News-Times Staff
PEARCY - El Dorado’s Shun Levingston scored on kickoff return, a pass reception and two runs from scrimmage Friday as the Wildcats pounded Lake Hamilton 28-6 in the conference opener. El Dorado improved to 2-2 overall while the Wolves fell to 3-1 on the season.
The start of the game was delayed about 15 minutes by lightning.
Levingston returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and the Wildcats never looked back, building a 21-0 halftime lead.
“We had a tough non-conference but you can tell it paid off because we played a team that’s 3-0 and I thought we were really good,” said El Dorado coach Scott Reed in his post-game interview. “To go all night and have no turnovers in this weather, it’s raining sideways and there’s lightning. They impressed me because they just stay in it and they love to play.”
Levingston accounted for 250 all purpose yards.
After his kickoff return and Greysen Hubbard’s PAT gave El Dorado a 7-0 lead with 11:47 left in the first, the senior hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Alex Hicks on fourth-and-8 with 2:40 left in the opening quarter.
Levingston would strike again on a 65-yard touchdown run with 3:55 left in the third.
The Wolves got on the board on a 6-yard TD run by Malik Brewer with 3:07 left in the game.
But, El Dorado answered when Levingston, on a fourth-and-1 play, took the hand-off, eluded a defender in the backfield and sprinted 50 yards for the touchdown with 1:53 remaining.
Hubbard was good on all four extra points.
El Dorado’s defense forced three turnovers, including two that stopped long Lake Hamilton drives. Chris Newton recovered a fumble at the Wildcats’ 9 in the first quarter. Calab Scott intercepted a pass at his own 25 and Clasine Miller recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter.
“To get the first conference game, this is huge. To be 1-0 in conference, we’re on the right track,” said Reed. “I’m really proud of our coaches and our kids for the way they handled the whole deal, the trip, and fought for each other.”