defense adjusted?

They're starting to just know our secondary is one of our biggest strengths.

You know, we've got, we came into the game with 20 interceptions and we're giving up pass plays.

We gotta get better at that and recognize formations.

Big thing killing us right now is we've left 10 points on the field on on extra points.

We got to do a better job on that.

We're the lead like you've got.

What's the message to the team at halftime?

Hey, don't let up because hey, they had a bad half.

We can have a bad half.

So got to play with even more energy.

Perfect.

Appreciate your coach.

Thank you, Tyler.

With coach Visentin down there, 30 to 6 lead.

Opportunities to improve for the Hornets.

Opportunities to make something different happen and try to change this script for the Bison second-half.

Coming up in a few of the moment, we'll have our halftime.

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Hey, everybody, David Basil, here it is.

Halftime at War Memorial.

That means we are back here at Arkansas PBS studios to share with you a little bit of what we've been working on in a few minutes.

And Leon is going to catch you up on the bigger picture, if you will, at Arkansas PBS.

Ashley King is going to fill you in on some student athletes who are excelling on the field and more importantly in the classroom.

And we're going to take a look at one of the biggest.

Football rivalries in the state, but first the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame was established way back in 1958 to honor and memorialize outstanding individuals and to promote legacy and inspire younger generations.

Take a look.

1958 was a year of change in America.

The Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian Museum, the microchip was invented.

NASA was created by President Dwight D Eisenhower, and in Arkansas, Deep in the recesses of full Memorial Stadium, a group of prominent Little Rock businessmen founded the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

The original mission of the Hall of Fame was simple enough to recognize and induct individuals and teams.

That have brought honor to the state of Arkansas and we do provide scholarships for student athletes.

It's a great place for young people to get inspired, to come here themselves, to walk through and to read these stories and think someday that can be me.

We inducted our first class in 1959.

We have over 500 inductees, basketball players, football players, baseball players, archery or in sharps.

You trap shooting runners, golfers, horse racing, car racing.

It's a great cross section of what sports is for more than 60 years the Arkansas.

Sports Hall of Fame work to honor those most accomplished athletes who call the natural state home.

Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame selection process is simple but a little complicated.

You can go online and nominate your favorite sports hero.

That person goes into a master database.

Selection committee comes up with those 50 people on the voting list.

For each category that is mailed out to the dues paying members, you pick your top five.

Those come back.

The top two vote getters in the regular category automatically get in the top vote.

They're from the senior category, automatically gets in, and then the board votes on the remaining inductees and then you wait for a call.

When you get the call, it's a big deal.

You know, when I was inducted to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame or however, when I got received the call, I feel like I've reached something being from a small town, rural area, which Arkansas is a lot of that way.

And when you get picked for something that's prestigious, it has a huge impact on your life.

Seemed to me it was the cap, my athletic career.

It just seemed like all the hard work has paid off for me.

All the people you made, all the connections you make, they welcome you.

It it was remarkable to me the night that I came to be inducted because the former inductees, they want you to feel like, hey, you're part of us.

Now, clearly sports in Arkansas isn't all fun and games.

Sports is a common ground that brings everybody together and we compete.

We want to see a good battle, but we want to shake hands afterwards and and there's a mutual respect for everyone that played athletics.

Which is you discipline.

It teaches you teamwork.

It prepares you for life.

It got me a full scholarship at the University of Central Arkansas.

Eventually, the Hall of Fame had grown to need a new home, and by early 2007, construction was complete on the almost 14,000 square foot Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum located in what is now Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.

All the communities in the state have an opportunity to make sure they're heroes are remembered.

And they do that.

Walk through this whole fame.

See a helmet from.

Some small community hero, smaller college maybe than the Razorbacks are jerseys, pictures, statistics, all kinds of memorabilia, like a picture of Scottie Pippen standing next to a polar bear.

For some reason it's just like creating the milestones of the people who started and who laid the foundation.

Their favorite thing is always the Bears back there in the car, the Martin Martin car.

But they actually get to see how sports and Arkansas started, everybody as they were growing up.

Had their favorite sports heroes.

We preserve those sports heroes for the different generations.

They can look here and say, wow, this person overcame this.

They came from maybe an impoverished background or maybe a beginning that wasn't necessarily headed towards sports but ended up there someday.

We have a great sports leagues here.

It's a great representation of what this state is about.

Hard working people who endured, who achieved.

And so to have that legacy as a in a permanent place here, ohh, people embrace that and hope they come here and enjoy it.

Look at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame as motivation and say, hey, one day that's going to be me.

Now you know the history.

You can be a part of the future of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Let's turn now to the student athlete with emphasis on the student part.

Ashley, what do you have for us?

Thanks, David.

We talked to schools across the state of Arkansas to find out about those athletes that not only Excel on the field, but in the classroom too.

Here's the Arkansas PBS student All-Stars class of 2022.

We're going to start with our eight man honoree, Jackson Martin.

Jackson is a senior quarterback for the WOODLINE.

High school bears.

He has a 3.5 grade point average.

He plans to attend college and become a coach or a study to be a real estate agent out of two a lets me Luke King.

Luke is a senior quarterback and linebacker for the Hazen High School Hornets.

He maintains a 4.0 grade point average and wants to play college football and ultimately become a dentist.

Moving on to three a here's Sawyer Huskins with the Melbourne High School Bearcats.

This senior offensive and defensive linebacker is a four year starter who holds a 4.2 GPA.

He also scored an amazing 33 on the ACT exam.

He plans to become a pharmacist.

Our foray All Star this year is Jalen Dupree.

Jalen is a junior running back and linebacker for the Malvern High School Leopards.

He has a 3.5 grade point average.

Following high school, Jalen plans to play college football and major in physical therapy.

Coming around to five a we have tavion Haney of the Parkview High School Patriots.

Tavion is a senior cornerback and has a 3.5 grade point average he has received.

Outstanding Academic Excellence Award and has won all conference and all state honors.

He plans to continue playing football while seeking a degree in engineering or learning a trade.

The six a representative this season is Hayden Webb, the senior offensive lineman for the Greenwood High School Bulldogs, maintains a 4.0 GPA and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT exam.

He plans to attend the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville after graduation.

And finally we wrap up with our seven All Star Abe Owen.

Dave is the senior quarterback for the Cabot High School Panthers.

He has a 4.0 GPA.

After high school.

He plans to go to college and medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Congratulations to this year's honorees.

Way to go.

You know, we may see some of these faces again in April here on Arkansas PBS for Quiz Bowl.

Now, if you haven't seen quiz bowl, you'll want to make a note to watch.

This year.

Some of the smartest high school students in the state meet up right here in the studio and square off not only for bragging rights, but for some pretty big checks, too.

And it's all live right here on Arkansas PBS.

Speaking of what is on Arkansas PBS if you're not a regular viewer.

Here is Ed Leon to tell you what you've been missing.

Thanks, Ashley.

Hey, we don't want you to miss a thing here on Arkansas PBS because we're doing a lot.

From these sports broadcasts that we do every year to the recent statewide political debates, to Arkansas stories made just for you, we have something for everyone.

And of course, our foundation here is education.

Now this is where the magic happens.

Arkansas PBS was made for educational television.

We want to make learning interesting and fun.

It's our mission to build lifelong learners and part of that is keeping you well informed with our current affairs programming for almost 4 decades.

Arkansas week's been keeping you informed of the news and issues that matter most.

I'm Christina Munoz for Arkansas week.

How huge is agriculture slash farming here in the state of Arkansas, distressed farmers and ranchers face every day can be overwhelming.

