Chicks crowned tri-conference champs

By AARON FITZPATRICK

Blytheville Courier News

BLYTHEVILLE-Before the season began in August, one of Blytheville head coach Ben Fisher's goals for his team was to be in the same conversation with the likes of perennial league leaders, Batesville and Wynne.

Blytheville head coach Ben Fisher walks out on to the field before the Chicks game against Forrest City

"Everybody always talks about Batesville and Wynne when they talk about the 5A-East," he said during an interview previewing the upcoming season. "Well, I want people to start talking about Blytheville with those teams when they're talking about our conference."

Mission accomplished.

With Blytheville's heart pounding, 27-20, win over Forrest City Friday night at Haley Field, the Chicks earned a share of their first conference championship since 2007.

"To me, we don't share it. It's ours," said a jubilant Fisher after the game. "I don't care about points. I don't care about anything like that. I'm just so proud of these guys."

In front of an energetic Senior Night crowd, it was only fitting that a couple of seniors sealed the victory for the Chicks.

With Forrest City driving into Chickasaw territory trying to tie the game with just over a minute left to play, Tyrell King tipped Tarik Jones' pass intended for Leon Smith near the goal line. Timarcus Bohannon (one INT and three sacks) scooped the tipped ball out of the air for the interception deep in Blytheville territory. With Forrest City out of timeouts, Blytheville ran out the final moments of the game.

"We went Cover-Four on that last drive," said Fisher. "They had success throwing it deep and that's what scared me all week. They did what they were supposed to do. They had him covered. I don't think the quarterback thought they'd get over there. They did and they made the play."

The Chicks forced turnovers on the final two Forrest City drives and four for the game. On the previous possession, Sherrod Pope pounced on a Mustang fumble at the Chicks 14 yard line.

"That's our M.O.," said Fisher. "It seems like we're always in the right place at the right time. It's been that way for the past two years now. That's how we keep rolling."

Both defenses appeared to be in the right place at the right time to begin the game. The first three possessions of the ball game ended with interceptions. Corey Chun returned a pick-six to get the Chicks on the board first, 7-0, with 10:23 left in the first.

On the ensuing Mustang possession, it was Malik Smith's turn to get in on the action. Smith picked off Jones' pass giving the Chicks the ball at midfield.

Forrest City stopped the Chicks momentum as Quazik Vance picked off Desmond Moore's pass on the ensuing possession handing the ball back over the Mustangs at the Forrest City 30 yard line. That set up the Mustangs first touchdown. Three plays later, Kendrial Johnson broke free for a 58 yard touchdown run cutting the Chicks lead to 7-6 after the missed PAT with 3:28 left in the first.

The Chicks scored touchdowns on their next two drives with senior Terry Northern scoring on a nine yard run just before the first quarter ended and Demekko Clark exploded for a 53 yard run to pay dirt to open the second quarter as the Chicks built a commanding 21-6 lead with 11 minutes to play in the half.

Northern saw his first action since the Nettleton game in September and stepped up big for Fisher and the Chicks. First, as a back up to Clark at running back and then at quarterback after Moore suffered a knee injury in the second half. The starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, Northern's roll on the team changed as Moore developed while he was out.

"It was nothing against Terry," said Fisher. "D.J. (Moore) just had the hot hand. We talked Saturday and we talked and he said he was all in. He did a heck of a job. He came in and scored the touchdown giving Demekko a rest and then he came in when D.J. got injured and finished the game for us at quarterback on Senior Night. You couldn't ask for a better ending for him."

Clark added to what has already been a monster break out season for the junior tailback. Clark carried the ball 26 times for 257 yards and one touchdown.

Forrest City bounced back in a big way with two scores before halftime cutting the Chicks lead to one point.

Johnson (23 carries 181 yards rushing 84 yards receiving and two touchdowns) scored on a 12 yard run and converted the two point conversion to make it 21-14 Blytheville with 8:35 left in the half. Then Jones connected with Treunta Hunt for a 10 yard touchdown pass with under three minutes to play in the half. The Chicks defense held not he two point try preserving their lead at 21-20.

Blytheville charged deep into Mustang territory as the half neared the end but a stifling Mustang defense along with some premature fireworks going off kept the Chicks from scoring one more time before halftime.

Smith scored the lone touchdown of the second half for the Chicks. After a couple of long runs from Clark and a 15 yard run from Smith, he punched it in from two yards out giving the Chicks their margin of victory.

Forrest City's best scoring opportunity came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Beginning their drive at their own six yard line, the Mustangs marched down the field thanks to a huge fourth down conversion and had first and goal from just inside the 10 yard line. The Chicks defense, as it had all second half, held firm. On fourth and goal from the 20 yard line, Jone's pass to Trajan Norment in the back of the end zone was broken up by a leaping Jordan Jackson, another senior, handing the ball back over to the Chicks.

"This senior group is really special," said an emotional Fisher. "Just really special."

With the regular season now behind them, the Chicks attention turns to the 5A state playoffs. Even with just one conference loss and a share of the conference championship, the Chicks will start the playoffs on the road against either Hope or Lakeside out of the 5A South. But that's not concerning Fisher.

"You're not going to hear me complain one bit," he said. "This program has gone too long without winning a playoff game. It's time for this program to win a playoff game."

The Chicks enter the 5A state playoffs with an 8-2 record overall and 6-1in the 5A-East. They finish with the three seed behind Wynne and Batesville and ahead of Forrest City.

Chicks crowned tri-conference champs

By AARON FITZPATRICK Blytheville Courier News BLYTHEVILLE-Before the season began in August, one of Blytheville head coach Ben Fisher's goals for his team was to be in the same conversation with the likes of perennial league leaders, Batesville and Wynne...