Chickasaws lose nailbiter to Pats

The Blytheville Chickasaws (1-2) were just inches away from having a chance to start the 2018 season off 2-1 heading into conference games but an onside kick was recovered by the Marion Patriots (3-0) with 30 seconds remaining, Friday night.

Chickasaw head coach Ben Fisher used his two remaining timeouts but the Patriots took a knee for the third time to run the clock out and defeat the Chicks, 37-35. The Patriots scored first with a field goal with 10:04 remaining in the first quarter.

The Chicks were forced to punt on their drive but on the second play of Marion’s drive, a pass was tipped by a Patriots receiver, and Chickasaws junior defender Brian Denkins caught it and took it for a 50-plus yard pick-6. Denkins’ PAT was good to give the Chicks a four-point lead, 7-3.

Blytheville’s Amani McChristian has a nice return against Marion Friday night at Haley Field.

Four plays into the second quarter Marion scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Daedrick Cail to senior receiver Malik Talbert. The PAT was good giving the Pats a 10-7 lead.

The Chicks were driving on their next possession but the Patriots intercepted senior quarterback Jaheim Carter’s pass and took it 60 yards for a touchdown. The PAT was good, giving the Pats a 16-7 lead.

Carter left the game for reasons unknown after the interception but came back after the half. Denkins took over at quarterback. The Patriots lead 16-7 at the half. Fisher pulled his players to the side before heading to the locker room, telling them not to give up and pointing out they are still in the game.

The Chicks had 35 yards of total offense in the first half.

“I hate the way we finished the first half,” Fisher said. “We throw the pick-6, which I hate that but I hate the way we responded. We laid down and just gave the rest of the half to them.”

Three plays coming out of half Cail hooked up with senior receiver Joyrion Chase for a 48-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was good and the Pats led 23-7.

However, on the kickoff senior return man Corey Weatherspoon returned the ball 87 yards for a touchdown with 10:54 left in the third quarter. Denkins’ PAT was good and the Chicks trailed 23-14.

With 4:34 remaining in the third quarter, Carter found Denkins, who took care of the rest as he walked into the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown. Denkins’ PAT was good nd the Chicks trailed MHS by two.

Cail would draw up a play for himself with 1:14 remaining as he ran the ball in from the one-yard line to give the Pats a 29-21 lead. The PAT was good to boost the Patriots’ lead to nine.

Chicks return man Jalen Gunby started the drive with a 57-yard return for the Chicks and Denkins needed just four-plays before throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to Gunby to end the third. The PAT was good and the Chicks trailed 30-28 heading into the final quarter.

With 9:10 remaining in the final quarter, Chickasaws senior lineman Deginald McNeal intercepted Cail’s pass. The Chicks, however, were unable to score and were forced to punt. With 2:04 remaining, a 48-yard handoff to Marion’s Anthony Switzer looked to be the final nail in the coffin against the Chicks as they led 37-28. With 30 seconds remaining Carter completed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Weatherspoon to bring the scoring to an end. Carter finished the game 9-for 20 for 100 yards passing with two touchdowns and an interception. Denkins finished 4-for-6 for 23 yards passing with a touchdown.

The Chicks finished with 42 total rushing yards.

“I did think coming out after halftime we got our focus back. We gave up a touchdown but we stayed in there and fought," Fisher explained. "We had a kickoff return, actually two big ones and, you know, second week in a row we could have laid down and quit but we didn’t. We have to figure out a way to keep our focus better. I think we ran 88 plays and we let one play define our whole game in the first half. We can’t do that. We shouldn’t let one play define our whole game there in the first half. I know it was a pick- 6 but we have to figure out a way to come out and keep playing. Until we can do that we are still going to have the same result. But now I will say I am super proud of them, extremely proud of them. They could have given up and quit and that game could’ve been 53-7 but they fought to the very end.”

Fisher also added his defense played lights out — with two or three goal-line stands in the game.

The Chicks play the 5A-East conference foe Wynne (1-2) next Friday night at Haley Field. Fisher explained that he knows they run the flexbone and triple-option. The Yellowjackets lost to West Memphis, 21-0, Friday night. WMHS defeated the Chicks in Week 2, 35-15.