These resources are for all of our Arkansas farmers.

Election Day just around the corner, and everyone agrees there's a lot at stake.

It's analysis and insight on the races you care about.

That's just our effort to make sure that testing continues to be available in Arkansas, veterans in Arkansas, we got you.

Your well-being is worth fighting for.

Everybody made that sacrifice to make sure I was going to be alright.

So my my biggest thing is to accept help.

We're building lives, we're building community.

Keeping you informed and engaged, that is public media and that is what the dedicated people in this building work to do every day.

All right, now we can't go on without giving you a sneak peek at some upcoming productions watch.

This is an important person in U.S. history and so to do the sculpture, it puts a lot on your shoulders as an artist that you capture the spirit of this amazing individual.

I work for only three and my mother just making sure that everything was right.

We're all hanging out, we're all cooking turkeys.

We get an opportunity to help a family have a good Thanksgiving.

To get it to Williams throws it down.

I mean, she just stepped up and nailed the biggest shot right there.

With the right hand tie ball game, when you don't wake up, don't wake up.

When the season over that's swung on, lifted high to right field, he's going back to the warning track.

It's out of here.

I would have never known the things I know now without that program.

It really helped me advance my opportunity to this career field.

There is something for everybody here on Arkansas PBS.

It is our mission to ensure that, and we want you to join our community.

Scan that QR code on your screen if you're enjoying these championship games.

If you appreciated the amount of time we dedicated to our debate week coverage before the elections.

If Arkansas stories are important to you, then sign up and join us.

Become a part of the team.

That QR code will tell you how to do it and you'll see it.

Pop up throughout these championship games.

Alright, I think we've got time for one more Arkansas story, right Baz?

Yes, we do add rivalries in Arkansas.

We've got some good ones.

One of the biggest hits too.

close knit communities in Central Arkansas against each other.

The game got so big they had to move it to War Memorial Stadium.

Here's a look at the Salt Bowl.

If you've never been around it, it's kind of hard to explain and hard to understand.

Biggest rivalry in the state of Arkansas.

The two communities are close together.

You don't know when you leave one and enter the other.

Go to the right, you bet and you go to the left, you're right.

The district lines convoluted to say the least.

Coming down the Interstate, you really can't tell which ones.

Benton and Brian, it is a 634.

We are here at big Red.

Here is our annual softball show.

We're in Bryant proper, right?

We're in our proper.

Is that right?

Please go to the same church.

They go to the same stores, they eat out at the same places.

So many families who grew up in Benton, who, who, you know, went to Benton, whose kids went to Bryant, vice versa.

The rivalry between the two, and I think it's because they are so close.

I always talk trash.

My name is Lorelai and I go to Vinton school, but my mom went to Bryant schools.

I'm a sophomore Benton High School, but my mom was a Bryant cheerleader, so obviously I'm partial to Bryant Blue and the girls are a little little more partial to their Panther maroon.

I mean, I like to think that this looks a little little better, but.

We are a true house divided, I say.

Like, y'all are gonna lose it.

The Salt Bowl, even though you were on the cheer team, that doesn't mean you need to vote for them, because they can still be bad and stuff.

Give me the first year Benton and Bryant played.

That's good guess it was 1970.

Roger 4411974 CW Lewis Stadium where many, many a games between the Benton Panthers and Bryant Hornets beginning in 1974 were played.

And they really were.

The Salt Bowl began the 1999 game when you had over 12,000 people.

And then also up on top of this building there were people standing as far as you could see.

I was just dumbfounded.

I remember mayor Farmer, now mayor farmer, then coach farmer.

Saying something to me he's like.

You know, we probably need to think about doing something different than we started talking about.

What could we do to make the game bigger and better?

We've now reached the point that most schools have have outgrown the ability to play this game in our own stadiums.

We've got to look at doing something different and why not go, you know, warm Memorial Stadium?

Quickly became more than just a football game.

Started a salt bowl T-shirt.

That's what started the hot dogs that we gave away for free to attract people to come to the game.

That eventually led to Big Arkansas largest high school tailgate party as we call it.

The one thing I think I'm the most proud of is we also wanted it to give back to our community.

We've had charity partners in Arkansas Food Bank.

We've always done a blood drive and we've had partnerships with the Cancer Society or a goodwill and so.

It's always been more than just a game.

People were out there, they got their maroon on, they got their blue on one big family because it's about family.

That's what community is about, is a family and they're having a great time.

But buddy, when you walk through that gate and you take your side, whether it be the Bryant Hornets side or whether it be the Benton Panther side, it's all over because it's war.

When that whistle blows, it's 7:00 o'clock and that kickoffs given.

It's war and everyone's pulling for their.

Team and yelling and screaming and and and it's just fully spirited and having a great time.

But you know what?

Once the game's over.

People intermingle again in the parking lot and a family again.

Oh, yeah.

We love a good rivalry.

What do you guys think?

Oh, there is nothing like the energy of a rivalry game.

And the best part about a rivalry?

There's always next year.

That's right.

It was my favorite part of playing football, especially when we won.

Yeah.

Now, if you at home want to see your school's rivalry featured, hit us up on social, use the hashtag AR PBS rival, and maybe we'll be in your town next.

Well, that's it for us on the halftime show.

Now let's get back to War Memorial.

Stadium for the second-half right here on your home for the high school football state finals, Arkansas PBS.

The electric cooperatives of Arkansas over 2500 team members across 17 local electric distribution co-ops powering homes, farms and industries somewhere across Arkansas.

We are the electric cooperatives of Arkansas power and people.

The Hazen Hornets fans have a lot to cheer about.

Up 24 points in this state championship game, the 2A State Championship, the Hazen Hornets with 30 on the board, the Carlyle Bison with just six, and it's been a back and forth game.

You look at some of the statistics from the first half and and in total yards it's relatively even.

Hazen with 280 total yards and Carlisle with 255.

But on the scoreboard it tells a different story.

Well, the turnovers.

That's not Lisa.

I was looking.

That should be the first thing listed on this one.

That's the key thing for Carlisle, the costly turnover, which I know Hazen had one, they were driving down first drive of the game and they fumbled in inside the 10 yard line.

But that's been the difference for Carlisle.

They've had some costly turnovers.

It's been a pretty well played game.

Besides that, not a lot of penalties, but Hazen has been able to take advantage of of the the opportunities they've had, they're punching it into the end zone.

You see that passing yards, 114 yards.

It's been a balanced tack, 141 rushing yards.

For Carlisle and it has been balanced back and forth but Hazen with the quick strike able to get the first touchdown in for the score that time schlenker and just right off the bat one play don't they got things going trying to counter the bison get a big touchdown score as well and that was David Hayes with the reception alone score for the bison today but Anderson the other direction Braylon.

Anderson with six more points and we say 6 only six because no two point conversions.

Have been successful so far.

Another touchdown throw in for the catch that time for Hazen.

Also schlinker with the touchdown running it in Anderson.

He's got two on the day as well.

Sleeker and Anderson leading the way for the Hazen Hornets.

They're down 30 to 6 now.

Call off.

Needs to make a second-half move.

Let's go down here straight from the coach.

Yeah, Coach, you guys just came out of the locker room now, spent a little bit more time there than the Hornets.

What was the message to the team?

A big thing was we've got to do a lot better job taking care of the football.

On offense, you know, we've turned it over twice, and when you turn it over against these guys all year long, they've got points off of turnovers.

And so that's been something that got us behind early.

So we got to hang on to the ball.

And then on defense, we got to do a better job with our assignments.

