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Harding University Athletics

UAM Story Image
Jeff Montgomery
21
Ark.-Monticello UAM 0-4 , 0-4
47
Winner Harding HU 4-0 , 4-0
Ark.-Monticello UAM
0-4 , 0-4
21
Final
47
Harding HU
4-0 , 4-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UAM Ark.-Monticello 0 0 14 7 21
HU Harding 3 9 28 7 47

Game Recap: Football | | by Scott Goode (9/26/15)

Huge Third Quarter Leads 12th-Ranked Harding Football Past Arkansas-Monticello

SEARCY – Harding scored 28 points in the third quarter, junior quarterback Park Parish rushed for four touchdowns and sophomore slotback Zack Shelley had 202 all-purpose yards as the 12th-ranked Bisons defeated Arkansas-Monticello 47-21 on Saturday at First Security Stadium.

Records
Harding improved to 4-0 overall and in the Great American Conference. The Bisons have started three of the last four seasons perfect through four games. The Bisons are now 31-7 all-time in GAC games and have won eight straight. Harding has won five straight over Arkansas-Monticello.

The Weevils fell to 0-4 overall and in the GAC.

Scoring Plays
Harding 3, Ark.-Monticello 0 – 0:02, 1st Quarter – Tristan Parsley 33-yard field goal. 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:19 (Key play: 32-yard pass from Park Parish to Andrew Dather on the first play of the drive).
Harding 9, Ark.-Monticello 0 – 8:29, 2nd Quarter – Park Parish 4-yard run. 6 plays, 41 yards, 2:55 (Key play: Zach Shelley 12-yard rush to set up 1st-and-goal).
Harding 12, Ark.-Monticello 0 – 0:00, 2nd Quarter – Tristan Parsley 34-yard field goal. 8 plays, 47 yards, 1:11 (Key play: Zach Shelley 15-yard rush on 3rd-and-10).
Harding 19, Ark.-Monticello 0 – 14:40, 3rd Quarter – Park Parish 19-yard run. 1 play, 19 yards, 0:06 (Key play: Touchdown came after Zach Shelley's 72-yard kickoff return on the opening kickoff of the second half).
Harding 19, Ark.-Monticello 7 – 12:07, 3rd Quarter – Kevin Beckwith 17-yard pass from Hunter Leppert. 5 plays, 76 yards, 2:27 (Key play: Jeremy Jackson 31-yard rush one play before the touchdown).
Harding 26, Ark.-Monticello 7 – 7:50, 3rd Quarter – Park Parish 1-yard run. 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:11 (Key play: 36-yard pass from Park Parish to Andrew Dather).
Harding 33, Ark.-Monticello 7 - 2:53, 3rd Quarter – Park Parish 17-yard run. 8 plays, 61 yards, 3:56 (Key play: 13-yard run by Michael Latu on the first play of the drive).
Harding 33, Ark.-Monticello 14 – 2:33, 3rd Quarter – Jalen Tolliver 90-yard pass from Hunter Leppert. 1 play, 90 yards, 0:14 (Key play: touchdown came on the first play of the drive).
Harding 40, Ark.-Monticello 14 – 0:38, 3rd Quarter – Eric Kelly 47-yard pass from Park Parish. 8 plays, 61 yards, 3:56 (Key play: 24-yard run by Zach Shelley on the play prior to the touchdown).
Harding 40, Ark.-Monticello 21 – 7:28, 4th Quarter – Trevon Smith 7-yard pass from Hunter Leppert. 6 plays, 71 yards, 2:21 (Key play: 38-yard pass from Hunter Leppert to Cody Bordelon).
Harding 47, Ark.-Monticello 21 – 2:25, 4th Quarter – Michael Latu 2-yard run. 11 plays, 69 yards, 5:02 (Key play: Park Parish 23-yard pass to Zach Shelley).

Key Team Stats
Harding had the ball for 40 minutes, 36 seconds to Arkansas-Monticello's 19:24. It was the most since Harding held the ball 43:58 last season at Henderson State. Harding ran 83 plays to Arkansas-Monticello's 50.

Harding rushed for 333 yards and rushed a season-high 70 times, scoring five rushing touchdowns. The Bisons have 125 rushing touchdowns in the last three seasons and have allowed only 17.

Arkansas-Monticello had only 19 rushing attempts, tied for the fewest ever by a Harding opponent. The Bisons held the Weevils to only 28 rushing yards. It was the 10th time in Harding's last 15 games that it held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing.

Harding had 519 yards of total offense and have gained 1,144 yards in the last two games.

Harding's defense had a season-high four sacks, recovered two fumbles and intercepted two passes.

Key Individual Stats
Park Parish became only the fourth Harding player ever to score four rushing touchdowns in one game. The last to do it was Keenan Kellett against Arkansas-Monticello in 2013.

Parish also became the first Harding player ever to score three or more rushing touchdowns in a game three times in one season. Parish had three rushing touchdowns against Southern Nazarene and Southern Arkansas. He has 11 rushing touchdowns this season, tied for fifth in a Harding single season after only four games. The Harding record is 17 rushing touchdowns by Alan "Snake" Dixon in 1972.

Junior Michael Latu rushed for a career-high 95 yards on 19 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown.

Sophomore Zach Shelley had 202 all-purpose yards. He rushed for a career-high 90 yards on seven carries, had a 23-yard reception and returned two kickoffs for 89 yards, including a 72-yard return on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Andrew Dather led Harding with three receptions for 82 yards. He has 10 receptions this season for 305 yards. Junior Eric Kelly had two receptions for 81 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown. He had a career-high 103 all-purpose yards.

Junior Corey Bassett had his first career interception, and redshirt freshman Tony Becton became the first Bison this season with two interceptions.

Junior defensive end Madison Firman set career highs with 3.0 tackles for loss, including 2.0 sacks.

Arkansas-Monticello quarterback Hunter Leppert completed 16-of-24 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Jalen Tolliver had three receptions for 129 yards, including a 90-yard touchdown reception that was the longest ever by a Harding opponent at First Security Stadium.

Weevil linebacker Ofisa Kose led all players with 14 tackles.

Up next
Harding goes on the road next Saturday to play Ouachita in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Kickoff will be at 11 a.m. and the game will air on the American Sports Network.


 





by Jeff Montgomery and Sterling McMichael

Posted by Harding Sports on Saturday, September 26, 2015
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