Junction City cruises against Mountainburg

JUNCTION CITY, Ark. – In one of their more complete performances all season, Class 2A No. 3 Junction City posted 43 first-half points as a result of several individual record-breaking performances and used a 23-yard field goal from the foot of senior Jack Smith as time expired in the second quarter to summon the running clock for the second half as the Dragons cruised by Mountainburg; the second seed of the 4-2A, behind an offensive attack that rolled up 488 yards on just 29 plays and did not face a third-down all night.

Junction City (9-2) needed less than 13 minutes in time of possession to inflict more than enough damage against Mountainburg as the Dragons improve to 16-6 all-time in second round playoff games and 12-2 at Paul H. Muse Field at David Carpenter Stadium.

Senior running back Dhante Gibson opened scoring with a two-yard plunge on the seventh play of a methodical first drive of the night for Junction City and junior JaKiron Cook followed with a successful two-point rush to put the Dragons up 8-0 less than two minutes into the second round matchup.

The Dragons of Mountainburg answered on their first drive of the game by moving the football down to the Junction City four-yard line to set up first and goal. But the defense of the hometown Dragons rose to the occasion and forced a turnover on downs as Mountainburg lost five yards over the next four plays.

Junction City’s first play of the ensuing drive served as a catalyst for what was to come during the remainder of the first half as junior quarterback Brady Hutcheson completed a short pass to senior wide receiver Kevontae Haynes, who sprinted 92 yards to the endzone in what stands as the second-longest touchdown pass in school history.

Cook added the twopoint rush and Junction City was off and running. The Dragon defense forced its second-consecutive turnover on downs after back-to-back incompletions by Mountainburg, following a 2nd-and-14, stranded the visiting Dragons’ drive at the JC 18-yard line.

Cook carried 78 yards down to the four yard line on the first play of Junction City’s third first quarter drive and Gibson hit the endzone on the next play and with the latter’s two-point run, the Dragons had built a 24-0 lead with 1:31 remaining in the opening quarter.

Following the third-straight turnover on downs by Mountainburg, Junction City went back to work offensively as Hutcheson connected with Haynes for a second scoring strike; this time from 14 yards out with 9:25 to play in the first half. With a successful two-point try, the Dragon lead grew to 32-0. The second Hutcheson-Haynes scoring toss was set up by a 33-yard completion from Hutcheson to senior tight end D.J. Hill on the first play of the drive that placed JC at the Mountainburg 10.

Mountainburg followed with 15-play drive that covered 60 yards in just under 8 minutes and ended with a touchdown as sophomore Ethan Gregory found senior Austin Taylor on a sixyard completion with 1:33 remaining in the half to make it 32-6.

With just over 90 seconds to play in the second quarter, the Dragons were not finished putting the final touches on their explosive first half. On the first play of the drive, Hutcheson looked to his favorite target in Haynes on a short pass and Haynes did the rest with his feet as he used a big block from Blake Wilson to maneuver down inside the Mountainburg 20 at the 17-yard line on the 48-yard completion. The next play, Haynes delivered a block that sprung Cook, who caught a pass out of the backfield from Hutcheson, then sidestepped a defender inside the five-yard line to make his way into the endzone and finish off a two-play drive that covered 65 yards in 16 seconds.

With two timeouts, the Dragon defense produced another stop by forcing a punt on 4th and 5 from the Mountainburg 34 with 51 seconds to play in the first half. As was the case all night, Hutcheson went back to Haynes on the drive’s first play for 35 yards and a first down to the JC36. Gibson then carried for 19- and 5-yards respectively, before Smith’s aforementioned successful field goal try came with a second left in the first half.

Junction City scored on their first drive of the second half as Cook carried in from a yard out and Mountainburg added eight points in the fourth quarter on a safety and touchdown pass as time expired.

Hutcheson finished 7-of-8 passing for 250 yards and three touchdowns in a performance that stands as the best in school playoff history and is the fifth-most passing yards in any game in Dragon Football history. Haynes joined the junior in the record books as he hauled in the most verified receiving yards in a game ever by a Dragon player with 188 yards on four catches, which puts the senior at the top of the single-season receiving yards list in school history with 798.

Cook carried just eight times for 138 yards and a touchdown at 17.3 yards per carry and he added three catches for 22 yards and a score. Gibson scored twice, both on the ground, as part of his ten carries for 95 yards.

Senior J’Vacye’ Cook and sophomore Tanner Barnett each led the Dragon defense with eight total tackles, while the younger Cook and Gibson followed with six stops apiece. Junior Cardarrius Bunn and freshman Chance Rowland each recovered a fumble in the win. Junction City recorded seven tackles for loss and allowed 288 yards in 54 plays with 100 yards coming in the fourth quarter.

Junction City advances in their Class 2A State Playoff run and will remain at home for a post-Thanksgiving Day clash with Des Arc; the second seed out of the 6-2A. The Eagles defeated Magnet Cove and Mountain Pine to reach the state quarterfinals. Kickoff from Paul H. Muse Field at David Carpenter Stadium is set for 7 p.m. Fans can follow the Dragons live each and every week on the Dragon Sports Network via UStream and 101.5 The Hog.