We've had bus and really we've put the defense in in bad situations just with the turnovers, putting them down in short field and giving hazing a lot of momentum.

So we've got.

You gotta take care of that in the second-half.

You guys have had your backs against the wall before this season.

Just the confidence level that with the team.

Yes, that's what we told them in two of our three playoff games.

We've been down at halftime.

We were able to come back in the second-half and and keep fighting and fighting and fighting just one drive at a time.

And so that was the message.

We just got to come out this first drive trying to put points on the board, try and get a stop and then do it again and and whittle this thing down to A1 score game, hopefully before the fourth quarter.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

All right.

That's a Carlisle coach Caleb Shock.

You see him looking to make a comeback.

Second-half, kick it off in a couple minutes.

We'll head back upstairs with you guys and we find out that Wes's memory is not that bad after all.

You didn't.

You did recall that and the fact that they have been down in these playoff games, so it should be nothing new.

Now, granted, this is a radically different opponent, though.

This is the Haitian team that can put up a lot of points on.

The first thing you got to do is get some stops.

First thing that needs to happen is Carlisle has to score, Carlisle has to go down, and I hate to use the word, has to go down and score.

Then I guess they don't have to, but man, they need to get some more.

Minimum on their side and and.

To do that, you take this kick off here, you go down and score and make it to 3012 game or 30 to 14 ideally, because you think about it, it is a 24 point game with these teams.

That's a 3 possession game.

Now that no one's been able to convert A2 point conversion.

But if you can figure that out three possessions, you can get 3/3 touchdowns and three two point conversions and you could be right back in this game and have a chance to do it.

But First things first, they got to get this opening kickoff.

I expect to see a lot of Jason Sullivan.

When you struggle, it is football.

What do you do when you struggle?

You go back to the basics and what's the basics for Carlisle?

It's running the ball and it's Jason Sullivan.

I think they got to ride that horse.

That would be a shame that you get to a state championship game and you look back and you regret that, man, we didn't give our horse enough carries.

I expect he's going to get plenty of carries in this next drive.

And again, he's he's averaging 20 carries per game this season.

He has 17 right now, but he doesn't have a touchdown.

17 carries I I thought he had like 7.

Well, in light of that still though, I mean if you think that way, it probably looks that way to everyone because, I mean, we haven't seen the results.

And again, this is the leader all time in Arkansas high school football in touchdown, rushing, touchdown scored.

He doesn't have one yet.

Today the bison will get it out to nearly the 40 yard line to set up shop here to open the second-half, Carlisle trailing by 24 points here in the state championship game.

Both teams have been to this big stage before.

Neither team has come away.

With that Gold trophy, one will today and Carlisle saying we're not out of this yet, give us a chance here in the second-half.

So Troy Mitchell has been doing the stats here for us at the state championship game for 20 years.

If it be someone, if it was somebody else doing the stats, I would say they're dead wrong.

There's no way that Sullivan has 17 carries.

Have no Troy knows his stuff and so I'm not second guessing him exactly.

I I I would agree with you entirely.

Well, they're Sullivan who's still on his feet.

And gets past midfield.

They're trying to swipe the ball away from him again.

And at this point in time I'm thinking that that was great.

Anderson did was able to rip the ball away from him one time.

With a player like Sullivan, I would think your main focus would be you gotta bring him down.

Yeah, they yeah, he did it again.

That was Anderson that tried to swipe it away from behind instead of making the tackle.

Trying to knock that ball loose.

You'll see it right there, but wasn't able to do it.

Sullivan keeps running, keeps his feet moving and he moves the ball all the way to the 42 yard line.

I'll say it again.

Ride that horse.

He's what got you here.

Jones in the backfield and he'll keep it himself going behind a Sullivan block and he picks up three on that carry on 1st down.

And who was leading the way for him?

It was Sullivan.

Every play.

Eight team carries, 98 yards.

Well, today there, this may be a game where they they're gonna need him to go about 30 carries or more and pick up 200.

He's averaging again on the season and and that would be what they've gotten from this year, averaging 227.3 on the season.

They need a big day and maybe even to top that average to get back into this and screen pass to the right side in and out of the hands of Hayes.

He can't bring it in, it'll bring up third and 7th.

Just let him a little much and that's OK. As a quarterback, I'd rather you throw it a little in front of him so he can run forward and catch it and be have your forward momentum instead of throwing it behind him.

He has to stop.

And regather himself.

And by then, the defense is on top of you.

You're not gonna pick anything up.

Well, especially at that point in the field, too.

I mean it.

It'd be a dangerous pass behind him.

3rd and long now.

And Jones has Sullivan to his right.

Cooney and motion.

He'll be in the backfield as well to give us to Sullivan and he's going to keep on pushing his way forward.

He'll come up just short of the first down, but a great run of 6.

We're gonna mark him a full yard short of that first down, but no doubt Carlisle will go for it here on 4th down.

We've seen a couple of things from them on 4th down, we've seen the quarterback sneak and they've snuck it with the quarterback and picked up about 5 yards.

But then the when Hazen started to bunch up the middle, they popped him off guard for an easy first down conversion.

Jones is in her center.

And he's trying to push forward.

He'll be slung back.

I don't think he got it.

Don't think so.

I was surprised that they didn't have Sullivan come in and push, give him that extra push and said Sullivan ran out to the right to try to fake out the defense, that they were going to pitch it to him and they're not even going to measure.

He did not get it.

We saw Jones a little earlier when Carlisle had the ball on its own 1 yard line, and with a big push from behind, he was able to pick up 7 yards, go all the way out to the 8:00 and give the vice a little bit.

Room's not able to pick up even much more than 1/2 yard on that carry, so Hazen gets it right back their first possession here in the second-half.

And a 24 point advantage.

The king and the give is to Anderson's little room.

Lot more room splits 2 in the secondary, nothing but green in front of him and he will take it all the way into the score 67 yards and for the third time today, the Hornets score on their first play.

Anderson had 67 yards before that carry.

He got 67 yards on that carry.

He now has 134 yards on the day, 6 carries, 134 yards at his.

That's his third touchdown of the game.

Anderson is putting on a show.

He really is.

And you know, we've talked about Luke King and what he can do through the year.

Braylon Anderson, what he has done on the ground today has been big as well and now we're seeing also a little bit more balance in that Hornets.

Offense too, where he split those two safeties and this was shot out of a cannon and he he hit that so fast they never had a chance to catch him.

Four wide receivers.

For king.

Looking left keeps looking left, throws across the middle tipped and caught.

Two point conversion good for the first time this afternoon.

Colton Tosh with the reception and the Hornets are now up by 32.

Big, big touchdown and two point conversion here in the third quarter.

We'll take a break.

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The Hornets are trying to put things away here in the early going of the second-half.

Bryan Anderson with a huge touchdown run.

And Luke King set to kick off.

Going to bounce a couple times and.

Picked up just inside the 20.

And Hayes will make it a little ways beyond that, but they'll set up shop behind the 25 and the Hornets up by 32.

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Carlisle has shown that it can throw the ball a bit today.

It's it's a fairly balanced attack at this point in time.

We're going to need to throw it a little bit more, try to get back in this without eating up too much clock.

Yeah, it's a desperate situation and I know they say desperate times call for desperate things and I think they caught hazen a little off guard and what they were doing, they were getting some one-on-one situations because they were hazen was all bunched up at the line of scrimmage because they were so intent and focused on stopping carlyles running game that it was creating some great situations in the passing game.

But if Hazen starts to feel like they're going to throw when they're backing off the line of scrimmage, then it's going to be difficult.

