Tribe ends season with win over Corning

Alek Samples (15) gains positive yardage in Thursday night's home win over Corning. Much of Samples' success this year, which accounted for over 1,200 yards rushing, can be attributed to the blocking of his teammates. Here two fellow juniors, Luke Yount (22) and Colby Lovelace (16) pave the way through Bobcat defenders. (Times photo/Tim Blair) [Click to enlarge]

There's something to be said for playing your biggest rival in the final game of the season. It affords the chance to forget about the previous nine games, your season and conference record and where you are in the standings. And if you win, you get bragging rights and spend the offseason as a winner.

Thursday night the Piggott Mohawks hosted their biggest rivals, the Corning Bobcats, in the season ender at Parker Field. Coming into the contest neither team had a chance for postseason play, as the Mohawks stood at 2-7 and the Bobcats were still looking for their first win of the year. But thanks to the longtime rivalry, the two teams put on a hard-hitting show for the crowd as the Tribe pulled out the 26-7 win.

After honoring the Mohawk senior players, and cheerleaders, prior to kickoff the two teams got down to business. The Tribe kicked-off to begin the contest, but on the first play from scrimmage the Bobcats fumbled and the Mohawks recovered on the Corning 25. Several plays later junior running back Alek Samples pounded it in from the one yard line for the first Piggott score, and Jon Perkins added the PAT to make it 7-0.

The Mohawk defense continued to hold the Bobcats at bay, despite several good runs from freshman Ty Prater who was moved up from the junior high team at the end of their season. The tough defensive play set-up the Mohawks second score, as Spencer Coomer took it 39 yards on a sweep after beating several would-be Corning tacklers. Again Perkins added the PAT and the score stood 14-0 with 2:39 left in the first quarter.

But the Bobcats would answer before intermission, as the Tribe turned the ball over on downs setting up a one yard TD run by Prater. Gage Arnold kicked the extra point, and with 26 seconds left in the first half the score stood 14-6 Piggott.

In the second half the Bobcats would find the Mohawk defense even stingier, as they held the visitors to a total of just six first downs on the night. In turn, the Piggott offense got on track and added a one yard touchdown by Perkins with 5:06 to go in the ballgame, although the PAT attempt was no good. Late in the contest Samples picked-off a Gage Arnold pass and returned it 59 yards for the final score of the ballgame. The two-point conversion attempt was no good and the final of 26-7 was set.

The Tribe got a variety of great defensive plays on the night, with big stops by Daniel Chandler, Luke Yount, Kyle Wright, Connor Rodery, Jared McKinnie, Tanner Murray, Colby Lovelace and Zach Redmon. In fact, Lovelace sacked Bobcat quarterback Arnold for a big loss on the final play of the contest.

"You know we kind of came out and shot ourselves in the foot," Coach Dave Hendrix noted after the game, "we were in the redzone four times and didn't score. But you know, they came out and played their tails off," he said of the Corning squad. "You know it's a rivalry, and hats off to them they played as hard as they could," Hendrix added. "But our kids responded and they really played their tails off too."

"Our seniors, you know there are not very many of them and only a couple to three get to play very much," the coach noted of his senior class, "but they stuck it out and did exactly what I wanted them to do. You know we went through some turmoil this year, and there was a lot that was negative...but they refused to buy-in to that negativity."

On the game the Mohawks were led by Samples with 92 yards on 18 carries, as the talented RB went over 1,200 yards on the season. Coomer continued to contribute with 56 yards on six carries; Yount had 39 yards on 10 carries, Zac Trammell continues to rehabilitate from an earlier injury with 17 on just three carries; Redmon had 13 yards on five carries and freshman Cody Mantz carried the ball three times for 10 yards. Chris Dunn led the Bobcat offense with 53 yards on 11 carries while Prater was held to just 49 yards on 17 carries. Perkins was also three of four passing for 45 yards. On the game the Mohawks had 282 yards in total offense, to 128 for the Bobcats.

With the win the Mohawks end their season at 3-7 and in sixth place in the final 3A-3 standings. Meanwhile, the Bobcats end the season winless at 0-10 after enjoying several years of playoff appearances.

In the final standings Cave City took first in conference, followed by Harrisburg, Rivercrest and Earle. Those four teams all advanced to postseason play and will be taking part in the first round this week. Meanwhile, the Mohawks finish above Manila and Corning in the final standings..and for fans of the Tribe the prospects look good for 2010 as the core of the team were underclassmen and should be returning next fall.