Huntley 9-3-22
42
LANE COLLEGE LC 0-1
48
Winner Arkansas Pine Bluff UAPB 1-0
LANE COLLEGE LC
0-1
42
Final
48
Arkansas Pine Bluff UAPB
1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LC LANE COLLEGE 7 14 14 7 42
UAPB Arkansas Pine Bluff 17 10 21 0 48

Game Recap: Football |

Dragons come up just short at Pine Bluff

by Joel Worthington

PINE BLUFF, Ark. | The Lane College football team kicked off their 2022 season with a trip to Arkansas on Saturday to take on NCAA Division I member UAPB.

The Dragons wasted no time showing off their offense as Senior quarterback Michael Huntley found receiver Jacquez Jones on the third play from scrimmage for a 70-yard touchdown.

The Lions would answer back on their next three drives to make the score 17-7 as the first quarter came to a close.

Running back Ike Brown made it a one score game early in the second quarter when he punched it in from one yard out after a 45-yard reception from Virgil Young gave the visitors the ball on the inside the 1-yard line.

Brown would give Lane the lead again on their next possession when he took a screen pass from Huntley 30 yards to the end zone making the score 21-17.

The hosts answered with a field goal and then benefited from a short field after a good punt return from Raequan Prince to regain the lead 27-21 headed into halftime.

UAPB then returned the opening kickoff of the second half 85 yards for a touchdown.

Vyron Brown's offense quickly responded with a four play, 65-yard drive capped off by another 1-yard touchdown run from Ike Brown.

The Lane defense seemingly stopped the Lions on the next possession but a roughing the passer penalty on third and long extended the drive for UAPB. They took advantage of the mistake and scored three plays later to go up 41-28.

O'Joshua Bunton set the Dragons up nicely, taking the ensuing kickoff back 65 yards to the UAPB 36-yard line however Brown was stopped on 4th-and-goal as Lane turned the ball over on downs to the Lions.

The defense stepped up three plays later as Tyshun Gaiter forced a fumble and Jeffrey Johnson scooped it up and took it into the end zone to bring Lane to within six.

Prince again gave the hosts great field position with a 21-yard return and the Lions took advantage, scoring in just five plays and covering 52 yards.

The teams swapped defensive stops highlighted by a interception from Flakewood Tucker when the Lions were driving. Tucker returned the pick 37 yards and on the next play, Huntley hit Bunton on a 49-yard strike to make the score 48-42 with just under 13 minutes left to play in the game.

The defense stepped up the next two possessions, forcing a punt and a missed field goal that gave Lane the ball with a chance to score and take the lead with 5:02 left in the game.

Huntley orchestrated a drive that moved the ball into UAPB territory, but a false start on 4th-and-1 set the Dragons back and the senior signal-caller was sacked on fourth down to give the ball back to the Lions with 1:49 left to play. UAPB would run out the clock and avoid the upset.

Senior defensive end Andrew Farmer had a career day on the defensive side of the ball. The preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the SIAC registered 12 tackles including 6.0 tackles for loss and one sack.

Jeremiah Brown was in on 14 tackles and Nijul Canada finished with 11 stops.

Huntley finished 15-for-21 with 328 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Bunton was the top receiver, catching five passes for 110 yards while Jones had four grabs for 106 yards.

The Dragons will be at home next Saturday when they host Benedict College at Lane Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 PM.