3-minute barrage sparks Conway's blowout victory

FORT SMITH -- In less than three minutes of game time, Conway turned a close game into a blowout. The Wampus Cats scored 24 points at the end of the first half and the start of the third period to pull away and open the 7A-Central conference slate with a 45-19 victory over Fort Smith Southside on Friday night at Rowland Stadium. The game was played in heavy rain, and Conway (4-0, 1-0) got three of its four turnovers in the scoring binge that turned a slim 14-13 lead into a 38-13 advantage that the Mavericks (2-2, 0-1) could not overcome. "It was all about turnovers," first-year Conway Coach Keith Fimple said. "We've talked about finishing at halftime with this bunch because sometimes we get lackadaisical. Any time you get a win in this league -- home or on the road -- is huge." Quarterback Jovani Johnson scored six touchdowns to lead the Wampus Cat offense that gained 404 yards on the ground and 413 total yards. Johnson rushed for 128 on 19 carries while Cary McClain led his team with 145 yards on 21 attempts. "Both of those guys we have out there are weapons for us," Fimple said. [HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Click here for more scores, recaps and photos] Conway was holding on to a 14-13 lead over the Mavericks late in the second quarter. Thanks to a pass interference penalty, the Wampus Cats kept a drive alive that led to a 5-yard Johnson touchdown run with 20 seconds left in the first half. Then came three consecutive Southside turnovers that allowed Conway to pull away. After the touchdown, Conway recovered a squib kick at the Maverick 28 that would be converted into a 36-yard field goal at the end of the first half for a 24-14 lead. The Wampus Cats recovered another muffed kickoff at the Southside 23 and Johnson scored three plays later on a 2-yard keeper at 11:25 of the third period for a 31-13 lead. Two plays later, Conway got another Southside fumble at the Maverick 23 and Johnson would keep for a 3-yard touchdown, blowing the game open at 38-13 with 9:55 left in the third period. "We got good field position with the turnovers and it was a priority for us to hold on to the football," Fimple said. Johnson scored on a 28-yard touchdown run and 45-yard scoring run in the game's first four minutes to give the Wampus Cats a quick 14-0 lead. The Mavericks answered with a Taye Gatewood 13-yard run late in the first quarter and a 6-yard Gatewood scoring pass to Tyrese Solomon to get within 14-13 with 4:41 left before halftime. Gatewood finished with 133 yards rushing and was 14-of-26 passing for 148 yards.

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3-MINUTE BARRAGE SPARKS CONWAY'S BLOWOUT VICTORY

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE

Arkansas Democrat Gazette | 9/22/2018