AR top-ranked team rallies, big 4th QTR

Fayetteville rallied for three, fourth-quarter touchdowns, including the clincher on Luke Waller's 25-yard interception return with 19 seconds to play, and defeated Bishop Dunne, 35-25, in an interstate clash of top-ranked teams at Earl Hayes Stadium. Ranked No. 1 in Arkansas, Fayetteville trailed the Dallas area's No. 1 private school, 17-14, entering the fourth quarter on the strength of a 33-yard Tucker Littleton field goal. But quarterback and Wake Forest commit Taylor Powell, held largely in check by a Bishop Dunne defense that sacked him four times and intercepted him twice in the first half, ran 7 yards to give Fayetteville the lead for good at 21-17 with 10:18 left. After a punt on Bishop Dunne's next possession, Powell found Brennon Lewis for 24 yards, setting up Cody Gray' 13-yard touchdown run on a reverse for a 28-17 Fayetteville lead. Bishop Dunne fought back, driving 84 yards in eight plays to pull within 28-25 on an 8-yard run by quarterback Stacy Conner and a 2-point conversion run by Jordan Butler with 3:10 to play. Conner, who finished with 258 yards and one touchdown through the air, had completions of 29 yards to Ricky Rollerson and 18 yards to Jabari Khepera to set up the score and give Bishop Dunne a late comeback chance. But there was under a minute to play when Bishop Dunne took over at its own 5-yard-line on a fourth-down interception by Rollerson. Conner had one completion for 14 yards to Chevin Calloway. But after two incompletions, Waller stepped in front of a Conner throw at the 25 and sailed untouched into the end zone. Fayetteville led two plays into the game on a 77-yard touchdown pass from Powell to Darius Bowers. After Bishop Dunne went 3-and-out on its first possession, it looked like Fayetteville was on the move again. But Brian Williams batted Powell's quick throw on an out pattern up in the air, caught it and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 7-7 with 9:15 left in the first quarter.

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Fayetteville High School Athletics

AR TOP-RANKED TEAM RALLIES, BIG 4TH QTR

MARK BUFORD

Dallas Morning News | 9/17/2016

PHOTO CREDIT: Fayetteville Athletics