Robinson edges A-J 21-20 in Class 3A playoff action

The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team got off to a good start in its IHSA Class 3A playoff game at Robinson Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Wildcats scored on their opening drive but couldn’t keep host Robinson from scoring three unanswered touchdowns in a 21-20 loss to the Maroons.

Damian Reed got A-J off to a good start with a good return on the opening kickoff. Reed scored on a 4-yard run on the tenth play of the drive. Dakota Earnhart’s extra-point kick gave the Wildcats a 7-0 first quarter lead.

“We got momentum early on that first touchdown drive,” A-J football coach Brett Detering said. “We then get in the red zone (inside opponent’s 20-yard line) and we don’t get in. That’s something that has plagued us this year.”

The Wildcats moved the football down to the 5-yard-line on their next possession but fumbled and the Maroons recovered.

“It’s unfortunate: we made mistakes and turned the ball over,” Detering said.

A-J had stopped Robinson’s potent rushing attack on the home team’s first possession deep in A-J territory, but the Maroons failed on a fourth down play, giving the ball back to the Wildcats.

Both teams traded punts  before the Maroons’ offense began clicking. Robinson  quarterback Bucky Stevens connected with fullback Nick Berty on a long pass to move them deep into A-J territory. Running back Joe Smith then scored on a 3-yard run.

Kicker Darin Cox then lined up to kick the extra point. He then took the snap and threw a pass to Smith for the two-point conversion. The Maroons led 8-7 with 3:58 remaining in the second quarter.

The Wildcats had a trick play of their own on their next drive when Reed was able to pick up a first down on a fake punt attempt. The drive ended after Robinson intercepted quarterback Jay Kemp’s pass near midfield.

Smith scored five plays later on a 43-yard run. The successful extra-point kick gave the Maroons a 15-7 lead with just 30 seconds remaing in the first half.

A-J’s defense forced Robinson to punt on its first possession of the second half and began the drive with good field position after a good punt return by Taylor Anderson.

The Wildcats were able to move the ball down to the 15-yard-line but was unable to convert on a fourth down play, giving possession of the ball back to the Maroons.

“We came out the second half and moved the ball,” Detering said. “We just didn’t get in.”

A-J’s defense stopped Robinson on a fourth-down-and-long yardage play near the end of the third quarter to get the ball back.

The Wildcats scored on a nine-play early in the fourth quarter. Reed had a good run and then Kemp threw a 22-yard pass to Anderson to move the ball to the 1-yard-line.

Kemp scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Earnhart’s extra-point kick pulled A-J to within 21-14 with 10:40 remaining in the game.

The Maroons were forced to punt on their next possession, but the Wildcats fumbled on the very next play.

Robinson was forced to punt again. Collin Prather had a good punt return for A-J.

“Our defense had a strong second half,” Detering said.

Kemp scored on a 3-yard run after a long drive.

The Wildcats’ extra-point kick attempt was blocked after a high snap from center. The Maroons led 21-20 with just 2:10 remaining in the game.

“It was a high snap,” Detering said, “but you have to execute and it doesn’t come down to one play. There are a lot of plays throughout the game.”

The Wildcats attempted an onside kick but were unable to recover the ball before it went out of bounds.

A-J did get the the ball back, but was deep in its own territory after the Robinson punt.

“It gave us a chance on the onside kick,” Detering said. “We were just unable to recover it. They pinned us deep with that punt.”

The Wildcats moved the ball on their last possession but just ran out of time. Kemp completed passes to Anderson and Noah Fuller to get the ball to near midfield.

Robinson’s Jason Richart, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards during the regular season, was held to just 27 yards against A-J. The Maroons rushed for 128 yards in the game and also had 191 yards passing.

“We were prepared to stop their running attack,” Detering said. “They were a challenge to us because of their running ability.”

Detering said Robinson’s passing game wasn’t expected to be much of a threat, but the Maroons had 85 more passing yards than the Wildcats.

Kemp was 6 of 21 passing for 104 yards and threw one interception. Anderson led A-J’s receivers with 45 yards on 2 catches. Zane DeWitt caught 2 passes for 31 yards and Fuller caught one pass for 25 yards.

“It was a tough way to end the season,” Detering said. “You want to go a little further in the playoffs. We just didn’t come up with the big plays to keep it going.

“I felt like our kids got a lot to be proud of. They were fun to coach and I enjoyed working with them.”

The Wildcats will lose eight seniors to graduation. They finish the season with a 7-3 record. 


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