Yellowjackets' loss positions Wolves for postseason

PEARCY — A 36-0 mercy rule win over Sheridan Friday on senior night at Wolf Stadium gave Lake Hamilton a firm grip on the sixth and final playoff spot in the 6A-West.

The Wolves (5-3, 2-3) are in the playoffs barring a Yellowjacket (2-6, 1-4) win over Benton or Greenwood in the final two weeks coupled with Lake Hamilton losing out.

The Yellowjackets failed to take advantage of two Wolf fumbles and a shanked punt that positioned them in Lake Hamilton territory on three consecutive first half drives. They made only one first down on the three series and settled for errant 26- and 32-yard field goal attempts.

Lake Hamilton seized the initiative after the second miss, with sophomore quarterback Layne Warrick hitting halfback Braden Broughton in stride on a deep post route that went for a 65-yard score with 7:33 to play in the half. It was the Wolves’ second play of 20 yards or more in the half, putting them ahead 14-0.

Warrick was also in on the other chunk play, scoring from 35 yards out on a quarterback sneak that busted open on the Wolves first drive and staked them to a 7-0 lead with 10:07 to play in the first quarter.

Save the two big plays, the Wolves struggled to move the ball in the first half, as Yellowjacket penetration caught them behind the line of scrimmage seven times.

The ground game got on track after halftime, with the Wolves gaining 189 of their 281 rushing yards in the second half. Junior Malik Brewer led the way, picking up 70 of his game-high 110 yards and two touchdowns after intermission. He scored on a pinballing 16-yard run at the 5:28 mark of the third quarter to put the Wolves ahead 21-0. Junior safety Pearson Hafer’s interception and 21-yard return set up the score.

Sophomore bruiser Carlos Brewer concluded the scoring on a tackle-busting 59-yard run up the gut that triggered the mercy rule and running clock with 6:30 to play. He finished the night with 83 yards on seven carries.

Junior Alden Lucas’ 65 yards on 13 carries accounted for the bulk of Sheridan’s 98 yards of total offense. On defense, the Yellowjackets were led by senior Montana Korte’s game-high 11 tackles.

Senior outside linebacker Kanaan Williams’ seven stops led the Wolves, followed by Braughton’s six. Braughton also positioned Lake Hamilton for its first and fourth scores with punt returns of 15 and 18 yards.

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