FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Nettleton vs. Batesville

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Brayden Morse

Nettleton offensive trio help edges out Batesville, 34-20

Delta Digital News Service

Sept. 22, 2023

JONESBORO, Ark. – Nettleton’s offensive trio helped edge Batesville as the Raiders beat the Pioneers 34-20 Saturday night at Raider Stadium.

Quarterback Maddox Hampton, running back TJ Brown and wide receiver Curtez Smith combined for four of the five Raider touchdowns.

Nettleton Head Coach Steven Hampton discussed his offensive trio and their performance.

“They ran hard, they ran great tonight and Maddox throwing the ball as well. We feel like we have some weapons and we just have to figure out ways to utilize them,” Hampton said.

“They ran hard, they ran great tonight and Maddox throwing the ball as well. We feel like we have some weapons and we just have to figure out ways to utilize them,” Hampton said.
Nettleton Head Coach Steven Hampton

After Nettleton failed to execute on their second drive of the game, they were forced to punt but recovered a fumble by the returner to put the Raiders at Batesville’s 20-yard line.

Brown converted on third down to put Nettleton in a goal-line situation. Smith then punched in a rushing touchdown to tie the game at seven early in the second quarter.

On Batesville’s next drive, they took advantage of the Raiders’ penalties allowing them to drive down the field . Running back Owen McLaughlin scored his second rushing touchdown for 15 yards as the Pioneers led 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

Batesville’s Owen McLaughlin (7) runs the ball against Nettleton during first-half action in Jonesboro, Friday, September 22, 2023.

Hampton connected with Smith for a 10-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14 late in the second quarter.

Right before halftime, Batesville found a way to kick a field goal to put them up 17-14.

The Raiders came out with a bang in the second half, with Hampton throwing a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Quordarius Thompson. Hampton ended the drive with a goal-line touchdown to put Nettleton up 20-17.

After the Raider defense stopped the Pioneer offense, a string of short plays for Nettleton resulted in another goal-line situation where Brown scored a rushing touchdown on a wildcat formation to increase Nettleton’s lead 27-17.

Back-to-back-to-back turnovers occurred on three straight drives between the two offenses, as Batesville eventually got the ball midway through the fourth quarter.

After a fourth down conversion by the Pioneers, their offense could not get anything else going as they had to settle for a field goal. Batesville minimized Nettleton’s lead 27-20.

The Pioneers were forced to kick an onside kick late in the fourth quarter, as the Raiders recovered at Batesville’s 45-yard line.

Running back Xavier Harrell sealed the win with a 22-yard rushing touchdown, putting Nettleton up 34-20 with about a minute left in the game.

Coach Hampton shared his positive takeaways from the win.

“The first half was about as ugly as it could be. There were not any pointing fingers, it was a lot of pulling together. There were a lot of guys saying hey we got this and we just need to clean it up. That is the biggest takeaway, it is just the mindset. If our guys can grasp a hold of that and come together as a team, I think the sky is the limit for this group,” Hampton said.

Nettlelton looks to get their second-straight conference win next game, as they travel to play Brookland.

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