For them to throw the ball, Carlyle, just not a throwing team.

It's just that simple.

So best case scenario, you just gotta keep running the ball and do what you do and and have faith that your guys gonna bust one look.

They could, they could throw or they could run for 75 yards here a lot easier than they could throw for 75 yards.

To be honest with you.

Petris back in at quarterback and he keeps it.

He'll pick up 4 and that's very similar to what happened back in the first half.

Petris came in, sophomore comes off the bench, takes that snap from the shotgun.

And picks up about four and he'll go over and have a seat.

That gives Jones an opportunity to come back in.

Now, I had two receivers over here to the left side, possibly a little bit of a decoy move right there.

Great opportunity for Petrus to come in and get some.

Get some snaps here in this championship game.

Yeah, maybe they're setting something up.

You know, he he comes in, he runs it over that right side every time.

And maybe they have a playoff of that, that Hazen thinks, well, here he comes again.

He's gonna run over the right side.

Maybe they could get something and fool them with it.

Sullivan goes behind two blockers, cuts back to the inside, seal on his feet past the 40.

Luke King is there to bring him down at about the 46 yard line.

A full backfield again.

Couple of blockers in front of Sullivan and they pick up the first down.

Great execution for Carlisle here.

You see Sullivan, he has one offensive player out there, cuts back, gets that block and the pursuit of King is able to chase him down and that's that hazing defense there though for you.

They have speed.

They have some more speed on that that they can chase a play down.

There may be some other teams that Carlisle plays they don't have that kind of speed solving has gone to the house.

He just keeps it going and is able to go 60 yards there.

But that haze and speed is able to catch up with him.

Same look with Jones.

Under center again, and pretty much the same result as Sullivan will pick up the first down and more dropped at the 39 yard line.

back-to-back plays going to the right behind two good blockers and a great push from the line, and Sullivan moves the sticks again.

King saves the touchdown if he doesn't make that tackle.

King was unblocked and that's the one guy Solva makes him miss or breaks that tackle.

He's gone.

But King, we see him at quarterback.

He's also doing a good job at linebacker and he makes the tackle.

And keeps carloff from scoring there.

Ethan Foster and Caleb Elliott has up backs there.

In front of Sullivan and this time pick up of just two.

Killer Kilgore checks out Drake Burks coming in for Carlisle lines.

Done an admirable job today.

Hold backfield once again.

They're going to shift it to the left side this time.

And Jones, with the pitch back to Sullivan, tries to get through two blockers, stops and.

Trying to find a hole at the hash mark.

Can't really do it again just one more time.

Hazen had enough guys on the outside just kind of overwhelmed the blockers.

They had two block blockers out there in front of Sullivan, but they were probably 4 Hornets and he was trying to get a block.

Got finally the cut back and was able to pick up just what he could out of the play.

Just wasn't a whole lot there that time.

3rd and seven on the way for the Bisons clock running about the midpoint here in the third quarter, bison need to score big time.

Full backfield once again and Kiev is to Sullivan a push but he's not going to get very far at all and you know needing to pick up 7 plus on that play on 3rd down clearly it's four down territory that really that was designed to pick up just one or two and that's where the guy I think they were trying to to bust one on there on on Hayes.

Hayes has got everybody up at the line of scrimmage and once again they I mean there are there are eleven players within 5/6 yards line of scrimmage.

You just get that one guy, get through that one gap, you're gone.

It's gonna score for a touchdown.

They just, they missed the block on that backside.

The bison know that it is 4 down territory, the Hornets know that as well.

And so Carlisle takes the time out its first time out, taken here in the second-half.

It's been a great day for football here, a little overcast.

The sun's come out some, but it's a wonderful day for football and a huge crowd on hand here in War Memorial Stadium to watch these two teams play rivals who were separated by just 9 or 10 miles.

It is a sight to see when they play at Hazen or at Carlisle during the regular season.

You will have the stands full.

You will people have people standing around the fence around the stadium, four or five deep.

It is just there.

You're looking for somewhere to stand and see over somebody else and it's great.

It's it's two way football at its best.

The crowds are awesome and it is.

It's loud.

It creates for a great atmosphere.

I know it's, it's it's.

Nice and loud down there now, but just imagine in a smaller situation where you have this many people, it can be very intense.

Tied him to the right, the extra blocker over there, Jones under center and I formation.

Look now for the bison.

Blocker in front of Sullivan works his way forward past the 30.

I think he has enough for the first down he does.

They've had a lot of success with that play.

We've seen this play call probably four or five times.

They keep going back to it time and time again, pull a couple of lineman, they get a full house right in front of Sullivan.

Sometimes it's been the quarterback leading the way and they been able to kind of overwhelm Hazen with the number of bodies they have going to that right side.

As long as the guys can pick up a block and and not miss anybody, it has resulted in some big plays and they did it picked them up at first down and Carlyle Drive will continue.

So they go with the bread and butter, the offense, the ground game.

Tiny and left now right in the slot.

Give us to Sullivan goes behind his blockers and just keeps churning those feet.

And they'll push forward to about the 22, maybe just a little bit farther than that.

Good, good pickup on 1st down.

Yeah, this is Carlisle football now.

I mean, they're, they're just putting their head down, getting a push from the line.

Sullivan's using his legs and he's picking up five, six yards.

And that's fine.

They're they were happy and content picking up 6 yards of carry.

The problem is they're down 38 to 6, they're down 32 points.

This is what they needed to happen in the first half to keep it close, run that clock, keep Hazens offense off the field.

To limit the number of possessions they get.

If they could have had this going and from the very beginning, which they did, but then a couple of formals hurt them.

But this is what that's what I was talking about at halftime.

You do what you do best and that is when the football and.

Yeah, you were hoping to catch them off guard there, thinking run, run, run and hit over the top with the pass.

But hazens deep in the back and the safety, they were there.

They had that covered there.

That was going nowhere.

That was the best thing that could have happened right there.

And then complete pass because if he had thrown it on target, it's picked off exactly that.

That's exactly right.

The ball didn't go where it where Hayes thought it was going to go and and Hazen didn't have the opportunity.

So third down and short on the way here.

And every now and again, just to throw a little wrinkle in there, I think that was that was a good call on 2nd down.

It didn't work.

Full backfield once again now.

And the give is to Sullivan tries to cut the corner, goes back a little bit, lowers his shoulder and pushes forward for the first down.

And that was a really good move there, maybe going back a little bit to catch the angle so that he could.

Go more North and South on the field.

Sullivan's hurt.

He yeah, he's going back down.

He's he's trying, man.

Look how tough this kid is.

He is a gamer.

He is powerful.

And this is this is his moment.

This is what he's been waiting for.

But you see the defender go down getting by the knee.

And I hope he's OK.

He is still trying to shake it off.

He's been over at the huddle.

He doesn't want to come out.

This is, you know, this is his opportunity, man.

He's been dreaming that this moment his whole life.

See if they don't use him as a decoy here and let him try to try to get a little feeling going.

Well, when you're a senior you definitely don't want to to go out and he doesn't there on 1st down, I'm not sure if the ball would go out and that is exactly what happened.

They got they right.

Somebody tackled the ball.

I mean, Elliott had a good hole.

He was coming in, but then hazen, just somebody put a helmet on the ball, the ball came out and hazen jumped on it.

Might have a. Cramp out there on the field, players stretching just a little bit, turn over and see.

See if the teams change positions here.

Trying to see who calls that fumble.

Maybe we got a good replay of it here.

Looks like 30.

