Sylvan Hills 50, Russellville 0

SHERWOOD — Sylvan Hills opened 6A-West play in style Friday night, blanking Russellville 50-0 at Bill Blackwood Field.

Senior quarterback Tyler Hampton set the tone, connecting on long touchdown passes to Tyler Blakely (67 and 60 yards) and later hitting Lacobe Brent and Ryan Parham for scores. Hampton finished with four touchdown throws, spreading the ball around as the Bears built a 42-0 halftime lead.

Running back Isaiah Howell provided balance, breaking free for touchdown runs of 44 and 14 yards. His 44-yarder showcased both power and speed as he slipped two tacklers and outran the defense. In the third quarter, cornerback Brian Dixson added the exclamation point, scooping up a fumble and sprinting 90 yards for a defensive touchdown.

Russellville found some rhythm at times behind running back Quay Prince and receivers Julius Thompson and Jayden Foster, but drives stalled deep in Bear territory. The Cyclones’ best chance came on a 40-yard field goal attempt late in the first half that fell just short.

Defensively, Sylvan Hills suffocated Russellville. Linebacker Marcus Herd delivered multiple tackles near the line, while Malachi Summons applied constant pressure off the edge. The Bears even recovered a surprise onside kick in the first half, a symbol of their aggressive approach under head coach Mark Kelley.

With the win, Sylvan Hills improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2016, while Russellville dropped to 0-3 and will regroup before conference play continues.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
Sylvan Hills – Hampton 67-yard pass to Blakely (Reece Taylor kick), 7-0
Sylvan Hills – Hampton 60-yard pass to Blakely (Taylor kick), 14-0
Sylvan Hills – Howell 44-yard run (Taylor kick), 21-0

2nd Quarter
Sylvan Hills – Howell 14-yard run (kick failed), 27-0
Sylvan Hills – Hampton 8-yard pass to Brent (Jeremiah Carrethers run), 35-0
Sylvan Hills – Hampton 30-yard pass to Parham (Taylor kick), 42-0

3rd Quarter
Sylvan Hills – Dixson 90-yard fumble return (Maurice Phillips run), 50-0

Players Who Stood Out

• Tyler Hampton, QB, Sylvan Hills — 4 TD passes

• Tyler Blakely, WR, Sylvan Hills — 2 long TD catches

• Isaiah Howell, RB, Sylvan Hills — 2 rushing TDs

• Brian Dixson, CB, Sylvan Hills — 90-yard fumble return TD

• Marcus Herd, LB, Sylvan Hills — defensive leader with key stops