Watson Chapel falters against Crossett, 42-22

Crossett ended a 13-game losing streak by beating a team that helped extend it last year.

Junior Cash Forrest threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, classmate Tyjuan Gibson returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to shift momentum the Eagles’ way in the second quarter, and Crossett hardly let up Friday in taking a 42-22 win over host Watson Chapel. The Eagles’ most dominant performance in two years avenged a 19-7 loss they suffered at home to Watson Chapel last season.

Crossett had last won a game Oct. 27, 2023, beating Dumas 17-14.

Forrest completed 14 of 22 for 146 yards with an intercetion. Two of his touchdown passes went to senior Jermal Nalls (7 and 25 yards) and the other went to Tyric Hampton (9 yards).

Crossett was more effective on the ground, with Forrest’s 122 yards on 14 carries leading the way. Junior Braylon Howell, who scored on a 15-yard run, finished with 87 yards on 15 carries.

The Eagles (1-1) totaled 392 yards. Their 246 rushing yards matched Watson Chapel’s total offense.

Watson Chapel senior Malachi Rayford threw for three touchdowns of his own, all to sophomore Jakylinn Battles (28, 25 and 38 yards). Rayford completed 17 of 28 passes for 181 yards with no interceptions.

The Eagles got the better end of a period that saw both teams combine for 38 points. Gibson’s big return with 5:24 left before halftime immediately followed a 28-yard touchdown from Rayford to Battles and 2-point run by Rayford that gave the Wildcats (0-2) their only lead at 8-6.

Rayford went 4 for 4 on Watson Chapel’s next possession, finding Battles again from 25 yards out to tie the game at 14. Rayford’s 2-point run was stopped.

Forrest earned two first downs on the Eagles’ next series, setting up a 15-yard carry for Braylon Howell to break the tie for good. Forrest threw to Charles Moore for the extra 2.

Forrest threw 4 for 4 on Crossett’s next drive, finding Nalls on a screen and letting him take it into the end zone with four seconds to go. Nalls was on the receiving end of a 9-yard touchdown catch from Forrest on fourth-and-5 of Crossett’s opening drive.

Both teams went empty on their first drives of the second half, but Forrest again came up big on a fourth-down play for the Eagles.

He rolled left, then cut through the middle on a 33-yard keeper with 4:32 left in the third quarter for a 36-14 lead, all but putting away the Wildcats.

Watson Chapel lost the ball on downs after earning three first downs as the quarter expired, and Crossett scored in five plays from its own 43. Forrest was credited with his third touchdown pass, executing a jet-sweep to senior Tyric Hampton from 9 yards out.

Battles’ last reception was a 38-yard rainbow from Rayford with 3:02 left in the game. Crossett almost had its seventh touchdown of the night but C.J. Brown was forced out of bounds on a 38-yard carry to the Wildcats 3 in the final seconds and the Eagles elected to run out the clock.

Watson Chapel came up empty on its first three drives, despite starting either at midfield or in Crossett territory, largely due to unsuccessful onside kick attempts.

Crossett had 13 first downs to Watson Chapel’s 8. The Wildcats were saddled with nine penalties for 85 yards, while the Eagles were flagged seven times for 60 yards.

The Wildcats will visit Warren next Friday.