Purple Bulldogs make easy work of Mounties

FAYETTEVILLE 47, ROGERS HIGH 7

FAYETTEVILLE — Connor Flannigan cut his football teeth playing in Rogers and watching his father lead the Mounties program while he was the head coach.

On Friday night at Harmon Stadium, the senior helped lead his Fayetteville team to a convincing 47-7 victory to stop a three-game losing skid.

“I knew a bunch of those dudes and I was probably pumped up for this game more than any so far this season,” Flannigan said. “They were trash talking me and I was trash talking them; I love them and at the end of the day we are friends but I really wanted to beat those guys.”

Flannigan caught a 31-yard touchdown from Hank Gibbs three minutes into the game and after Fayetteville (2-3, 1-1) recovered an onside kick, he zipped and zagged his way to a 41-yard touchdown after taking the direct snap.

Isaiah Sategna tagged the Mounties for two more touchdowns in the first half on 10-yard and 21-yard strikes from Gibbs, and then Flannigan caught his second of the night on a fade route in the back of the end zone to make it 35-0 at halftime.

“We knew they ran a lot of zero and one coverage which means we get 1-on-1 matchups,” Flannigan said. “They came out in double coverage on me so we just ran a couple double moves which were easy reads for the quarterback. We just wanted to press them vertically because we thought we could beat them downfield.”

Fayetteville coach Casey Dick was pleased with his team’s performance after last week’s disappointment in the league opener against Bentonville West.

“We just challenged our kids to come out and play well,” Dick said. “It wasn’t perfect but it was a good start for where we want to get to but we’ve got to be more consistent from start to finish down the stretch.”

Gibbs was 17-of-21 for 228 yards and four scores, with Flannigan catching eight of those for 93 yards and Sategna going for 87 yards on seven catches. The Purple’Dogs could’ve led by more at intermission but fumbled the ball away on consecutive possessions midway through the second quarter.

Fayetteville got touchdown runs from Jacob Sharits and Konley Hudson in the second half under a running clock.

“It was good for our younger guys to get a whole lot of reps in a game situation,” Dick said. “It was a good night, a fun night and I’m just happy for our school.”

The Mounties (0-5, 0-2) got their only touchdown late in the contest when Hunter Loyd found Mason Ross from 13 yards out with 10 minutes remaining.

Loyd finished 28-of-41 passing for 175 yards but threw two interceptions.

FOUR DOWNS

• The Black Daggers military parachute jump team performed a landing prior to kickoff.

• It was homecoming at Fayetteville and Anna Roach was named homecoming queen.

• Fayetteville unveiled a new scoreboard and new play clocks before the game.

• Next week Rogers hosts Bentonville West while Fayetteville travels to Van Buren.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Fayetteville receiver Connor Flannigan (left) carries the ball Friday as Rogers linebacker Jesus Gomez attempts to make the tackle during the first half at Harmon Stadium in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the game and the homecoming ceremony.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Fayetteville receiver Kameron Ingram (right) carries the ball Friday as Rogers cornerback Christian Francisco attempts to make the tackle during the first half of play at Harmon Stadium in Fayetteville. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the game and the homecoming ceremony.