FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas - Fayetteville appeared to be down and out.
The Bulldogs had a chance to win Friday's game against Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) in regulation but missed a field goal, forcing overtime. BA then scored a touchdown to open the overtime session, and Fayetteville faced fourth down from the 10.
But Hank Hendrix, after being pressured, rolled to his right and found Catavion Taylor in the end zone for the touchdown. The Bulldogs then went for two and the win, and got it, as Kaleb Johnson barely crossed the goal line on a running play as they pulled off an 18-17 win Friday night at Harmon Field.
Right after Taylor's TD, the Bulldogs kicked the extra point. But the Tigers drew a penalty, and Fayetteville (2-0) decided to go for the win.
The Bulldogs brought in a heavy package, but the call went to Johnson, the Bulldogs' senior tailback. Hendrix received a high snap but got it to Johnson, who found space around the right side and got it in.
"Our play (is called) 'Monster,' and we put big bodies out on the field, and as soon as (Fayetteville coach Casey Dick) called that, I knew that the ball was going to come to me," Johnson said. "I just had to go in there and score that (two-pointer) and help the team win.
"I went to the outside, cut back to the inside, and got in there."
Hendrix, a junior who is in his first season at Fayetteville after transferring from Texas, finished 13-of-24 for 103 yards and two TDs. Johnson was the top rusher, going for 45 yards on 17 carries.
BA running back Octavian Roberson rushed for 129 yards on 19 carries. Senior quarterback Jeramiah Ssettimba was 6-of-12 passing for 50 yards. Five of those catches were from receiver Payton Lang, including a 14-yard TD in the overtime that gave the Tigers (1-1) a 17-10 lead.
But moments later, Hendrix made the throw, and Taylor, a senior receiver, was there to haul it in.
"That's my boy, he's always been like that," Johnson said of Taylor. "Ever since we were little, from third or second grade, he's always been that guy, so I always know he's going to make that play every time we get a chance to get it to him."
Fayetteville had a chance to win the game in regulation with a 30-yard field goal, but the kick went wide left, resulting in overtime.
The Bulldogs - who beat Cabot at home last week in their season opener - now get to enjoy this win a little longer, as they are off next week before traveling to Texarkana, Texas, on Sept. 19 to take on Texas High.
"We've been able to do a lot, and we have been since offseason and since summer workouts," Johnson said. "Then we've got a bye week next week and we've got two more weeks to prepare for another big game against Texas High."
Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from Fayetteville.
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FAYETTEVILLE 18, BROKEN ARROW 17 FINAL/OVERTIME
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OVERTIME
- GAME-WINNING 2-POINT CONVERSION FAYETTEVILLE. High snap, but Hank Hendrix hands it off to Kaleb Johnson, who just crosses the goal line to give Fayetteville the overtime win. (Fayetteville, 18-17 | F/OT)
- TOUCHDOWN FAYETTEVILLE. Hank Hendrix pressured, rolls to his right, and finds Catavion Taylor in the end zone. PAT is good, but there's a penalty on BA. Fayetteville is going to go for two and the win. (Broken Arrow, 17-16 | OT)
- Fayetteville faces fourth down at the 10. Time out.
- TOUCHDOWN BROKEN ARROW. Jeramiah Ssettimba finds Payton Lang in the corner of the end zone from 14 yards out. PAT is good. Fayetteville ball now. (Broken Arrow, 17-10 | OT)
- Broken Arrow will be on offense first.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Fayetteville attempts a 30-yard field goal but the snap is low and the kick goes wide left. We are headed to overtime.
- Hank Hendrix drops back and takes a knee at the 14. Time out with 2 seconds left. Bulldogs going to attempt a field goal here.
- Fayetteville has the ball at the 8 facing a third down. Time out called with 19 seconds left. Bulldogs may be settling for the field goal here.
- Fayetteville now has the ball at the BA 11 following the holding penalty. Time out with 57 seconds left.
- Fayetteville goes down to the 1 and appear to score on the next play, but is penalized for holding. We have 57 seconds left.
- Kaleb Johnson converts on a third-down running play, and Fayetteville has first-and-goal at the 2 with less than two minutes left.