30 caused the fumble, 33 caused the fumble.

Which that would be Anderson.

Yeah, Anderson calls the fumble.

Colton, Tosh getting in there first try to wrap him up in Anderson causing the fumble once again.

That's the second time today he's forced to fumble.

I think it was Dawson that recovered it.

All those guys have made plays on offense.

Anderson toss Dawson and now they're making plays on defense.

And you know now sudden you start looking at things hazing with the ball up 32 touchdown here and the sportsmanship rule is into effect and we have a running clock for the rest of the game and that's that I gave you earlier that.

Season has won ten of their twelve games by 40 points.

He started looking at this thing, you're up 32 right now.

They scored touchdown and they, you know, two point conversion.

They're up 40 points again.

This hazing team has been absolutely incredible this entire season.

Wonder if we might see a good, strong dose of Braylin Anderson here.

It's going to be touched this time.

Tosh has room, gets around another defender and he has one man to beat at midfield.

Cuts back to the middle, back to the right side again, stays on his feet, zigzag and finally down at the four yard line and I think the tosh just ran out of gas.

Touch with 38 and 46, that's 84 yards on that play.

I tell you what, he had some blockers.

He had to come.

Boy and I I think you're right.

I think you got it.

You just got worn out.

That's a long way to run in a long time to be running.

And he gets to about midfield and I thought he's got it.

He's got a blocker and head of him.

This guy's going to cut back and keep that defender and that's a great cut back there.

Not sure why he turned it back the other way.

If it had kept going across the field, I think he had it.

But he may have just, he may not have enough legs.

He said I can't running further.

I just got to make this as simple as possible that that will wear you down in the preseason drill, those zigzag drills.

So where are you down?

You're running straight ahead.

You don't use as much energy.

You had to use the energy to make those cuts.

Great, rod.

Congrats to call a timeout then.

So many times this happens.

You see this in college football, NFL, high school.

You have a long run like that.

Did I do my math right?

Then how long was that?

Yeah, 84 yards.

That's what they gave him.

That's a long way for those living.

That's a long way for everybody else.

You gotta get down the field and and once the balls down, the referee gets down there, they start the play clock well, everybody else.

And then you have people celebrating their high five and here we go.

Well, by the time you get down there, then you turn around, look at the coach, you get the play, you break the huddle or you, everybody gets in the spot.

You look up the play plots of two.

You're like, wait, that's one of those cases where those, I think those officials need to give them a little extra spot, 4-5 seconds to get all the way down the field.

Well, you know too and even even at that I I mentioned might get a healthy dose of Bradley Anderson, we may just get a healthy dose of of Colt, Tosh running the ball and we saw it there with that 80 plus yard carry right then he was in the backfield ready to go again.

I think the timeout everything you mentioned, that also gives tosh a chance to get his win too because they may want to, they may want to put the ball in his hands as they try to bring it in.

Well you notice I noticed Tosh and King were talking about when they were lining up like Tosh was important to King on King.

Was an under center or not behind the center like he was behind the guard he was pointing and they were shifting each other.

No key was like no, you come over here so there was some confusion there and then the play clock and it was just it was a smart by Coach Messenger just to take the time out.

Let's get this all situated.

King in the backfield and the direct snap is to Tosh.

Cuts back to the left, stays on his feet, he'll lean forward.

And be down inside the one.

And you know, looking at that too, I thought that King's a little bit too far to the right there.

He wasn't the intended person to get it.

Direct snap to Tosh again, leaps up and over.

He's in for the score.

Lost the ball momentarily, but he was in for the score before that happens.

Hazen 44 points on the board and touched with his second touchdown carry of the day.

You see the coaches over on the sideline for hazing.

They're winding their arms.

Wind that clock, run that clock.

Coaches know when that sportsmanship rule goes to effect.

Nobody's coming back from that.

It's this game is over, and now we can run that clock and we can start celebrating A state championship here in here in the next probably 30 minutes season will have something to add to their trophy case that they've never had before.

Keying in to try to make it that 40 point differential.

And.

It's by himself 4 receivers to the right.

Throwing back to the left and a little bit too deep is wow.

Be careful over there, guys.

Yeah, slick up that ramp.

Phoenix Urban was about to depart War Memorial.

Back into play now.

It's still a 38 point advantage though.

And so the bison with the steep mountain to climb.

You need to go.

One yard touchdown run by Colton, Tosh and Tosh with five carries today for 106 yards, 2 touchdowns.

But of that 106, eighty four came in one carry and all sudden you got Anderson with three touchdowns.

Tosh has a couple of touchdowns.

He got schlinker with a couple of touchdowns.

Slinker 3 catches, 3 catches, 102 yards, 2 touchdowns.

You're getting to the conversation here soon of who's going to be the MVP.

7 carries, 7 catches.

7 tackles.

Ohh 24 stumbles.

I'm getting stats from the stat guy of how incredible the game he's got.

So yeah, we're gonna get all those for you here in a few minutes, but it is been an impressive gain at performance by three or four of these Hornets.

Well, you look at what Carlisle has done, too.

I mean, the bison have put up 348 yards of total offense today.

It's it's not been that the bison have not been effective on offense, it's the turnovers.

4 turnovers have resulted in 24 points.

On the board for the Hornets.

Hayes goes really nowhere.

There may make it out to the 15 or 16.

We'll see where they spot it, possibly the 16th spending.

Every year we do these previews, so on TV or radio or whatever, for the state championship games, we interviewed the coaches before the game during the week and we asked him about what, you know, some of the keys.

Every year, every coach says turnovers.

You cannot win a state championship game by turning over the ball.

It's just, it's not going.

It's very rare.

Heck, it's just rare in a regular game if you lose the turnover.

Battle.

You're going to lose the game more times than not.

But then when you amplify it in such a big key situation like a state championship game where the momentum swings are magnified, where a turnover just seems like the end of the world.

In the game like this it's hard to overcome.

And that you've seen that with Carlisle today, they haven't been able to overcome it.

No they have not and they they are running out of time.

And this 1/2 plus to go here in the third quarter and the trail by 38 two receivers.

Up to the right and one to the left, man in motion.

That's Cooney and.

Jones is gonna throw.

Catches made first down and more ball is knocked out, but it was after the receiver was out of bounds.

What's that?

Clock is running.

Even though he ran out of bounds there, picked up the first down, they moved the change, but that doesn't matter now.

And the clock will just continue to run.

It will stop at the end of the quarter and then when we come back after that first played up, that clock will run.

And it won't be long before we're out of here and this game is over because it is 30.

Eight points.

What an impressive run for Hazen after.

I mean, it was a you think about it, they went back and forth, you know, one each team scored one.

One was in one play one place, and it was a neck and neck game.

Six to six, and now it's 44 to 6, so 38 straight points by easy.

Quick hitch out by haze by the way, one, one thing that we really haven't talked about too much in in this one is the turnaround that Carlyles had this season.

A huge turnaround going from one win last year to 11 and one coming into this game.

I mean it, it's obviously the biggest one in the state to probably one of the biggest ones in the country.

Yeah, one in 10 last season and 11:00 and 1:00 this year could have finished eleven and two, but the two losses were to the best team in the state.

You know, I mean that's the unfortunate.

Think about it.

Any other year, probably, Carlyle is the best team in the state and wins the state championship.

It just so happens to be that, you know, the team that's beat him twice is the team that's going to win it on.

It's the team right down the, you know, the street from you.

And that makes it a little harder pill to swallow for car Carlisle.

But this is a very, very good Hazen team.

