Young’s five TDs spark Colts in road win

By DAVID PIERCE

Sports Connection Team

FORREST CITY – Forrest City High School honored its Class of 2024 Hall of Fame class at halftime of Friday’s football game. But the visiting Jayden Young had a Hall of Fame performance of his own.

The Colts Siquori Bonner returns the opening kickoff to the 33-yard line. The junior and his teammates held on to defeat Forrest City in the first meeting between the two schools.

Similar to Rivercrest teammates Cavonta Washington and Buddah Harris, who accounted for seven and four touchdowns respectively, the week before, Young put on a show with five scores in a 48-34 win over the host Mustangs.

“(Young) is an athlete no doubt. He proved that,” said first-year Forrest City head coach Reggie Swinton, a talented player himself who established himself during a collegiate and National Football career. “We made him look really good. When you give players like him opportunities like we did, they’re gonna shine.”

Young, a junior, had three rushing touchdowns, one scoring reception, plus an 81-yard pick six in the second quarter. He was seemingly everywhere all at once also recovering two fumbles. And during a kickoff had to rush on the field to ensure the Colts (3-0) had 11 players. Young then chased down the return man and made the tackle.

Jamari Jefferson wraps up Forrest City ball carrier Kevin Young late in Friday’s game.

“Oh yeah, (Jayden) is good, really good. 11’s good, 1’s good, 22’s good …” said Rivercrest head coach Johnny Fleming rambling off player numbers consecutively. “You can name any of a number of players right there. We’re fortunate to have some really good skill players.

“Our line played lights out tonight,” added Fleming of the crew in the trenches.

Certainly justified, too, as Rivercrest totaled 359 rushing yards and 134 passing yards in the game. Washington accounted for 145 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries, while Young finished with 119.

Joe Louis Ralph’s outstretched hands are enough to bat away a Dakwon Scott pass during Friday’s 48-34 win over Forrest City.

“We were able to do both tonight,” said Fleming, “and when you can run and pass effectively, that’s a confidence builder.”

Despite the final score, the Colts only held a 14-0 lead at the break thanks to a 21-yard Young pass reception for a score and his previously mentioned interception return.

The Colts did turn it over deep in their own territory on their second possession but the Mustangs (0-3) couldn’t capitalize going three-and-out after the turnover. The host team mustered just 66 first half yards, was whistled for eight penalties for nearly as many yards as they totaled and turned the ball over twice.

“I don’t think our defense could have played much better in the first half,” explained Fleming, “but the second half.”

Certainly a different story there as Forrest City reached the end zone five times and closed the deficit to 14 on two occasions. They amassed 350 yards of offense in the final 24 minutes of play.

“I told the guys at halftime, (Forrest City) put up 28 points in the second half against Wynne, 20 or so against Southside,” explained Fleming. “I told ‘em ‘They’re not gonna lay down’.

“Number 5 ran through us a couple of times,” added Fleming of Forrest City’s Kevin Young who not only shares Jayden Young’s last name but jersey number as well, “and they hit us over the top a couple of times. I mean do doubt they can score in bunches.”

Fortunately for Rivercrest, the squad matched the Mustangs score-for-score.

Washington capped the Colts first second half drive with a 10-yard touchdown run and Hunter Ellis kicked the third of his six extra points to up the visitor’s lead to 21-0.

A 48-yard pass from Dakwon Stewart to Jacori Buchanan set FCHS up at the 1-yard line where Kevin Young scored the first of his three touchdowns. The junior running back reversed his field after the hole was plugged and waltzed into the end zone.

Two Mustang penalties, one of 12 in the game for the host team, set the Colts up at the Forrest City 30-yard line. With Washington exiting the game with leg cramps, Jayden Young was inserted at quarterback and promptly rushed around the left side for the touchdown. The point-after upped the Colt lead to 22 points at 28-6 with 4:46 left in the third quarter.

Again, a long pass placed Forrest City in scoring position. The Mustangs Scott passed to Kevin Young who then launched the ball 45 yards to Jamontay Flenoy at the 1-yard line. Scott rushed the ball in on the next play. The two-point conversion failed but Forrest City trailed only 28-12 with less than three minutes left in the period.

The Mustangs attempted an onside kick but Noah Adams recovered.

With Washington lining up in the slot, Jayden Young took the snap, broke contain and darted 49 yards to the end zone. An Ellis extra point pushed the lead to 22 points a little more than a minute later.

The teams traded turnovers before combining for 21 points in the next 28 seconds.

Kevin Young redeemed himself for an earlier fumble with a 69-yard touchdown run with 6:45 left in the game and the two-point conversion pulled the Mustangs within 14 points.

Again, Forrest City lined up for the onside kick but Rivercrest’s K.J. Lipsey fielded the ball on a bounce, split two defenders and raced to the end zone.

“Yeah, that’s twice this season,” Fleming said of the onside kick return for score. That’s consecutive weeks the Colts have accomplished that. “Maybe teams will stop doing that.”

The score widened the gap to 21 at 41-20.

Patterson then found Kevin Young on a swing pass and the junior went 64 yards for a touchdown at the 6:17 mark of the fourth quarter.

“Scoring is not an issue,” commented Swinton who then voiced his displeasure with the team’s defensive play. “We definitely have to find a way to stop somebody on defense. Right now, we’re not a good defensive team, especially on third and fourth down. We have to fix that.”

The Colts were able to convert three fourth downs, plus dug themselves out of three third-and-long situations.

“The whole game back,” answered Swinton when asked if he wished his team could’ve had the first half back. “This is our first home game and we came out flat. Very disappointed in our performance.

“We have to stop people. I’m very upset we didn’t play better than we did,” he added.

Rivercrest added its last score on a 14-yard Jayden Young run with 1:27 left in the game.

Patterson connected with Buchanan for a 27-yard touchdown before Patterson capped the scoring on a two-point run.

The Colts finished their non-conference schedule undefeated, the first time since 2020 to do that.

“We play up in these games,” said Fleming, “so we’re going to see a lot tougher competition. It’s definitely a confidence builder to not lose any but the most important games start now.”

Rivercrest closes September Friday at Harrisburg before an October slate that features road games at Newport and Osceola and home contests against Hoxie and Walnut Ridge.