PARAGOULD — The Blytheville Chickasaws pulled to within one possession early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t quite get over the hump, falling to host Paragould, 27-12, on a chilly Friday night.
The win was Paragould’s first victory of the season, while the Chicks (2-7, 1-5 5A-East) suffered their third straight defeat.
Down 20-6 going into the fourth quarter, Blytheville’s Kadren Hunt punched it in with 10:50 to play to trim the lead to eight. However, the Chicks would get no closer, as the Rams added a late score to put the game out of reach in the closing minutes.
The Chicks got on the board first on a Jalen Gunby touchdown run to go up 6-0 early in the first quarter. The score was set up by a 53-yard run by quarterback Jahiem Carter.
Paragould (1-8, 1-5 5A-East) answered on the ensuing possession with a touchdown on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Trent Teager, who was a workhorse for the Rams on the evening. The PAT was good, giving Paragould a 7-6 lead with 4:57 left in the first quarter.
On the Rams’ next possession, Paragould drove from its own 49 to the Blytheville 5. On fourth-and-goal, the Chicks forced an incompletion to get the ball back deep in their territory midway through the second quarter.
Two plays later, Paragould’s Christian Rodriguez intercepted Carter and scored for the pick-6. The two-point conversion was no good, keeping it 13-6.
After a Blytheville three-and-out, Paragould drove to the Blytheville 10, where the Chicks forced another fourth-and-goal with 11 seconds left in the half.
Again, the Chicks denied a pass attempt to give the offense the ball deep in Blytheville territory with five seconds left in the half. An incompletion kept it a seven-point game at halftime.
The Chicks remained in the ballgame, despite the lopsided time of possession in the Rams’ favor in the first two quarters.
On the second half kickoff, Rodriguez raced to the BHS 17, setting up the Rams in the red zone.
On fourth down, Teager found paydirt from 10 yards out and the PAT made it 20-6 with 9:56 left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing possession, Carter appeared to answer, running it in from 15 yards out on fourth down. But a holding call negated the score, and the Chicks would turn it over on downs on the next play midway through the third quarter.
The Chickasaw defense forced a punt, but on the next possession Blytheville fumbled, giving it back to the Rams.
Blytheville’s defense came up big again, forcing a turnover on downs to give it back to the Chickasaw offense in Paragould territory with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
Carter hit Hunt to convert a key fourth down and on the next play Lloyd Anderson appeared to score. However, a penalty negated the touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Hunt would later score with 10:50 left in the game. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, keeping it 20-12.
After forcing a turnover on downs, Blytheville was in business as the Chicks took over at their own 35 with 7:11 left in the game.
However, Pargould intercepted the ball to end the BHS drive with 5:42 left in the game. The Rams would score the final points of the game on a touchdown to seal it, 27-12, with 2:26 remaining.
Paragould intercepted the ball again with 1:49 left and ran out the clock.
The Chicks will wrap up the season on Friday night, when they host Forrest City on Senior Night.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.