Harding Academy holds off Rivercrest: Arkansas high school football Class 4A state final recap

The game came down to Rivercrest's final possession after it erased a large deficit

Harding Academy looked poised to run away with the Class 4A state championship game Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium, but Rivercrest had other ideas. 

The Colts erased a 19-point halftime deficit found themselves only down 8 with the final possession. 

However, the Wildcats (15-0) thwarted a final potential scoring drive and escaped with a 43-35 win in front of 4,733 fans,

Harding Academy junior quarterback Owen Miller was the game's MVP passing for 362 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 36 yards and a score. 

Running back Koby Turner led the Colts (12-3) with 232 yards rushing and three TDs. 

Photo by Tommy Land

See game details below. 

FOURTH QUARTER

--FINAL, Harding Academy 43, Rivercrest 35

--Washington's pass complete to Young, who gets out of bounds at Harding 32 as time expires.

--Washington's pass complete to Young, who doesn't get out of bounds. 

--Backwards pass to Koby Turner, who gets to Rivercrest 48, pitches ball forward, pushes ball back to Rivercrest 43, sets up 3rd and 6. I 0:28

--False start, Rivercrest, sets up 2nd and 15 from 33.

--Washington incomplete to Young. I 0:38

--Washington picks up 9 yards, gets out of bounds. I 0:46

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington pass to Jakavion Williams broken up by Jack Citty.

--Rivercrest Cavonta Washington complete to Jayden Yong for 9 yards, gets out of bounds. I 0:56

--Harding's Griffin Thomas coming on for 40-yard FG. No good. Rivercrest takes over on its 20. I 1:01

--Harding takes timeout with 1:05 left.

--Wyatt Simmons direct snap for loss of one. Hafding facing 4th and 6.

--Harding's Owen Miller slides at 21. Harding facing 3rd and 5. Timeout Rivercrest, last one. I 1:50

--Harding's Trenton Hall gain of 1. Timeout Rivercrest, second one. I 1:59

--Holding Harding, pushes Wildcats back to 33 facing 1st and 16. Timeout Rivercrest. I 2:04

--Facing 3rd and 2, Kyler Hoover picks up 6, first and 10 Harding at Rivercrest 26.

--Trenton Hall slips, but gets first down on 2-yard gain. First and 10 Harding at Rivercrest 39. I 4:23

--Harding's Owen Miller complete for Endy McGalliard to 50 for gain of 18. I 5:17

--Cavonta Washington complete fo Jakavion Williams, stopped at Harding 32. Harding ball. I 5:54

--Harding's Tanner Simmons sacks Cavonta Washington at Harding 37. sets up fourth and 27.

--Koby Turner hands ball back to Cavonta Washington, sacked by Jack Roberts at Harding 32.

--Jayden Young 31 yards on reverse to right, first and 10 Rivercrest at Harding 39.

--Tekylun Sanders blocks Griffin Thomas' 41-yard field goal, Mike Facson recovers. Rivercrest has first and 10 on its 30. I 8:17

--Encroachment on Rivercrest, creates 4th and 15 on Rivercrest 23, setting. up 41 yard field goal for Harding.

--Kyler Hoover drops a first down pass inside the 10, setting up fourth down at Rivercrest 28

--Holding penalty on Harding pushes them to 3rd and 20 on the Rivercrest 28.

--False start pushes Harding to 3rd and 25 on its 33.

--Block in the back, pushes Harding back to the Rivercrest 28, creating 2nd and 20.

--Holding on Rivercrest, Harding has first and 10 at Rivercrest 35.

--After facemask on Rivercrest, Harding has first and 10 at Rivercrest 45.

--Rivercrest Marcus Slayton 3 run, Johnson PAT good. Scoring drive 3-28-0:38 (Harding Academy 43, Rivercrest 35, 10:18)

--Facemask on Harding, first down at Rivercrest 4.

--Holding on Harding, first and 10 Rivercrest at Harding 18.

--Griffin Thomas punt blocked by Tekylun Sanders, recovered by Mike Facson. Rivercrest first and 10 at the Harding 28, 10:56

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller's pass complete to Jack Citty, who fumbles. Harding Academy's Jack Seger recovers, setting up fourth and 4, Harding punting.

THIRD QUARTER

End of third quarter, Harding Academy 43, Rivercrest 28

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner takes pitch to the right, passes 6 yards to Marcus Slayton for touchdown. Johnson adds extra point. Scoring drive: 15-81-5:31. (Harding Academy 43, Rivercrest 28, 0:48.)

