By Mark Rico
Sports Editor
Maumelle – Senior defensive back Keyonte Sykes’ late interception sealed a 21-14 Maumelle win over White Hall as the Hornets played in their first game in nearly a month due to the Covid-19 protocol.
With no timeouts left and a minute and 20 seconds left in the game, White Hall took over at their own 20-yard line and on their second play of the series, Sykes stepped in front of Matthew Martinez’s pass intended for receiver Kameron Robinson and returned the pick to the Bulldogs 22 where the Hornets were able to run out the clock.
Although Maumelle would struggle early on offensively, the Hornets defense picked up the slack by holding White Hall to 167 total yards.
While the Maumelle defense set a huge statement, White Hall was able to stay close due in part to a couple of Hornet miscues.
Trailing 7-0 after a short 3-yard touchdown run by Deshaire Ford-Burton with 2 minutes and 16 seconds left in the opening quarter, White Hall would answer as Robinson picked off Maumelle’s Jonathan Reyes and returned it eight yards for a defensive score.
Maumelle quickly responded a few plays later with senior Jordan Scott rambling in for an 18-yard TD run as the Hornets took five plays to take a 14-7 lead.
White Hall would take just one play to cash in a blocked punt by Jacobrian Eichelberger as Robinson’s 5-yard TD run again tied the score at 14-14 with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter.
But again Maumelle would respond in a hurry using a bit of trickery with Ford-Burton tossing a 41-yard touchdown to Sykes giving the Hornets a final 21-14 lead that they would not relinquish.
“Our defense played lights out tonight and in my opinion we pitched a shutout.” Maumelle head coach Kirk Horton said. “We had a couple of things happen during the game that didn’t work in our favor but if you can survive that type of adversity when you have been off for a while, then you like your chances when you have a team as talented as ours.”
Scott had 51 yards rushing on seven carries to pace Maumelle (3-2).
Jaylen Smith had ten carries for 35 yards for the Hornets who will play at Watson Chapel next Friday night.
Faulkner County Focus Sports 