Trailing 12-8 at the half, the Joaquin 7th grade Rams had one more touchdown in them, but unfortunately so did the Arp Tigers, as a 10-point third-quarter deficit was too much to overcome as the Tigers escaped with an 18-16 victory at Ram Stadium Thursday night.
The Tiger 8th grade also had enough offense to pick up a win as Arp secured a 42-22 win later in the evening.
Both Joaquin Junior High squads are scheduled to play at West Rusk next Thursday. But with the renovations scheduled for the stadium and it not being used, it is unknown at this time where the games will be played.
Here's a rundown of Thursday's action at Ram Stadium:
Arp 18, Joaquin 7th 16 -- Nate Belrose scored on a 56-yard reverse with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to pull the Joaquin 7th grade to within 18-16, but a last-ditch effort by the Rams came up 20 yards short as time ran out.
Belrose led the Rams' ground attack with 101 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns on nine carries, while Peyton Martinez added 51 yards on seven carries. Jamarcus Watts added eight yards on two attempts.
Joaquin took an 8-0 lead with 2:58 left in the opening period when Belrose broke free on a 30-yard touchdown. On the play Martinez took the handoff from Brock Lawson and Martinez handed it to Belrose. The Martinez run drew the majority of the pursuit of the Tigers, which allowed Belrose to break free for the score. Lawson added the 2-point conversion and JJHS led 8-0.
It didn't take long for Arp to answer the score as the Tigers hit paydirt on a 47-yard touchdown pass just 30 seconds after the Joaquin score. But the Rams' defense tightened on the 2-point conversion and JHHS led 8-6 at the end of the opening period.
The Rams held on to their slim lead until just before the half when a Joaquin fumble turned into six more points for the Tigers. AJHS scored on an 11-yard run to end a 35-yard drive. The try for two failed with 17 seconds on the clock and suddenly Arp led 12-8.
It was two fumbles that hurt Joaquin in the first half, giving the Tigers excellent field position and, in the end, the lead at the break.
A 53-yard touchdown run by Tigers were the only points in the third quarter, but they were large ones as the score with 4:14 left in the quarter allowed AJHS to take an 18-8 lead heading into the final period.
Then, with 5:01 on the clock in the final quarter, Belrose took the double hand-off from Martinez and he broke free for a 56-yard TD run. Lawson added the two-point conversion and suddenly the Rams were within 18-16 with time remaining.
Arp ran down the clock, but then fumbled with 58 seconds remaining. Martinez picked up 24 yards to the Arp 34-yard line. But time ran out with Joaquin at the Arp 20-yard line.
The loss dropped the Rams to 2-3 on the year, 0-2 against District 9-2A D-II competition.
Arp 42, Joaquin 8th 22 -- Joaquin 8th-grade running back Nathaniel Retaumar rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries, but the Rams couldn't keep up with the scoring of Arp as the Tigers built a 30-8 lead at the half and then coasted to a 42-22 win at Ram Stadium Thursday.
Tanner Williams added 49 yards on the ground on 11 carries for Joaquin, while Coleman Dickerson picked up four yards and Cole Powdrill added a score and three total yards.
The Tigers turned an interception by Joaquin quarterback Trevor Baker into a 65-yard return for a score to put the first points on the board with 3:43 left in the first quarter. The 2-point conversion created an 8-0 lead.
Arp added a 59-yard TD run with 1:18 left in the quarter to boost the lead to 14-0. The Tigers extended their lead to 22-0 with 5:31 left in the half with a 41-yard run.
The Rams finally got on the board with 2:53 left in the half on a 41-yard touchdown run by Retaumar. Williams' 2-point conversion cut the Arp lead to 22-8.
But the Tigers boosted their lead back to 30-8 with 30 seconds left before the break on a 43-yard run.
The Arp lead was extended to 36-8 with 5:16 left in the third quarter with a 4-play, 63-yard drive, culminating in a 54-yard score.
Powdrill bounced in from one yard out with just 17 seconds left in the third. That scoring play ended a 7-play, 55-yard march. Baker then connected with Bryan Risinger for the 2-point conversion and the Rams entered the fourth quarter down 36-16.
Both teams scored once in the fourth. Arp scored on a 27-yard run with 3:32 remaining and Joaquin answered it with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Powdrill to Williams with 14 seconds left.
(Statistics provided by Darrell Martinez)