Big plays offensively spurred the Durant Lions but ultimately they had little answer for an explosive Broken Bow attack in a 42-34 nondistrict loss last week at Paul Laird Field.
Sophomore quarterback Greydon Howell was a virtual one-man wrecking crew while accounting for 470 yards of total offense and six touchdowns as a spectacular dual threat option.
The Lion defense was solid on first and second downs most of the night but couldn’t find a way to contain the lightning-quick playmaker after that as he converted 13 of 15 third down opportunities along with one out of two on fourth down.
“I thought we played really hard and with a lot of resiliency tonight,” head coach Todd Vargas said. “We moved the ball very well in the air and on the ground. We had a great game plan and were really efficient. The defense played good enough on first and second down but on third downs we struggled. We just couldn’t get them off the field. The quarterback was just too elusive. He just willed his team to win.
“We’re never going to see a quarterback this good in our district. We’re still a good team and we believe in them. We had a two-point conversion chance with under two minutes left to take the lead. We just came up short.”
Howell drove the Savages 74 yards in 11 plays on the game’s opening possession for a 7-0 lead before the Lions quickly answered when Stephen Maynard bolted 45 yards to paydirt on his first carry of the night. The extra point attempt was botched after a bad snap to leave the hosts down by a point.
Broken Bow came right back with a 72-yard march that covered 13 plays with the signal caller running for his second score of the night with 10:38 left in the half.
The Lions attempted to answer again before stalling on downs at the Broken Bow 42, opening the door for another methodical march by the Savages that took 10 plays and resulted in Howell’s third rushing score of the evening.
Cole Robbins connected with Ryder Jones for an 80yard scoring bomb moments later that narrowed the gap to 21-12 with 1:27 left in the second frame.
Jones squelched Broken Bow’s next drive with an interception and the Durant offense moved to the Savage 30 before running out of time in the half.
Manhard was right back at it on the initial play of the third period, bolting 75 yards to paydirt, and Robbins’ twopoint conversion run cut the deficit to 21-20.
Axel Thurman recovered the ensuing onside kick at midfield but the Lions’ bid to take the lead bogged down in Broken Bow territory.
The Durant defense responded with a stop of its own on fourth down, getting the ball back at the Durant 31 with five minutes left in the quarter. A Savage penalty and a nicely executed 38-yard catch and run by Aiden Polk setup Jaxon Cuesta’s nine-yard touchdown burst.
A Robbins conversion pass to Joseph Flores gave the Lions their first lead at 28-21 with 3:10 to go in the quarter.
That margin was short lived however as three Howell completions guided the Savages down the field and his fiveyard scoring toss managed to tie the game less than three minutes later.
Despite a march into Broken Bow territory, the Lions were unable to answer with a score and turned the ball over downs. The Savages took advantage and Howell’s 11-yard touchdown pass moved them ahead with four minutes left.
Robbins hit four passes on the ensuing Durant possession, capping a 65-yard drive with a 29-yard scoring toss to Jayden Rangel with 1:51 remaining. The Lions went for the lead with a two-point try but Robbins’ pass went incomplete.
Howell capped the scoring with a 68-yard touchdown run on third-and-long, but left 41 seconds in the game and Durant only trailing by eight.
The Broken Bow stalwart completely slammed the door on Durant’s Homecoming comeback hopes three plays later with an interception on defense.
Manhard finished with another strong effort out the backfield with 11 carries for 155 yards with Jones also eclipsing the century mark receiving with five grabs for 111 yards.
Robbins notched a careerbest 247 yards through the air, hitting on 16 of 26 attempts.
The Lions travel to Arkansas for just the second time in school history for their next outing Friday night at Gravette, which improved to 2-0 on the year last week with a 45-6 blasting of Class 3A Jay, Oklahoma.
Durant’s only other trek into Arkansas was in 1984 when the Lions defeated Nashville, 21-14.