- Fayetteville with a huge play, as Hank Hendrix finds Charles Whitlow over the middle and Whitlow races down to the BA 14 and a first down with four minutes left.
- BA gets it out to near midfield before the drive stalls. Tigers punt it away, and the ball rolls into the end zone for a touchback. Fayetteville ball with 6:35 left.
- BA's Colton Barlow with a huge sack, and Fayetteville eventually has to punt. Tigers take over near their 25 with nearly nine minutes left.
- Fayetteville faces a third-and-short near its 45 to start the final quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
- FIELD GOAL BROKEN ARROW. Tigers march 62 yards before stalling at the Fayetteville 9. Nick Irvine comes on to drill it from 25 yards out, and we are tied. (10-10 | :42, 3rd)
- Fayetteville driving again after forcing a punt, but on third down, BA defensive back Semaj Stanford lays a big hit on a Fayetteville receiver, knocking the ball away. Bulldogs then throw an incomplete pass on fourth down, and BA takes over at its 32 with 3:16 left in the quarter.
- TOUCHDOWN FAYETTEVILLE. And just like that, the Bulldogs regain the lead. Four plays after returning a kickoff 56 yards, Kinyun Johnson catches a 17-yard strike in the end zone from Hank Hendrix. PAT is good. (Fayetteville, 10-7 | 6:46, 3rd)
- On the ensuing kickoff, Fayetteville's Kinyun Johnson returns it 56 yards to the BA 32, and the Bulldogs have a chance to quickly regain the lead.
- TOUCHDOWN BROKEN ARROW. Tigers go 79 yards in 7 plays, and get on the board on a 2-yard keeper from Jeramiah Ssettimba. PAT from Nick Irvine is good. (Broken Arrow, 7-3 | 9:21, 3rd)
- Broken Arrow takes the second-half kickoff and quickly moves down the field and the Tigers have a first-and-goal at the Fayetteville 6.
HALFTIME
- Fayetteville had 143 yards of total offense in the first half (86 yards rushing, 57 passing). Broken Arrow held to 65 yards of offense (43 rushing, 22 passing).
SECOND QUARTER
- Fayetteville at the BA 45 with seven seconds left. But they just do a running play instead, and go into the locker room with a three-point lead at the break.
- Fayetteville converts on third down, a 17-yard pass from Hank Hendrix to running back Kaleb Johnson. Bulldogs at their 45 with 1:13 left.
- Broken Arrow drove down to the Fayetteville 25 before facing a fourth down. Tigers go for it and try a deep pass to the end zone, but it is incomplete. Fayetteville takes over with more than two minutes left in the half.
- FIELD GOAL FAYETTEVILLE. Lengthy drive for the Bulldogs stalls at the BA 5. Ethan Farthing, a freshman, comes on to kick it from 22 yards out. Bulldogs used up 7:29 of the clock on that series. (Fayetteville, 3-0 | 5:42, 2nd)
- Fayetteville converts on another third down and the Bulldogs are now near the BA 10.
- A nice, sliding catch from Kinyun Johnson on third down for 16 yards down to the BA 25, and Fayetteville is knocking on the door.
- Fayetteville converts on a third-down run and the Bulldogs have the ball at their 30 to start the period.
FIRST QUARTER
- Both teams have had three series. BA has punted on all three of its series, and Fayetteville punted twice and turned it over on downs inside the Tiger 35 on the other. Nearing the end of the quarter.
- Fayetteville has to punt again on its second series, but it's a good kick and gets a good bounce inside the 20. No score four minutes in.
- Broken Arrow also goes three-and-out and will have to punt. But before the Tigers kick it away, Fayetteville realizes it has 12 players on the field and has to call a time out.
- Fayetteville goes three-and-out on the opening series and will punt it away. Broken Arrow begins its first offensive series at the Tigers' 30-yard line.
- Broken Arrow will kick things off to Fayetteville and we are now under way.
PREGAME
- Fayetteville is wearing purple jerseys and black pants. Broken Arrow in black helmets but white everywhere else.
- Live from Fayetteville, in the shadow of the University of Arkansas campus, Fayetteville’s Bulldogs get set to take on the Tigers from Broken Arrow.
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