Late quarterback keeper for touchdown leads Haltom past L.D. Bell
Whenever Haltom needed a big play Friday night, quarterback Adam Hill was able to deliver.
No play was bigger than Hill’s 9-yard keeper with 2:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. The scoring run, his second of the game, lifted the Buffalos to a 28-21 victory against Hurst L.D. Bell in a District 3-6A game at Pennington Field.
With the victory, Haltom (4-5, 2-3) keeps its playoff hopes alive headed into the regular-season finale Nov. 8 at San Angelo Central. Bell (3-6, 1-4) closes the season Nov. 8 at Weatherford.
Hill’s big night is the biggest reason why the Buffalos still have something to play for. He rushed 25 times for 149 yards and two scores, and completed 10 of 15 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.
The scoring pass was a 44-yard bomb to receiver Jace Washington that gave Haltom a 21-14 lead with 11:33 left in the fourth quarter. The go-ahead score was set up by a 29-yard interception return by Buffalos defensive back Johnny Smith-Rider.
Bell, which committed two costly turnovers in the fourth quarter, fought back to tie the game at 21 with 5:01 remaining. Quarterback Landry Choate, whose apparent 34-yard touchdown run earlier in the quarter was wiped out by a holding call, rushed for 26 yards to the Haltom 5. Xavier Hall scored on a 4-yard run two plays later to tie it up.
Hall needed just 3 minutes to march Haltom 67 yards for the winning score. The senior rushed for 11 yards on third-and-4 at the Bell 46. A facemask penalty added 15 more yards to the play, giving the Buffalos a first down at the 20.
Kenneth Cormier Jr., who rushed for 107 yards and a score, gained two yards on third-and-2, giving Haltom a first down at the Blue Raiders’ 9. Hill called his own number on the next play, powering into the end zone. Cormier and Hill accounted for all of Haltom’s 256 rushing yards.
Bell, whose 280 yards of offense came entirely on the ground, reached Haltom territory in the final minute. But the Buffalos snuffed out the attempted rally with a fumble recovery at their 35 with 24 seconds left.
The Blue Raiders (3-6, 1-4) and Buffalos were knotted up at 14 at the half. The two teams traded touchdowns out of the gate. Haltom went 66 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 6-yard keeper by quarterback Hill with 9:10 left in the first quarter. Hill rushed for 52 on the drive and 120 in the opening half.
Bell needed just five plays to go 73 yards for the tying score. On third-and-1 at the 36, wide receiver Christian Gadison rushed for 53 yards to the Buffalos’ 11. On the long play, Gadison broke a tackle at the 40, then sprinted down the left sideline before eventually being forced out of bounds. Choate scored on a 6-yard run two plays later.
It didn’t take long for Bell to find the end zone again. After a three-and-out by Haltom, Gadison fielded a punt at his 23 and raced 77 yards to the end zone for a 14-7 lead with 5:20 remaining in the first quarter.
Haltom’s next two drives went deep into Bell territory, but the Buffalos missed on field goal tries of 35 and 43 yards. Undaunted, Hill and the Buffalos drove back into Bell territory a third straight time. And this time, they weren’t denied.
Cormier scored on a 1-yard run out of the wildcat with 1:28 remaining in the second quarter. That score was set up by Hill’s 9-yard run down to the 1. Hill, who lost his helmet on the play, and Cormier combined for 178 yards and 37 carries in the first half.
This story was originally published November 1, 2019 at 10:25 PM.