--Facing fourth and 6 from the Harding 29, Rivercrest going for it. Cavonta Washington completes to Jayden Young for 19 yards to Harding Academy 10. I 1:32. Ruling upheld by instant replay.

--Facing fourth and 8 from the Harding 46, Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington completes 13-yard pass to Koby Turner to Harding 33.

--Griffin Thomas 34 FG. Scoring drive: 13-50-2:55. (Harding Academy 43, Rivercrest 21, 6:19)

--Miller sacked on third down, nullified by personal foul on Rivercrest giving Harding Academy a first down at the Rivercrest 43. I 8:07

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner bounces outside 57 yards for touchdown to the left side. Josh Johnson good on PAT. Scoring drive 1-57:09. (Harding Academy 40, Rivercrest 21, 9:14).

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller 27 yards around left end for touchdown. Griffin Thomas makes PAT. Scoring drive: 10-80-2:37. (Harding Academy 40, Rivercrest 14, 9:23)

SECOND QUARTER

--Halftime, Harding Academy 33, Rivercrest 14

--After a 15-yard facemask penalty, Harding Academy takes over first and 10 on its 43. I 0:26

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner goes left side for 24-yard touchdown run. Josh Johnson good on PAT. Scoring drive 7-43-1:17 (Harding Academy 33, Rivercrest 14, 0:33)

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner takes direct snap on fourth and 1 at Harding 34, picks up first down after measurement. I 1:15

--Rivercrest's Kash Spann intercepts Owen Miller at Harding 43. I 1:50

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington pass incomplete to Koby Turner on fourth and 5 at the Harding 17. I 1:54

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington pass complete for 33 yards to Buddah Harris to Harding Academy 21.

--Harding Academy's Trenton Hall 1 run. Griffin Thomas good on PAT. Scoring drive 3-25-:24. I (Harding Academy 33, Rivercrest 7 I 5:01)

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller's pass complete to Jack Citty for 25 yards to Rivercrest 1. 

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington's pass on fourth and 4 from its 26 incomplete to Jakavion Williams. Alex Jones defends. I 5:25

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller completes 61-yard pass to Kyler Hoover for touchdown which was tipped. Miller's pass incomplete on 2-point conversion. Scoring drive 2-64-:36 (Harding Academy 26, Rivercrest 7 I 6:50)

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner 4 yard touchdown run. Josh Johnson good on PAT. Scoring drive: 11-81-4:48. (Harding Academy 20, Rivercrest 7 I 7:26)

--Rivercrest's Koby Turner carries 40 yards to Harding Academy 4. I 7:30

--Facing fourth and 2 on its 28, Koby Turner takes pitch to right and picks up first down at Rivercrest 30. I 10:38

FIRST QUARTER 

--End of the first quarter, Harding Academy 20, Rivercrest 0.

--Rivercrest's Jakavion Williams intercepts Harding Academy's Owen Miller at Rivercrest 19. I 0:14

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington sacked by Timothy Roberts on 4th and. Harding takes over on its 39. I :54

--Facing 4th and 9 from the Harding 31, Rivercrest calls timeout.

--Rivercrest moves from its 21 to Harding 31 thanks to 2 pass interference calls.

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller rolls right, throws 50 yards to Jack Citty for touchdown. Griffin Thomas misses PAT. Scoring drive 6-80-1:29. I (Harding Academy 20, Rivercrest 0, 3:41)

--Harding Academy's Alex Jones recovers Koby Turner fumble at Rivercrest 20. I 5:10

--Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington 39 yard pass to Michael Rainer to Harding Academy 13.: 7:32

--Harding Academy's Jack Citty 7 yard pass from Owen Miller. Griffin Thomas makes PAT. 3-10-:31 on scoring drive. (Harding Academy 14, Rivercrest 0, 7:32)

--Harding Academy's Wyatt Simmons intercepts Cavonta Washington, returns 10 yards to Rivercrest 10. I 8:03

--Harding Academy's Owen Miller 27 yard pass to Kyler Hoover over the middle for touchdown. Griffin Thomas makes the PAT. Scoring drive, 8 plays, 86 yards, 2:26 I (Harding Academy 7, Rivercrest 0, 8:23)

--Rivercrest goes 3 and out, Harding starts on its 14. I10:49

--Rivercrest's Michael Rainer returns opening kickoff 55 yards to the Harding Academy 47.I11:51