HOT SPRINGS, Ar. — Class 4A’s top-ranked Malvern was lucky to escape Lakeside Friday night with a win.
Two controversial scoring plays favored the Leopards, including a two-point pass attempt by Lakeside with 1:00 left. The play was ruled a trapped reception, and Malvern went on to win, 35-34.
The decisive play really came on the final play of the first half. Dyelon Caradine caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sedrick Allen, who was two yards past the line of scrimmage when he released the ball.
“The play at the end of the second quarter proved costly,” said Lakeside’s first-year head coach Garren Rockwell. “I’ve been coaching for a lot of years, and sometimes you’re going to get those calls and sometimes you’re not. I thought it was a bad call.
“I’m more proud of the way the kids fought in the second half. I blame myself for not getting the kids prepared early. Malvern is a good football team.”
Leopards never trailed with fast start
Lakeside (2-1) fell behind early, 14-0 and 21-7. A 15-yard touchdown run by senior Kylar Wolf made it 14-7. Wolf scored again with 1:08 left in the first half on a 30-yard pass from Jacob Hermosillo. Wolf would catch eight passes for 101 yards. Hermosillo completed 16-of-27 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns.
Turnovers kept both teams off the scoreboard in the third quarter.
The Rams climbed closer to the top when Hermosillo passed to a wide open Ryan Ballard for a 38-yard TD. Three minutes later Hermosillo scored on a spectacular 32-yard run. Caleb Vilines booted the tying point with 4:11 remaining. It took the Leopards 2:05 to answer. Senior all-stater Jalen Dupree scored on a 19-yard run, his third TD. Dupree rushed for 252 yards on 30 carries.
Malvern (2-1) piled up 434 yards, 321 in the first half. The Rams had 389 total yards.
“We’re open next week, with a TV game the following Thursday against Camden Fairview,” said Rockwell. “We need the time off to get ready for Fairview.”