By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Six turnovers, numerous snap problems, a few lapses in pass defense and a speedy and accurate quarterback on the opposite sideline all spelled bad news for North Pulaski football Friday at Falcon Stadium. Searcy scored on its first two possession and never trailed, beating North Pulaski 41-13.
Lion quarterback Dezmond Stegal completed eight of 12 pass attempts for 241 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Searcy attack. His first touchdown pass came on a screen to the left side that went 45 yards for the first score of the game just 40 seconds into the game.
North Pulaski’s first miscue came on a fumbled snap that lost eight yards and forced NP to punt from its own 13-yard line. Set up with a short field, Searcy scored in just three plays. This time Stegal found slot receiver Cam Woodruff alone downfield for a 30-yard scoring hookup that put the Lions up by two scores with 8:18 left in the first quarter.
North Pulaski still could get nothing going offensively, but the defense settled down and held Searcy without a first down on its next two possessions.
The Falcons, though, finished the first quarter with -1 yard in total offense, and ended the quarter punting to the Lions.
Searcy started the second period just like it started the first.
On third and 13, Stegal found Evan Scarbrough streaking downfield for a 49-yard touchdown pass. The extra point made it 21-0 with 10:37 left in the half.
The Falcons finally got something going on their next drive, but fumbled it away, setting Searcy up at the Falcon 33. On the third play of the drive, Stegal scored from seven yards out to make it 28-0 with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
Each team had two more possessions the rest of the half, and North Pulaski out-gained Searcy in that time period, holding Searcy’s starters to one yard of offense in its final two drives. Meanwhile, the Falcons moved the ball deep into Searcy territory twice, but couldn’t finish, turning it over on downs after driving 54 yards.
NP was putting together another drive to start the second half. After a 25-yard pass play from Marvin Harris to Kevin Williams, a mishandled snap lost 15 yards. Two plays later, on third and long, Harris threw an interception at the Searcy 46-yard line.
On the very next play, Stegal found Woodruff again for a 54-yard touchdown pass that made it 35-0 with 9:06 left in the third period.
Again, NP got some momentum with a 20-yard pass and catch from Harris to Austin Allen, but another snap miscue lost eight yards. Harris was sacked and fumbled on the next play, setting up another Lion score.
Stegall found tight end John Powell for 26 yards to put it at the Falcon 10. Two plays later, Antwan Arnold rolled in from five yards out. The extra point was no good, making it 41-0 with 3:09 left in the third.
NP went backwards 10 yards on its next possession, but a big hit by Derek Walton on the punt return jarred the ball loose. The Falcons recovered the fumble, and the hit re-energized a tiring Falcons team.
North Pulaski moved the ball down the field, but another bad snap was covered by Searcy 20 yards back from the original line of scrimmage.
North Pulaski still wasn’t discouraged. After forcing a Searcy three and out, NP got on the board with a 40-yard pass from Harris to Williams with 3:47 left in the game.
NP got it back just two plays later on a Searcy fumble, and scored again when Damon Thomas ran around the right end for a 37-yard score that set the final margin.
North Pulaski will face Maumelle at 5:30 p.m. next week at Pulaski Robinson High School.
