MONTICELLO – Unlike in its season opener at Southeastern Oklahoma State, the University of Arkansas at Monticello football team did not let a two-touchdown deficit get out of hand.
It was in the final 7:28 when East Central University made a 17-13 lead even more decisive.
Reigning Great American Conference Offensive Player of the Week Cade Searcy ran for more than half of his 101 yards on the first insurance touchdown for the Tigers, who scored 21 unanswered points down the stretch in a 38-13 win Saturday night at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium.
“We just had to stay persistent to what we do and keep on our track, not get out of character,” said Searcy, a sophomore.
Searcy bounced off his offensive line, scanned and turned upfield for a 56-yard score, two plays after UAM quarterback Tavion Faulk committed his first of two fumbles.
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Searcy rushed 14 times for 101 yards. East Central (2-0 overall and Great American) rushed 38 times for 204 yards, going over the 200-yard mark on a 40-yard carry by freshman Jaquarion Turner with 7 seconds remaining.
“We had flashes of what we were able to do defensively,” UAM Coach Hud Jackson said. “Again, we’ve got to maintain some things offensively where we can keep our defense off, because when they’re playing fast, that makes us much better. We had chances to make some tackles and we didn’t make tackles in third-down situations. We’ve got to be better at that.”
ECU converted 3 of 11 third downs and 1 of 2 fourth downs. UAM (0-2) made good on 6 of 13 third downs and 1 of 4 fourth downs.
Faulk, who completed 16 of 29 for 203 yards with 2 interceptions, fumbled on a dropback on fourth and long deep in the Boll Weevils’ territory on their next drive, and Quincy Thompson made them pay with a 5-yard scamper to push the lead to 31-13.
Faulk recovered from another slow passing start, rushed for a touchdown and completed a 23-yard strike to Ahmari Cox with 1:08 left before halftime to draw UAM within 17-13.
The opportunity to extend a 6-game string of home opening victories was, for three quarters, a real possibility for the Weevils. But they were facing a team that was high off an upset victory of then 15th-ranked Ouachita Baptist.
“We definitely gained momentum (from that victory). It always feels good to win,” Searcy said of handling the Sept. 4 victory in Ada, Okla. “We expected it. We expected it to happen. This is not a surprise to us, so we’re going to stack days, stack wins and keep winning.”
East Central started quickly with a 6-yard touchdown run from quarterback Sergio Kennedy, who extended the lead to 14-0 with a 10-yard completion to Kaden Jones with 1:16 left in the opening quarter.
East Central’s first touchdown came after safety Keebler Wagoner intercepted Faulk deep in Tiger territory. Faulk started 0 for 3 with the pick until converting third-and-1 with a 5-yard pass, and the 14-yard completion to tight end Michael Lott to the 2 led to a 1-yard sneak by the quarterback with 10:09 left before halftime.
The Tigers extended the lead to 17-7 with 3:31 left on a 46-yard Alex McGregor field goal.
Glen Cage, making his second start in as many weeks, jumpstarted the Weevils’ next drive with a 12-yard carry from the 33, and Faulk completed 4 of his next 5 passes, turning back to a wide-open Ahmari Cox for a 21-yard touchdown, one play after Cox dropped a catch in heavy coverage.
UAM forced an East Central punt that Chasden Collins returned to the East Central 33, but Dylan Duhon, who had a punt blocked earlier in the quarter, also saw a 36-yard field goal attempt deflected as time expired.
Linebacker Michael Onwuzurike stepped in front of a receiver to intercept Faulk well at the Tigers’ 22 on the Weevils’ second drive of the second half, after a holding call against one of the Tigers’ cornerbacks aided UAM. In all, the Weevils committed four turnovers – two picks and two fumbles. The Tigers committed none.
“I thought that first drive was going to be really important for us, try to get some points and put ourselves ahead in the game,” Jackson said. “We just didn’t get that done. It’s always important to come out of halftime, and we thought we had some momentum there. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to turn the page when adversity hit us a little bit.”
East Central outgained UAM 317-280. Cage rushed 11 times for 46 yards, as UAM finished with 77 yards on 34 totes.
“UAM’s a good football team,” Tigers Coach John Litrenta said. “They had some guys back this week, and they tested us. They did exactly what we thought they were going to do. They’re fast, and we were able to stick to our process through three quarters. We were able to wear them down in the fourth quarter.”
Kennedy completed 12 of 18 for 113 yards with a touchdown. Conner Combs had 4 catches for 50 yards to lead the Tigers.
At the end of the first quarter, UAM officially retired the No. 24 of Terry Alexander, an All-America running back in the 1970s who became the first Black student to enroll in the university’s forestry program. Alexander, who graduated in 1980, died last month at age 68.
Alexander’s family attended and received framed No. 24 jerseys from UAM Chancellor Peggy Doss midfield. Jackson took a photo with the family during the break.
UAM will remain home to host Henderson State at 6 p.m. next Saturday.
“We’ve just got to get ready for the next one because it’s not going to get any easier,” Jackson said.
