By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The Paragould High School Rams knew that the Beebe Badgers liked to run the ball. They focused all week on stopping the run in practice. However, stopping the run in practice and doing it in the game are two different things. On Friday night, the Badgers ran all over the Rams in a 35-0 rout at Ram Stadium.
“We couldn’t get anything going offensively to give our defense a break,” Paragould coach Brian Carter said. “We’ve got to find a way to get first downs and we’ve got to find a way to move the football.”
The Rams are now 1-3, (0-1) as they were shut out for the first time this season. The Badgers did not throw one pass in the game as they moved to 4-0, (1-0).
After such a great performance last week against Trumann, running back Kelsey Reely was shut down for most of the game on Friday.
Reely did break off a big kickoff return for nearly 50 yards which put the Rams into good field position.
“We’ve got to find a way to be consistent. If we can do that, then sometime down the road we can be a good football team,” Carter said.
All week long, Carter talked about having to score when in the red zone. The Rams only reached the red zone once and were stuffed by the intense defense of Beebe.
“We couldn’t knock them off the football,” Carter said. “Right now, we are just not a very good offensive team. That’s my fault.”
The first Beebe score came on a one-yard run by Sammy Williams with 6:53 left in the first half. Roger Glaude added the point after to put the Badgers up 7-0, and the lead would only increase as the game continued.
It would be Kyle Williams that struck on the next two touchdowns in the second quarter. The first touchdown run would come at the 8:55 mark in the second quarter from five yards out, and the second one was a buzzer-beater from two-yards out with only 10 seconds left until the intermission. Glaude successfully converted both extra points to give the Badgers a 21-0 halftime lead.
Offensively the Rams looked sluggish against the tough Badger defense as they had problems moving the ball down the field. Nothing was consistent for the Rams, but junior quarterback Tyler Arnold did fairly well compared to the rest of the team. Arnold did throw two interceptions which killed the Rams momentum but Arnold looked good running the ball. Arnold had 10 carries for about 20 yards.
It would be the Williams and Williams connection for the Badgers again in the second half, but instead of nickel and dime runs, the duo opened up the field in the third quarter to put the game out of reach for the Rams.
Sammy struck early in the third with a 49-yard rumble with 10:22 left in the third quarter, and Kyle would set the final interval moments later on a 3-yard zip for the end zone at the 4:06 mark.
“We’ve got some weapons offensively, we just got to find a better way to move the football,” Carter said.
Sammy Williams finished the game with 15 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Luke Gardener had two carries for 74 yards, and Brandon Parcel had six carries for 72 yards.
The Badgers finished the game with 304 total yards of offense.
Defensively, the Badgers were dangerous as they caused two turnovers and held the Rams to very few yards of offense.
“They are the best defensive team we have seen by far,” Carter said. “They do a nice job, and they are faster than what we thought and that showed tonight.”
The Badgers are now 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the 54A-East Conference. They will host North Pulaski, a 39-13 winner over Greene County Tech on Friday, at Bro Erwin Stadium next week.
