Fountain Lake Strikes Early, Answers Cutter Rally in Battle of Gorge
Fountain Lake 48, Cutter-Morning Star 31
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK — Fountain Lake scored three first-quarter touchdowns and answered every Cutter-Morning Star push in a 48-31 Battle of the Gorge victory Friday.
Quarterback Cooper Buss opened the scoring with a short touchdown pass to Peyton Harwood, and Nate Jordan added the extra point. Fountain Lake then recovered an onside kick and immediately went back to Harwood for another touchdown. Kase Haire’s two-point conversion made it 15-0.
Cutter answered with Jackson McGlone’s short touchdown run, but Fountain Lake closed the first quarter with Buss’ third touchdown pass to Harwood and led 22-6.
The Cobras added a rushing touchdown in the second quarter for a 28-6 advantage. Cutter’s defense created two takeaways before halftime when junior Slade Gilliam intercepted Buss twice. Jacob Smith then found Kingstyn Hollingsworth for a late touchdown, cutting the halftime margin to 28-12.
Cutter kept coming in the third quarter. Smith connected with Hunter Sanders for a touchdown to make it 28-18. Haire answered on the ensuing kickoff, returning it for a touchdown and restoring Fountain Lake’s lead to 35-18. Smith later scrambled for a touchdown, and Sergio Vasquez’s extra point pulled the Eagles within 35-25.
Cutter also recovered a third-quarter fumble to keep pressure on the Cobras. Fountain Lake stopped the Eagles on fourth down early in the fourth quarter, then finished a drive with a goal-line rushing touchdown for a 42-25 lead. Buss later hit Haire for another touchdown. Smith and Hollingsworth connected for Cutter’s final score.
Harwood finished with 12 catches for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Smith passed for more than 390 yards with three touchdowns and added a rushing score. Hollingsworth totaled 170 receiving yards and caught two touchdown passes. MaxPreps credited Smith with 402 passing yards, 30 rushing yards and one interception. McGlone finished with 61 rushing yards.
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
Fountain Lake – Peyton Harwood touchdown pass from Cooper Buss (Nate Jordan kick), Fountain Lake 7-0
Fountain Lake – Peyton Harwood touchdown pass from Cooper Buss (Kase Haire two-point conversion), Fountain Lake 15-0
Cutter-Morning Star – Jackson McGlone short touchdown run (Sergio Vasquez kick blocked), Fountain Lake 15-6
Fountain Lake – Peyton Harwood touchdown pass from Cooper Buss (Nate Jordan kick), Fountain Lake 22-6
2nd Quarter
Fountain Lake – Touchdown run, scorer not identified in the broadcast (conversion failed), Fountain Lake 28-6
Cutter-Morning Star – Kingstyn Hollingsworth touchdown pass from Jacob Smith (two-point conversion failed), Fountain Lake 28-12
3rd Quarter
Cutter-Morning Star – Hunter Sanders touchdown pass from Jacob Smith (two-point pass failed), Fountain Lake 28-18
Fountain Lake – Kase Haire kickoff return for touchdown (Nate Jordan kick), Fountain Lake 35-18
Cutter-Morning Star – Jacob Smith touchdown run (Sergio Vasquez kick), Fountain Lake 35-25
4th Quarter
Fountain Lake – Goal-line touchdown run, scorer not identified in the broadcast (PAT good), Fountain Lake 42-25
Fountain Lake – Kase Haire touchdown pass from Cooper Buss (PAT failed), Fountain Lake 48-25
Cutter-Morning Star – Kingstyn Hollingsworth touchdown pass from Jacob Smith (two-point conversion failed), Fountain Lake 48-31
Players Who Stood Out
Peyton Harwood, Fountain Lake WR — Caught 12 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. All three touchdown receptions came in the first quarter as Fountain Lake built a 22-6 lead.
Cooper Buss, Fountain Lake QB — Threw four touchdown passes, three to Harwood and one to Haire. He also converted a fourth-and-8 with a quarterback scramble during a fourth-quarter possession.
Kase Haire, Fountain Lake WR — Accounted for points three different ways: two-point conversion, kickoff-return touchdown and touchdown reception. His kickoff return immediately answered Cutter’s third-quarter touchdown.
Jacob Smith, Cutter-Morning Star QB — MaxPreps credited him with 402 passing yards, three touchdown passes and 30 rushing yards. He also scored a third-quarter rushing touchdown, accounting for four total touchdowns.
Kingstyn Hollingsworth, Cutter-Morning Star WR — Finished with 170 receiving yards and two touchdowns, scoring just before halftime and again in the final seconds.