After carrying the ball 29 times last week (Sept. 9) versus El Dorado, senior tailback Preston Pianalto looked for his carries “to be cut in half” this week versus Cabot (1-2), Sept. 16, with junior tailback Tucker Lee returning from a minor MCL injury. Not only did Pianalto have his carries cut in half, buy they dropped by nearly 90 percent.
“Well, at first I didn’t know what was going on, and then coach told me, ‘we can throw on these guys all day long, so there’s no point of risking an injury’,” said Pianalto. “Then, at halftime, he said that me and Tucker were done for the night.”
Even though Har-Ber (2-1) wasn’t entirely effective on the ground, the air attack was, putting up 49 total points against Cabot’s 20.
With the Wildcats still splitting time between senior quarterbacks, it was Jon Vaughn who shone bright on this night. Vaughn finished the night with 221 yards and two touchdowns, on 11 of 13 passing. He also put one in from five yards late in the third quarter on the ground.
“They’re the best high school receiving core in the south, all of them could go to the next level,” said Vaughn. “They just make my job and Austin’s job really easy.”
Not to be misled on what Vaughn did, senior quarterback Austin Mayfield also added in his share of stats. Mayfield completed only four of seven passes thrown, but two of which were dropped. He would finish the night with 77 yards and a 24-yard strike to junior wide receiver Nick Byrne, in the first quarter.
“When you play Cabot, you have to know your assignment and who you’re suppose to get,” said Vaughn. “And we did that.”
Har-Ber opened the game with a throw first mentality that moved the ball down field in just two plays. Both went to senior wide receiver Michael Fine, with the second landing him on the three yardline. Senior Evan Johnson punched it in from there to put the Wildcats up 7-0.
After Cabot looked as if they would drive the distance of the field to tie the game at seven, junior cornerback Hunter Patrick came up with the Cabot fumble and took it 74 yards to the house.
“I think it was a key stop for our defensive unit,” said Patrick. “Our coaches prepared us for what Cabot was going to run, which put me in the right place at the right time.”
Facing the Cabot running game, was grueling for some, but others it was just another test for conference rushers in the near future.
“It was hard to tell who had the ball in the backfield with three of them back,” said senior linebacker Luke Hanson. “And to add to things, their lineman were very physical.”
After the 28 point outing in the first quarter of play, Har-Ber would put up three more scores throughout the game, but were not in need of them at any point, going on to win 49-20.
Fine would end the game with 108 receiving yards; his second 100 yard game of the season.
Following his 139 yard game, Pianalto rushed for just 11 yards in this one, dropping his per game average by 36.5, to 84 YPG.
Next week, Har-Ber takes on cross-town rival, Springdale High (0-3), who’s coming off a 38-16 loss to North Little Rock.
