Callahan’s 58-Yard Touchdown Lifts Russellville Past Southwest
Russellville 16, Little Rock Southwest 12
Sam Callahan answered Little Rock Southwest’s go-ahead touchdown with a 58-yard scoring run, and Russellville controlled the final 6:02 to secure a 16–12 victory Friday at Cyclone Stadium.
The Cyclones earned their first victory under head coach Derek Davis, moving to 1–3 overall and 1–0 in the 6A-West. Callahan rushed for 130 yards on 23 carries, Jesus Perez kicked three field goals, and Russellville blocked both Southwest extra-point attempts in a game decided by fourth-quarter execution.
Freshman quarterback Asher Swindle completed 7 of 13 passes for 82 yards in his first varsity start. Swindle became the first ninth-grader to start at quarterback for Russellville, according to the school’s account of Friday night’s game. Marcellus Olson-Patton supplied 101 yards from scrimmage, rushing 13 times for 57 yards and catching six passes for 44.
Russellville scored on all three first-half possessions. Perez opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal late in the first quarter. Olson-Patton helped sustain that possession with a 16-yard run on third-and-long and another third-down conversion inside Southwest’s 10.
Perez added a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter after Olson-Patton gained 10 yards on fourth-and-three. Swindle later found Olson-Patton for a contested third-down completion that moved the Cyclones into Southwest territory. Perez finished that possession with a 41-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining, giving Russellville a 9–0 halftime lead.
Southwest changed the game on special teams early in the third quarter. Jerrell Ware fielded a punt at his 20, cut through the coverage and raced 80 yards for a touchdown with 10:03 remaining. Levi Peoples blocked the extra point, keeping Russellville ahead 9–6.
The Gryphons threatened again following another long punt return, but Russellville stopped a fourth-and-goal run from the 3 for a 1-yard loss. Swindle subsequently connected with Parker Jackson for 38 yards on third-and-12, moving the Cyclones away from their goal line.
Southwest’s defense recovered a fumble in Russellville territory early in the fourth quarter. Brady Williams helped advance the ensuing possession with a 12-yard keeper, then scored from 1 yard on fourth-and-goal with 6:58 left. Jackson blocked the extra point, leaving Southwest ahead 12–9.
Jackson returned the kickoff 18 yards to Russellville’s 42. On the next snap, Callahan broke a tackle near the 45 and accelerated down the sideline for the winning touchdown. Perez’s extra point made it 16–12 with 6:40 remaining, just 18 seconds after Southwest had taken the lead.
Bryson White and Chase Bradford helped break up a pass on Southwest’s next possession, and the Cyclones forced a punt. Russellville then kept the ball until time expired. Callahan converted third-and-six with a 14-yard run, and Olson-Patton’s 7-yard carry supplied the final first down before two kneel-downs.
Russellville finished with 255 yards and 13 first downs while holding Southwest to 153 yards and seven first downs. Williams rushed 11 times for 48 yards and a touchdown and completed 7 of 12 passes for 31 yards. Jordyn Harge added 36 yards on eight carries, while Dallas Nelson caught four passes for 19 yards.
Scoring Summary
- First quarter: Russellville — Jesus Perez, 25-yard field goal. Russellville 3–0.
- Second quarter: Russellville — Perez, 36-yard field goal. Russellville 6–0.
- Second quarter: Russellville — Perez, 41-yard field goal. Russellville 9–0.
- Third quarter: Little Rock Southwest — Jerrell Ware, 80-yard punt return; extra point blocked by Levi Peoples. Russellville 9–6.
- Fourth quarter: Little Rock Southwest — Brady Williams, 1-yard touchdown run; extra point blocked by Parker Jackson. Southwest 12–9.
- Fourth quarter: Russellville — Sam Callahan, 58-yard touchdown run; Perez kick. Russellville 16–12.
Players Who Stood Out
- Sam Callahan, Russellville: 23 carries for 130 yards and the winning 58-yard touchdown; converted third-and-six with a 14-yard run on the final possession.
- Jesus Perez, Russellville: Field goals of 25, 36 and 41 yards, plus an extra point, accounting for 10 points.
- Marcellus Olson-Patton, Russellville: 13 carries for 57 yards and six catches for 44 yards; gained 7 yards for the final first down.
- Asher Swindle, Russellville: Completed 7 of 13 passes for 82 yards in his first varsity start, including a 38-yard third-down completion to Jackson.
- Parker Jackson, Russellville: One catch for 38 yards, a blocked extra point and an 18-yard kickoff return that set up Callahan’s winning touchdown.
- Levi Peoples, Russellville: Blocked the extra point following Southwest’s punt-return touchdown and returned the second-half kickoff 22 yards.
- Jerrell Ware, Little Rock Southwest: Returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown, bringing the Gryphons within 9–6.
- Brady Williams, Little Rock Southwest: Rushed for 48 yards on 11 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown for a fourth-quarter lead; completed 7 of 12 passes for 31 yards.