By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Sylvan Hills Bears got a big momentum shift just before halftime, and parlayed that momentum to a 21-0 second half to beat Vilonia 41-18 Friday in Faulkner County.
The Bears led 20-18, but the hosting Eagles were threatening to take the lead just before intermission. With only seconds remaining, Sylvan Hills defensive end Elijah Sowards forced a fumble that the Bears recovered on their own 2-yard line, and Vilonia never threatened the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, Sylvan Hills broke one big play after another in the second half to run away with the victory.
Vilonia coach Jim Stanley’s double-wing, misdirection offense worried Sylvan Hills coach Jim Withrow in the week leading up to the game, and his worries were realized quickly.
Vilonia’s Jeremiah Santiago scored from 70 yards out on the second play of the game to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead, but extra points were elusive for the home team after all three scores.
Sylvan Hills answered right back, putting together a nice drive that was capped by a 32-yard touchdown run by Fred Williams. The extra point gave the Bears the one-point lead.
After a Vilonia turnover, Bears’ running back Marlon Clemons broke loose for a 60-yard score to put the visiting team up eight late in the first quarter.
The Eagles then put together a long drive and scored to make it a two-point game, but the Bears answered again, this time through the air. Quarterback Trajan Doss found sophomore receiver Jordan Washington from 25 yards out for the score. The extra point was no good, leaving it 20-12.
Vilonia scored again quickly, then got a turnover and were driving to take the lead when the momentum-changing fumble took place.
The second half was all Sylvan Hills. The Bears made some defensive adjustments and Vilonia stopped moving the ball.
Neither team did much offensively for most of the third quarter, but the Bears put together a 60-yard drive that ended with a Tyler Davis plunge of 1 yard for a touchdown on the last play of the period.
After another defensive stop, Doss took it 78 yards on the keeper on just the third play of the ensuing drive to give Sylvan Hills a 34-18 lead.
Doss later had an 85-yard touchdown run called back for holding, but the drive still ended in a Bears score when Deandre Collins took it 27 yards up the middle for the final touchdown.
Doss had more than 100 yards rushing and was near 300 all-purpose yards.
The Bears stay on the road next week, traveling to Hot Springs Lakeside. The Rams beat Lincoln 36-0 in their opener on Monday.