I know I've just been preaching about it all day long that they've got ten wins over 40 points.

That's incredible to me.

The closest game they played all year was against Carlisle and it was 38 to 30 and.

At 10.

But every other game this year has been just about 40 points or more.

They played the a close one with McCrory early in the season.

Besides that, everything's been a blowout.

Here's some stats for you.

Braylon Anderson 6 carries, 134 yards, 3 touchdowns.

That's an average of 22 yards per carry.

On defense, Braylon Anderson has seven tackles.

Six of those were solo, 2 tackles for loss, and he's forced to fumble.

So a heck of a game from Braylon Anderson.

I guess that's gonna be my vote.

You can put it down for MVP right there.

And he was a guy, you know, when we started this out.

What time was that?

2 hours and 12 minutes ago we started this show out this game out by talking about our key players to watch.

Bryan Anderson was one of those and then he's got 27.

Already had 27 touchdowns on the year coming into this game and he's only added to that by three today.

Now he has 30 touchdowns on the year.

He's the guy to me.

I know Luke King is a heck of a player and that's the quarterback and he's playing defense too, and linebacker.

But Bryan Anderson, he's the fastest guy on this field and he has shown it several times.

Third quarters now in the books, it's a 38 point advantage talking about these Hornets.

We'll talk about them more fourth quarter on the way you're watching the Centennial Bank State Football championships on Arkansas PBS Sports.

Thanks, George.

Appreciate it.

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It doesn't look like this right now, with teasing up 38 points for the one point.

Carlyle was in it and it tied the score.

A 46 yard touchdown pass from Jones to Hayes there.

And Carlisle had locked this up at 6 apiece after that though, all Hayes and all the time 25 yard touchdown pass to Schlenker there.

Just.

Inside the pylon gets the score and then a 9 yard rush from Braylon Anderson.

We've been talking about him all afternoon long on both sides of the ball and then just when you think Carla is getting things going on the offense tip drill 4 purple jerseys in the area.

Dawson is there with the catch returns at 41 yards nearly for the score and the Hazel was able to punch it in after that as tosh with a four yard run and an 84 yard run.

After that another touchdown score.

And that's how we got to this point fourth quarter.

Getting underway here as Carlisle trying to look respectful here in the in the 4th and a flag.

We haven't seen that too often.

Today we'll stop playing very well played game clean and not a whole lot of laundry on the turf it has been.

Pretty crisp.

Well, lots of folks to be excited and specifically on one side over the other, but we'll look down to Tyler and and talk to a couple of fans here who probably excited right now.

Yeah, guys, this one, of course, with it being a Friday kickoff at noon, there was maybe some worry that people wouldn't make the trip.

Absolutely no worries.

On the hazen side of things.

They didn't just shut down the high school, they shut down the entire school district so everyone could make the trip from all levels.

And now they are feeling it.

They're ready to see Hayes and take home the first state title in school history.

And yeah, would that running clock, we're probably about 11 minutes away from that happening and you know, these guys and everyone in the stadium are just going to erupt.

When that clock hits triple zeros.

Thank you.

Tyler has.

Carlisle still trying to make something happen here.

I wanna go back to Carlisle for just a moment West and and and consider something here too.

There are 10 seniors on this Carlisle team and there were three that graduated last year from from last year's one win team.

You mentioned one in 1010 seniors on this team.

So many players have come back and that was something that that coach shock said that we talked about things in January and said look there are a lot of us coming back we we're the ones who are going to be here we have to make some adjustments and they did.

Just that they they made many adjustments.

They worked on discipline in so many areas.

We have to look to ourselves to fix things up and and they did, he said.

Even down to the way you clean the locker room, it's the little things that make the changes.

And that's what takes you from one win team into a state championship game.

Yeah, to me it's the excuses stop here.

You know the excuse isn't well, we only had three seniors.

The excuse isn't what we were young.

The excuse is you weren't good enough and it starts with you.

When you're coming back, do something about it.

You can't just expect to be better next year because you're returning a bunch of players and we see it heck, all the time in college.

Just because you're returning a bunch of players doesn't mean you're going to be better.

You may be returning a bunch of bad players, you know?

I mean, we've seen that before, and I think that's what Coach was trying to say.

Let's don't make excuses about last year.

Let's do something about it.

You know what Carlisle did?

They're here.

Unfortunately, it's one game short.

It'll be bison 4th down, we come back, you're watching Centennial.

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4th down now for the bison.

Trying to keep the ball in their possession here in the fourth quarter, trailing big time here in the state championship game, and Jones will keep it and not get anywhere near enough.

It's going to be turned over on downs, as the bison have just had a rough day.

Well, it's unfortunate, but I was checking there on that series.

I never saw Jason Sullivan in the game.

Remember the possession before?

He took a shot to the knee and I was trying to gingerly walk it off and he was kind of used as a decoy on the plate where they fumbled.

And I didn't see him in on that series.

I hope everything's OK, but I mean, he's your bell cow and when you don't have him out there, it just shows you how much he means to the team.

I mean, he ran for 2700 yards.

It was over almost 210 a game, 44 touchdowns.

You know, he only had one.

Humble all year and he fumbled earlier in this game.

That's incredible to me and I meant to talk about that.

For a guy who touched the ball that many times this season to only have one fumble, that just shows you the the quality of coaching and then what they tried to do and what they instilled on this team to take care of the football.

And they had.

Carlisle this year was a + 16 in the turnover battle they had created 24 turnovers and only turned it over 8 times all year and they got.

How many today?

3/4 right, four turnovers.

Now they've got half as many turnovers today than they had coming into this game.

Yeah, and it's and it has proved to be.

The difference in this one so far is incomplete.

Pass on 1st down, 3 receivers to the left of King and he's going to look and find Tosh.

Reception made, first down gained, and he's covered up by 6:00 or 7 white jerseys there.

And for tosh.

He's been.

Running the ball and this time he picks up a reception numbers on Sullivan to this point in this game, 27 carries, 157 yards, no touchdowns and and going back to something we talked about with Sullivan and touchdowns, I'm really glad for him that he had the record coming in.

You would have thought surely he's going to pick up 123 touchdowns in this game.

He hasn't had one yet and and if we've seen him for the last time today he will depart with the record in touchdowns.

For the season, good thing they went back and checked and made sure that everything was absolutely correct.

Yes.

Yeah.

Little surprised to see Hayden throw it on three straight downs here with the the running clock, you're up 38.

I thought they may hand it off a couple of times, let Anderson carried a couple times and and get out of here.

Not that I'm trying to suggest that they're running things up because they can hand it off to Anderson and he can take it for a score.

Hey, I just see it can't be, I guess a little off guard.

They've thrown it three straight plays.

Instead of handing it off, Anderson doesn't go anywhere on that one third and about 6 on the way.

The clock continues to run here as Hazen.

Looking to pick up its first state championship in football.

I think I may have found me a new drink you had during halftime.

I could ask you about that.

Yeah, I was.

I was, I love little ice cream during halftime.

And I was going to make me an ice cream float.

And they didn't have any doctor Pepper.

And they had some root beer.

And I was like, man, I really need some caffeine.

You know, this is going to be a long day.

I mean, this is just the first of two games for us here at War Memorial Stadium.

And they're like, well, try some Mountain Dew with them, like Mountain Dew and ice cream now.

I don't think so.

And when the guy said, no, it's really good.

Have you ever tried it?

And I said, no, I, I've.

I've never tried it.

Let me try it.

You know, I'm not gonna turn my nose up to something I've never tried.

You know, if you say it's good, I'll give it a try.

