DARDANELLE — A renewed sense of urgency Friday night at Keenan Field spurred a West Fork defense that surrendered 21 points, 196 yards and 10 first downs during the first half of the Tigers’ 35-21 victory over Dardanelle.

That resolve held the Sand Lizards (3-4, 1-3) scoreless after intermission and keyed West Fork’s third straight win, setting the stage for a first-place showdown next week at undefeated Booneville (7-0, 4-0). The victor will enjoy supremacy in the 4-4A Conference.

Dardanelle quar terbac k Quayd Standridge ran for 109 of his 144 yards before halftime and engineered touchdown drives on all three of the Sand Lizards’ firsthalf possessions.

West Fork (6-1, 3-1) head coach Rodney Selph credited a change in attitude, not scheme, for the Tigers’ stingier defense in the second half.

“We didn’t change anything,” Selph said. “We changed our mindset and started playing hard. That was the biggest difference. They scored 21 in the first half and didn’t score in the second. Like I told them, ‘Now you see what happens when we play hard all the time.’”

A personnel shift and better discipline slowed the Sand Lizards’ readoption running game. Junior Zach Miller moved from defensive end to inside linebacker after halftime and collected two tackles for loss.

The Tiger defensive front’s eagerness to get up field created creases that Dardanelle exploited during the first half. Thegroup re-oriented themselves after halftime and played less vertically and more horizontally.

Big Andrew Preston (6-3, 300) held the point of attack from his nose tackle position, allowing inside linebacker Logan Genz, the Tigers’ leading tackler, to flow unimpeded to the ball.

“We did go to a bigger group,” Selph said. “I will say that. We did go to a group of bigger guys. We told them, ‘You have to press your guy and then make plays down the line.’

“They did that, and we did a lot better job defensively in the second half. I’m real proud of the guys. They played hard in the second half.”

On the back end, the Tiger secondary intercepted two passes. Lee Gaesswitz’s fourth quarter pick effectively ended the game, returning possession to the Tigers with fewer than eight minutes to play.

Tyler Dewitt’s interception on the West Fork goal line set up a 99-yard scoring drive that gave the Tigers a two-possession lead with 9:05 to play. Quarterback Isaac Muggy’s 90-yard scoring run on a weak side sweep sped West Fork to the twotouchdown lead. It was his second touchdown run of more than 80 yards this season.

Lead blocks from tailback Garrett Eakins and the fullback Genz cleared the way for Muggy. Pulling guards Taylor Shadrick and Zane Carroll also ran interference for Muggy.

“We kind of had a convoy out there,” Selph said. “Once [Muggy] gets in the open field, he’s pretty quick. I was just yelling at everyone not to block behind the play.”

Sports, Pages 5 on 10/22/2009

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