Mills edges Pine Bluff in two overtimes, pair of fights mars game
PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS — Ricardo Gaytan’s 20-yard field goal in the second overtime lifted the Mills Comets (6-1, 4-1 5A-Central) to a 24-21 victory over the Pine Bluff Zebras (5-2, 4-1) at Jordan Stadium.
Gaytan originally came on for a 25-yard field goal, but two offsides penalties by Pine Bluff pushed the ball to the 2-yard line setting up the winning kick.
Pine Bluff had a 3-yard touchdown run by Austyn Dendy in the second overtime wiped out by a holding penalty. Charleston Colins sacked Pine Bluff quarterback for a 10-yard loss and Landon Holcomb threw incomplete to Courtney Crutchfield on fourth and 27.
Mills got the ball in the first time and Zion Smith went up the middle on third down for a 2-yard run. Gaytan’s kick made it 21-14. Pine Bluff answered on a 4-yard run by Austyn Dendy for his second touchdown of the game. Maclin Hesier’s kick sent the game into a second overtime
The game was sent into overtime when Mills’ Achilles Ringo threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kammarion Ferguson with 2:08 left. After a dead-ball, unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty pushed the Comets back 15 yards on the extra point, Gaytan nailed it to tie the game at 14-14.
The Zebras had a chance to win it when Marquez Bentley went around the right end for a 57-yard touchdown run with 1:35 left, but a holding penalty wiped it out and the Zebras were forced to punt with 29 seconds left. Mills took a knee from its 30-yard line to send the game to overtime.
The end of the game was marred by a pair of fights between both squads after it was over.
3 Takeways
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--Jeff Halpern
Photos by Tommy Land