So I did, and made me a Mountain Dew ice cream float.

It was good.

I'll tell you what it was.

It was really good.

That won't be the last Mountain Dew ice cream float I'll have this weekend.

Nothing like a little sugar and a little caffeine in that Mountain Dew to get you all jacked up for the second-half, you know?

While Anderson's down, he he may.

They've got him over to the sideline now.

Looked like it may have been a cramp there.

They're going to work on him.

But yeah, he he may need, he may need one of those.

Getting a good long shot up one of those.

Anderson is gonna take his seat, favoring the left leg.

He's had a fantastic afternoon.

He's gonna walk gingerly backwards over to the bench now, and so they're going to tend to him.

Fortunately for the Hornets right now, they they don't need his services right now that badly up 38 points as the clock continues to run here.

No, this is a chance to get everybody in the game and have a little fun.

Celebrate King's Pass was incomplete, trying to connect with his receiver on the far side of the field in excuse me and Rodriguez.

Let's see, they're getting some players into the game, giving them an opportunity.

That's why.

Look I'm not opposed to throwing it around a little bit.

We that's a memory.

You know?

If he makes that catch, that's something he can talk about forever.

And he wants to have a catch, a chance to score a touchdown, to get in the stat book.

So these these some of these guys who've practiced a lot all year and haven't gotten to play as much or hadn't had their name called or number called.

This is their chance.

Let them have some fun too.

King scrambling throws and it looked like the ball.

They have been tipped.

It falls incomplete and.

Little ways to go before Paul gets to the end zone again, third down.

Upcoming.

Looking at defense still has an opportunity to stop him, too, you know?

And right there, Carlisle, with that ball fluttering in the air.

That defender saw that, I mean.

He's he's 2 yards, 3 yards away from catching that, picking it off and taking it back the other way, too.

So you just keep playing.

He could still sense it.

There was an opportunity there.

So King with three receivers to his to the wide side of the field.

And in the shotgun.

Could be an offside they're not going to throw the flag King is gonna be wrapped up in the backfield dropped.

For a sack.

Deb not sure why they didn't die Flag really surprised by that.

I thought they would whistle it dead.

I mean unless he was lined up so far off the ball that when he jumped he didn't make it to the neutral zone.

You know I'm saying this you you see that from time to time.

But I thought for sure he was offsides and I was looking for the flag and couldn't find it.

And sure enough they never threw it.

4th and long here.

Gotta get down to the 8 yard line to pick up the first down.

The king.

He's gonna keep it going nowhere.

He was tackled from behind the defense, got around and came back in.

And he was able to go forward a little bit, but not far enough in on the tackle as a Luke Petris as well as Ben Smith.

Clocks going to stop as the.

The teams change offensive and defensive possession here.

Download your photos from the game.

To remember this championship season, go to myarpbs.org/photos.

We got our MVP totals.

Braylon Anderson is your MVP.

This is we kind of guessed and there's a pick for Hazen and interception now.

Cam Johnson coming away with the pick and it was in and out of the hands of the intended receiver.

Johnson able to come away with it there on 1st down and Jones throws the pick there.

It was just unfortunate and and for the bison too.

I mean, Cooney.

I think it injured a little bit on the play, had it in and out of his hands and just fell in the hands of Cam Johnson.

Just took it away from him back to Bryan Anderson.

He is your two way MVP, 7 carries, 134 yards, 3 touchdowns on the afternoon.

That's an average of 19 yards per carry.

He also had one catch for 12 yards of total offense for Braylon Anderson.

146 yards a day on Defense, 7 tackles.

Six of those tackles were so low.

2 tackles for loss and he forced.

Two fumbles.

So Braylon Anderson getting it done on offense and on defense, he is your 2A Championship MVP.

There just really isn't much that he did not do today.

King's hand off inside Rodriguez on the carry that time for the Hornets and he'll pick up 3.

Clock continues to tick 3 minutes 40 seconds for.

Hazy.

The Gatorade watch will begin.

Nobody over there yet, just letting y'all know I'll I'll keep an eye on the Gatorade.

They are starting to hug a little bit over there on the sideline, but nobody is at the bucket yet.

Rodriguez, on the other side of King, now moves from left to right.

He'll set up as a blocker.

King, looking to his left, picked off.

And taken to the the 40 yard line and Preston Parker, who has been admirable on defense all day long, finally comes away with a pick.

Tyler, there's a lot going on down there.

Interception just now.

The sidelines are still buzzing here for Hazen.

The Hornets are just a few minutes away from winning their first ever state championship in school history.

It could be a big day for Hornets inside War Memorial, of course.

Coming up tonight at 6:30, it'll be the Bryant Hornets going for their fifth straight state championship.

They're taking on Bentonville, that course right back here on Arkansas PBS so we could see two Hornets take home state titles today.

Well, we're we're looking at one that's going to come away with 1A.

Big win on the way for Hazen, but one more opportunity for this Bison offense.

And.

Sullivan is back in the game.

He picks up well nothing actually.

May may have lost half a yard in the process.

That's great to see him back in there and you wanna send him out the right way.

I know the the scoreboard's not the right way but I hate to see him sitting on the bench and and watching this this game finishes up.

I want to I want to see him run the ball and ideally have a big have big play before he gets out of here.

Well, balls on the turf and I don't know that he's gonna get that opportunity.

Ivan Rodriguez on the fumble recovery and it is likely this will wrap things up for the Hazen Hornets who are looking to.

Take back to Hazen.

The big trophy.

The state championship.

Honestly, that just that kind of sums it up right there.

Just say just did not click for Carlisle today.

There was just something it just sometimes just not your day.

And today wasn't their day, but some uncharacteristic things.

Carlyle hasn't turned the ball over all season.

They had eight turnovers coming into this game, 8 turnovers and 12 games.

That's like one every what four games, one every two, three games.

And today for them to have this is their 5th turnover of the game and it was just on a simple handoff.

And just.

Just one of those things that you can't predict.

You never know when it's going to happen.

But today a team that doesn't turn it over turned it over.

You know and you look back to the very first turnover the game that was a hazen turnover.

Yeah.

Got the opening kickoff, took it down the field, turned it over inside the red zone and you think wow, this is this is an opportunity for Carlisle here and Carlisle moving ball down the field but couldn't make anything happen.

And right after that once Hazen got the ball back one play, bam.

And the Hornets were on the board and.

Really haven't left much since that point.

Somebody needs to talk to these guys over here on the hazing side.

Here we go now they're getting to the Gator.

It's about saying we're getting too close.

Y'all need to get over there, get the Gatorade ready.

We're taking knees out there in the middle of the field and our camera crews ready.

We got two players over there getting the Gatorade.

They're going to create a diversion with Coach Besancon and they they had to find the, the Gatorade container that had the most in it.

That's what they're looking for.

They were they were very degrees of Gatorade in there clock.

And a minute now and continues to tick here and the Hornet faithful.

Are celebrating now, and rightfully so.

Here they come, they they got it.

Now someone's gotta distract coach so they doesn't turn around and look, Colin Lee's got it.

And Shelton kitchens.

You see the team kind of walling up over here.

King takes a knee.

That'll be the.

Last time he has to do that.

Here they come.

They're sneaking up on it.

These guys back turned.

Gotti.

Clock is still ticking here, it's not to zeros yet, it doesn't matter.

Celebration has begun.

And lots of folks in purple and white celebrating here a state championship, the first football state championship for the Hazen Hornets.

You know, they go out in the way that they played all year long.

44 to 6 is the final here from War Memorial Stadium.

