CAMDEN – An ugly win is still a win.
The Camden Fairview Cardinals lost the lead late against the Pine Bluff Zebras but were able to score with 1:06 left to win, 26-22.
After what was a mostly defensive stalwart, the Cardinals (1-2) and Zebras (0-3) traded body blows and big plays over the last 7 minutes of the contest.
Pine Bluff dominated the time of possession in the first half. While both teams were scoreless in the opening segment, it was the Zebras that would take a 14-6 advantage into the half.
The Zebras scored first at the 9:04 mark of the second when quarterback Jamar Morrow went in from 2 yards out. The 2-point conversion failed.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Camden Fairview would respond in less than 2 minutes with its lone first half score, when Brodie Dow hit Jy’Mauri Utsey on a short pass. Utsey made a one-hand catch and run across the field for a 33-yard touchdown.
The Zebras would be called for two offsides penalties, but the Cardinals still elected to go for a point-after-touchdown that went awry.
Morrow would lead the Zebras down the field on their next possession and add another 2-yard touchdown run. He crossed the plane again for the 2-point conversion.
After halftime, the Cardinals began to dial up the pressure on defense. Defensive end Eric Seguin would tally a strip-sack on the Zebras’ opening drive to get the ball back in the Cardinals’ hands at midfield.
Camden Fairview would utilize a power running game and slowly matriculate the ball down the field. Dayton Browning would score on a 2-yard run of his own before Dow found Utsey on a shovel pass to tie the game at 14-all with 4:17 left in the third.
Pine Bluff would continue to move the ball down the field at a steady pace, but the Cardinals got a critical stop early in the fourth and forced a punt. Facing a fourth-and-7 from the Zebras’ 45, Dow zipped a slant pass to Browning, and he raced it to the end zone to give the Cardinals their first lead of the night, 20-14. The PAT was blocked with 6:55 left in the game.
Then the Zebras made it interesting. Camden Fairview appeared to have the Zebras stopped in its own territory as they would face a fourth-and-long, but Morrow found Quentin Roy who not only got a first down but leaped a Cardinal defender to boot and drew flags from two different officials. However, after a lengthy and what felt like a spirited discussion amongst the officials and coaches from both teams, the flag was waved off.
The Zebras would capitalize off of the momentum as Morrow hooked up with Roy again for a 21 yard TD strike. On the ensuing two-point play attempt, the Zebras were flagged for too many players on the field and were backed up to the 17-yard line. Morrow floated the ball to the end zone for Roy to go over a receiver and secure it to take the 22-20 advantage with the 2-point conversion.
The Cardinals would get the ball back with just 3 minutes remaining and were aided by a solid kickoff return by Utsey. Camden Fairview showed its biggest sign of maturity as the panic button wasn’t pushed and the Cardinals elected to stick to their running game.
With 1:06 left and facing another fourth down, Browning took the snap out of the Wildcat formation and found a seam over the left side to race for a 43-yard touchdown. The Cardinals would be flagged for not being set and failed on their 2-point attempt.
Then the Cardinals were called for offsides on the ensuing kickoff. After the penalty was assessed, Camden Fairview kicked it short and the Zebras were able to cross into Cardinal territory almost immediately.
Pine Bluff advanced to the Cardinals’ 21-yard line, but a huge sack by sophomore Teddy Thompson with 19 seconds left proved detrimental. The Zebras lined up to attempt to spike the ball but Morrow also went down on a knee.
Camden Fairview thought the ball game was over as time expired, but the Cardinals were called for offsides, which awarded the Zebras an untimed down. Pine Bluff would make another desperation pass to the end zone but was called for holding, which concluded the ball game.