ARKADELPHIA -- Henderson State staged a late comeback Saturday to get within two yards of potentially tying the game with Arkansas-Monticello, but the drive stalled on the goal line and the Reddies fell, 24-17, at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium and Ruggles Field.
The Reddies (5-5) trailed by 15 points with more than 10 minutes remaining in Saturday's game. Monticello (5-5) got a 21-yard touchdown pass with 10:24 to play to take a commanding 24-9 lead heading into the home stretch.
Doug Johnson gave the Reddies a boost on the ensuing kickoff with the team's best return of the year out to the Monticello 47-yard line. Henderson staged a nine-play, 47-yard scoring drive capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Richard Stammetti to Chase Lodree on fourth-and-10. The score was the second fourth down-conversion of the drive for the Reddies.
Instead of kicking the extra point, Henderson came through with a trick play for the 2-point conversion. Running back Logan Moragne took the snap and pitched to Lodree, who found Stammetti all alone in the end zone to make it 24-17 with 8:02 to go.
After the two teams traded empty possessions, the Reddies got the ball back at their own 32-yard line and marched down the field, eventually moving all the way down to the Monticello 2-yard line with one minute to play. A procedure penalty on first-and-goal proved costly as it backed Henderson up to the 7-yard line. The Reddies threw four straight incomplete passes into the end zone to turn the ball over on downs and end the game.
Ben Johnson led the way for the Reddies with nine receptions for 118 yards, while Stammetti ran for a touchdown and completed 30 of 62 passes for 360 yards with one score and two interceptions. Robert Thomas had seven tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss to lead the Henderson defense. Bryston Gipson and Malik Brown both had interceptions.
The Reddies outgained the Boll Weevils, 422-363, but had just 62 yards rushing and threw two interceptions. The first interception was returned 52 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and proved to be the difference in the final score.
Henderson's final game of 2018 comes Saturday when the Reddies face unbeaten and No. 4 Ouachita Baptist (10-0) in the 92nd Battle of the Ravine. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium and Ruggles Field.
Sports on 11/04/2018