We're going to take a break and we'll come back.

We'll talk about these trophies and talk with the winning coach, the MVP.

In just a moment, you're watching Centennial Bank State Football championships on Arkansas PBS sports.

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The Hornets Class 2A state champions in 2022.

Coach Bosanka in there celebrating with his team.

He's a little bit wetter than he was maybe about 15 minutes ago.

Got the Gatorade bath there, a little cool outside.

I'm sure he'll want to drive eventually, but right now he's just going to soak it in and just enjoy the victory today.

Now it's a huge day for Hayes and it was a huge year.

This is a team that went undefeated in two way, dominating most of their opponents.

They played McCrory close, they played Carlisle close in their first meeting, but besides that they were blowing teams out and today it got out of hand in the second-half and they end up winning by 38 points.

And Hazens first title in school history is one that they will never forget.

They're going to be talking about this one for a long, long time.

Oh there's no doubt.

And Luke King and.

And Jason Anderson, the whole the whole gang they all performed today and performed quite well to a state champions there in a 38 point victory is just as you mentioned.

It's indicative not only of the the season but the they're run through the playoffs all four games.

Braylon Anderson finishes with 134 yards rushing, Colton Toss also over the 100 yard mark he finished with 106 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

And Justin Schlinker how about that?

3 catches, 102 yards.

He had some big plays and.

If you see it adding up there in the passing yardage for Hayes, and they had 208 yards passing and Schlinker had almost half of them, look at the total yardage though.

I mean it's what's on the scoreboard is what counts though, but the teams played fairly evenly.

It's the turnover that that is the difference in this game.

Carlisle getting more first downs, close in in total yardage at time, possession all Carlisle it seems.

But the Hornets didn't need any time at all really to to score.

They scored when they got them.

The first play 3 * 1 play drives for how long?

5 seconds?

10 seconds?

Yeah, not very long, so they probably had three.

Possessions under 30 seconds.

If you think about it, 31 play drives.

And so that's a very misleading stat and what we need is the turnover stat.

And that was the glaring difference in this game.

Carlisle turning the ball over and Hazen had the late interception for their second turnover of the game.

But I think it was, it ended up six to two.

I believe that it was six to two for the day.

Total number of turn?

Yep, six to two.

So, and you think about this, Hazen had the first turnover of the game.

And then Carlisle turns it over, what, six straight times before that interception to even things out?

That that or not even it out, but to close things out.

The state runner up trophy being presented.

Carlisle, bison.

They do have a few of those.

I'll add one more.

To the trophy case, but a fantastic year.

I don't think enough can be said about a A1 win team turning around, but a team that's 13 and O had something to say today here at War Memorial.

Their state champions.

And those, those are numbers that are going to be hard.

I mean you know this, you you mentioned this is going to be a team that's talked about for years to come.

But but what team follows this?

Even if there is a state championship team in the future, it's going to be tough to meet the to match the numbers that this team has put up.

Well, I still think it's incredible when you think 20 players on the team.

They had 20 kids on the team for most of the season.

They brought up some of the freshmen that added to the numbers, but they played the season with twenty players.

Last year they had 14 kids.

We called them the Fantastic Four.

You know, hasn't had a good, very good team last year, and a lot of these kids were juniors and they only have 14 players at the end of the season and making a playoff run.

Well, most of those guys are back and this year getting it done with 20 and to do what they did and they just talked.

It really shows you the commitment to the weight room, to being in shape because they're going both ways.

I mean, so many times that we're calling these offensive lineman or defense as the defensive lineman or linebackers are there.

Anderson's a great example running the ball.

Then turning around and playing linebacker, causing fumbles and King the quarterback, playing linebacker also, they were in fantastic shape.

They were prepared to make a run like this with a small team and it all pays off with a title on a Friday afternoon in Little Rock.

Bryan Anderson, you saw his numbers right there.

Two forced fumbles to go with all of those offensive numbers and of course the haze and Hornets state champions posing out at midfield for the picture.

We'll get a chance to to visit with a couple of folks.

Down there on the field here in just a moment, but lots more games on the way here from War Memorial.

And we know there's even one more tonight.

But celebration beginning now on the hazing side, the sideline, the fans getting involved as well.

They're stoked.

Look at coaching the second he's the one leading the way with the the trophy and holding it up and.

Team following him around.

That is a yeah, it's it's it's great phrasing.

You know, he's enjoying the moment too.

It's it's tough for these coaches, they they can't get too far ahead of themselves even going to A state championship game.

Even if you feel like your team is on a roll and has a good chance to do something, you've got to keep to keep everyone focused on one more game.

That's a great point because they were the team to beat and you know, we said it earlier, they were pretty much number one in the two way rankings all of the year for for the vast majority of the season.

So every time they played someone there was a bullseye.

They were the team to beat because they were number one and to keep focus, to stay together and to accomplish your goal.

That says a lot about Coach Masakin and that team right there.

Another one thing for Hazen too, and we talked about this.

Of course he gets the win over the rival, but no more is are the hazing Hornets going to be looked at as offer in the championship game?

And we're going to get a chance to to visit with coach Besancon here in just a moment.

So we will.

We'll throw it down to Tyler.

Right now, Tyler, talk with the winning coach, please.

Yeah Coach, we just saw you grabbed the trophy and run over to the stands beyond just you and the players.

What does this mean to Hazen?

Ohh, it's awesome.

You know, they've waited, you know, since the history in school.

Something has to happen.

No, we've had some individual state champions been over a team accomplishment.

It's just awesome.

You know, they're going to celebrate this for a long time.

You can stand here, you hear the whole crowd, the whole town cheering.

I mean, just take me through those emotions.

That clock hit zeros and you got that Gatorade.

You know, it's like, it's like the word.

It just comes off.

Shoulders, you know, the stress levels, like really high.

And then once it's over with this buying and, you know, it's just awesome, like, so excited for these kids.

Excited for this town.

You know, like I said, they've waited a long time for something like this happened for it to do it with this team, this senior class.

I mean, just one of these players meant to you.

Ohhh mean a lot, man.

They worked their tails off.

They understand what's expected out of them.

They're leaders, you know, on the field, in the weight room, in the classroom.

They do everything that we ask them to do.

Thanks so much, coach.

Congratulations.

Coach for Sanken and the Hazen Hornets, now 13 and O on the year and of course state champions are lot of hardware out there on the field as well.

Those folks are carrying around some trophies and individual honors as too there's another game coming up Wes, a little bit later on today.

Well, one Hornet has taken home a trophy while the other Hornets take home a trophy.

The Bryant Hornets will host the Bentonville Tigers, the 7A state title game.

Bryant looking for a fifth straight state championship.

That has never been done in Arkansas in the playoff era of high school football to win five straight years, and Ryan has been dominant in the process of doing it.

I'll tell you what this Bentonville team is.

They have a big offensive line and a good defense.

It's going to be fun tonight should be a fun one again, TuneIn for that one.

In the meantime, Hazen state champions for the first time in school history, a fantastic afternoon.

The Hornets have have looked good here.

Congratulations again to the bison on a.

Fantastic season.

They finish at 11 and two.

Great turn around.

They make it to the state championship game.

But it was hazen today, the victors and they do it in big time fashion.

44 to 6.

The final score.

Again, we talked about the the state championship game coming up tonight, but this one's in the books.

Hazen, 44, Carlisle, 6 for Tyler Cass and Westmoore, I'm Joey McWilliams.

Thanks for watching.

You've been watching the Centennial Bank State Football championships on Arkansas PBS Sports.

Good afternoon.

God bless you.