By ANN THARP
Special to The Leader
The Sylvan Hills Bears had to travel to J.A. Fair High School on Friday for their 5A-Central conference opener against the McClellan Crimson Lions. The different venue didn’t seem to bother the host team, as McClellan blew open a close game at halftime for a 40-16 victory in the 5A-Central Conference opener for both teams.
“Two or three plays, and we’re in the game,” Sylvan Hills coach Jim Withrow said. “The score was not even close to being indicative of what it was. We’ve just got to finish drives. If we had finished the drive, we probably win 30-24. We made some good plays. I think McClellan is going to be as good as anybody in the league.”
Each team scored three times in the first half, but one of the Bears scores was a field goal, while the rest of the scores were touchdowns. McClellan converted no two-point conversions, though, so the score was 18-16 at intermission. The second half was another story as Sylvan Hills could not get into the end zone, and the Lions added three more touchdowns and two 2-point conversions.
Sylvan Hills had the first possession of the game, but it ended with a 63-yard punt by Ryan Lumpkin to pin the Lions at their own 5-yard line.
McClellan picked up a first down, but then on third and nine, Bennie Kemp III was intercepted by Payton Terry. The Bears had the ball on the Lion 12-yard line, but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Tito Mendoza to lead 3-0 with 4:37 remaining in the opening quarter.
Andre Campbell returned the ensuing kick off to the Bear 24-yard line, and the Lions scored two plays later to take the 6-3 lead.
Sylvan Hills responded with a 7-play 65-yard scoring drive with Deon Youngblood scampering in from 21 yards out. Mendoza added the point after for the 10-6 Bear advantage.
McClellan then scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 62-yard run by Kemp to take the lead back at 12-10.
Again, the Bears responded with a score. The drive started at their own 30, and the last 36 yards of the drive was a touchdown pass from Youngblood to Lumpkin on fourth down and three. The two-point conversion was no good, but Sylvan Hills had the lead back briefly at 16-12.
Starting on their own 20, the Lions lost two yards on the first play, but on the second, Kemp hit Jaylin Cunningham for 82 yards and a touchdown to take the lead back at 18-16.
In its first possession of the second half, Sylvan Hills turned the ball over on downs after a long pass was incomplete at the goal line.
Kemp got away again for another 62-yard touchdown run, and the lead was 24-16.
The Bears missed on a 40-yard field goal attempt, and McClellan scored again. They were to score once more with 2:01 in the game, and the two-point conversions were good on both late touchdowns to set the final score at 40-16.
Sylvan Hills had 305 yards of offense, while the Lions had 472 yards. Youngblood rushed 21 times for 96 yards and a touchdown, and was 1 of 2 passing for 36 yards and a touchdown. Lumpkin was 14 of 22 passing for 92 yards and scored a touchdown.
The Bears will host Little Rock Christian next Friday night.
