Shiloh's 4A top-ranked and eighth-ranked overall football team opened the Blackhawks' football season and handed the locals a 55-13 setback in a non-conference game.
The game was also the varsity debut for sophomore quarterback Gavin Dixon who compiled some credible stats, completing 12 of 19 passes for 211 yards, passing for one touchdown. Sophomore Seth Foster led the rushing attack with 38 yards on eight totes with sophomore Caden Thompson scoring a touchdown while rushing for 35 yards.
Senior Trevor Blair caught a 35-yard touchdown in addition to two other catches, with senior Will Anderson snagging seven passes for 126 yards.
After the opening kickoff to Shiloh, it took just one play for the visitors to score from the Pea Ridge 27. Shiloh quarterback Eli Wisdom hit Cooper Hutchinson for the score into the left corner of the end zone, though it took several minutes for the score to be rung up. Officials had flags on the field but after several consultations with players milling about the field, the referees decided that the touchdown stood and the guests were out ahead 7-0 with 7:41 left in the first.
The Hawks threatened to tie the score marching deep into Shiloh territory. Dixon registered the Hawks' first first down on the Hawk 39 after a 14-yard scramble. Three plays later, Dixon threw a strike to senior Will Anderson who picked up 36 yards to the Shiloh 29.
With Anderson open in the end zone, Shiloh's defensive back grabbed the back of Anderson's uniform before the ball got there to prevent the completion. An interference flag was thrown, but then another flag was thrown against Pea Ridge so the play was erased, resulting in a repeat of down. With the Hawks' success through the air, the visitors decided to crack down on pass defense and they eventually forced a turnover on downs.
Shiloh's first play was a 2-yard loss, followed by an incomplete pass. The third time was a charm as Wisdom connected with Brody Neal for a 66-yard gainer to the Hawk 10. Wisdom then flipped a pass to Carter Holman on the next play for their second score and a 14-0 lead with 6:39 left in the first period.
The Hawks regrouped to drive into Shiloh territory again, started by a 4-yard run by junior Evan Anderson then a 43-yard bomb to Will Anderson to the Shiloh 41. Another rushing play netted 10 yards to the Shiloh 31 but the ball was knocked loose and the guests recovered. Five plays later, Wisdom scored from 13 yards out to boost the Shiloh lead to 21-0 with 4:36 left in the quarter.
Blair got off a good kick return to the Hawk 22 to start the next possession. Foster bulled for 6 yards to the 28 then a Dixon to Anderson pass netted 4 yards and a first down on the 32. Foster then rushed for 12 yards to the 44 and another first down. Dixon then found Anderson open again, and the ensuing pass was good for 11 yards and a first down on the Shiloh 45.
Another short pass by Dixon netted 4 yards to the Shiloh 41, and two plays later the Hawks were trying to beat the clock before the end of the quarter, when a flag was thrown. Even though there seemed to be more time on the play clock than the game clock, the Hawks were assessed a penalty for delay of game. Inexplicably, the referees then let the clock run out, even though the clock was supposed to stop on the penalty. On the first play of the second quarter, Dixon completed a pass to Blair but not enough to move the chains on a third and 13 play.
A shanked punt then gave the guests the ball on their own 39. Wisdom's first pass was errant, but the second one wasn't as his throw to Ben Baker picked up 46 yards to the Hawk 15. Two plays later, Wisdom sneaked in from the 2 to score Shiloh's fourth touchdown and grab a 28-0 lead with 10:11 left in the half,
The Hawks went to a ground attack, using Thompson to batter the Shiloh line. Three rushes left the Hawks inches short of a first down at their own 28, forcing a punt. The guests took over at midfield, and on the first play, Wisdom connected with Malachi Henry to score Shiloh's fifth touchdown. The kick was good, with Shiloh reaching the Mercy Rule point, taking a 35-0 lead with 8:05 left in the half.
The Hawks took over at their own 20 and after a short gain on a Dixon to Will Anderson pass, Shiloh seemed to commit interference yet again but no flag, forcing another Hawk punt. Once again, Shiloh scored on their first play with Wisdom hooking up with Hutchinson for a score, raising the score to 42-0 with 6:09 left.
Pea Ridge could not move the ball on their next possession, with Shiloh taking over on their own 47 and scoring in three plays with an 11-yard run by Cameron Arellano getting to the end zone. The kick was good and Shiloh led 49-0 with 4:18 left.
The Hawks' next possession did not start well with a 5-yard penalty. However, runs of 9 and 6 by Foster picked up the first down on the Hawk 30. Dixon got another pass to Will Anderson but once again, the Shiloh defender resorted to interference which was called this time. With new life on the Hawk 45, two Foster forays netted 7 yards to push across midfield to the Shiloh 47. The drive went by the boards on the next play when Shiloh pulled off an interception and soon the half expired.
The Hawks took over on their own 33 following Anderson's 21-yard return. Sophomore Cody Morales rushed for four to the 37 and then another bizarre officiating gaffe happened. Dixon hooked up with sophomore Bowen Phillips for a 33-yard pass to the Shiloh 30. Flags were flying so the players trooped back up to the original line of scrimmage. After a while of discussing, officials waved off the flags but no one marked where the play actually stopped. The referees settled for a Hawk first down on the Shiloh 35. Where the ball or wasn't became academic as Blair broke free inside the left corner of the endzone where Dixon dropped a pass into his hands and the Hawks' first score with 8:36 left in the third period. It appeared that Blair made the point after kick but the referees signaled neither made or missed. The score was then left as was, 49-6.
The kickoff to Shiloh set off more confusion when the referees were unsure whether or not the kickoff touched a Shiloh player before going out of bounds near the 25. The decided to place the ball at the Shiloh 35. After two penalties were assessed on successive plays, the Hawk defense knocked the ball loose to recover on the Shiloh 31.
The Hawks were assessed a 10-yard penalty on the first play, and a 5-yard run by Dixon and a 5-yard offside penalty against Shiloh had them in a third and 10 on the 31. With a passing play a near certainty, Shiloh scored their first and only sack of the game, hanging a 10-yard loss on the quarterback and forcing a punt.
Shiloh then decided to stay with a ground game and run out the clock and they succeeded, starting from their own 12 and marching 88 yards in nine plays to score their last touchdown. With 5:46 left in the game, Shiloh had mounted a 55-6 advantage.
With the clock rapidly running out, the Blackhawks ran Thompson three time to net 9 yards and a fourth and 1. Dixon hit Blair with a 14-yarder and a first down on the Shiloh 39. After a short gain by Thompson, Dixon threaded a pass to Will Anderson that gained 20 yards to the Shiloh 16. Passes to Anderson and Phillips earned the Hawks a first down on the Shiloh 2 where Thompson bulled it in to score with 5 seconds left on the clock. Blair booted the PAT and the final score was 55-13.
Coming off an injury plagued and a pandemic hamstrung season, the Blackhawks played well for a first game. Facing one of the top passing teams in the state regardless of class, Hawk defenders weren't fooled and had receivers covered for the most part, but Shiloh boasts of a very effective receiving corps.
The Hawks will be on the road and playing up a class as they take on the 6A Siloam Springs Panthers Friday, Sept. 3.
