Thunderbirds Ground Eagles, Clinch Trip To 2A Title Game

Cross County 27, Des Arc 8

Cross County’s defense and ground game carried the Thunderbirds to the Class 2A state championship game with a 27-8 semifinal win over Des Arc on Friday night in Cherry Valley.

Senior slot back/safety Braxton Armstrong opened the scoring on Cross County’s first possession, capping a quick march with a short touchdown run. After the failed conversion, Des Arc answered late in the first quarter when junior quarterback Hudson Goodman slipped free on a 20-yard keeper, and fullback Jamie Collins powered in the two‑point run for an 8-6 Eagles lead.

From there, the Thunderbirds controlled the line of scrimmage. Junior running back/linebacker Caden Crawford and senior fullback/linebacker Dayvion Simmons churned out tough yards between the tackles, setting up Armstrong’s second rushing score early in the second quarter for a 12-8 halftime advantage.

Cross County seized control in the third. Senior quarterback Kale Searcy finished a grinding drive with a four‑yard keeper, then fired a two‑point pass to senior tight end/defensive lineman William Bezzard to push the margin to 20-8. Senior linemen Parker Duncan, Makel Ward and Kaleb Hendrix led a front that twice turned back Des Arc in the red zone, including a recovery after a bad exchange.

Des Arc continued to lean on Collins and senior running back/defensive back Cane Childers, who combined for drive‑sustaining runs, but the Eagles could not finish late possessions. Crawford provided the exclamation point with a fourth‑quarter touchdown run, and senior defensive back Christopher Halk’s interception helped seal Cross County’s 11-2 trip to Little Rock.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
Cross County – Braxton Armstrong run (run failed), Cross County 6, Des Arc 0
Des Arc – Hudson Goodman 20-yard run (Jamie Collins run), Des Arc 8, Cross County 6

2nd Quarter
Cross County – Braxton Armstrong 5-yard run (conversion failed), Cross County 12, Des Arc 8

3rd Quarter
Cross County – Kale Searcy 4-yard run (Searcy pass to William Bezzard), Cross County 20, Des Arc 8

4th Quarter
Cross County – Caden Crawford run (Jake Brooks kick), Cross County 27, Des Arc 8

Standout Players

• Caden Crawford, RB/LB, Cross County – Physical workhorse between the tackles; capped the night with a late touchdown.

• Braxton Armstrong, SB/SS, Cross County – Two rushing touchdowns and repeated edge runs that flipped field position.

• Kale Searcy, QB, Cross County – Directed the offense, adding a short rushing score and a key two‑point pass.

• Jamie Collins, MLB/FB, Des Arc – Inside hammer for the Eagles, scoring the two‑point conversion and fueling multiple long drives.

• Hudson Goodman, QB/LB, Des Arc – Provided Des Arc’s lone touchdown on a 20-yard keeper and kept the option game alive.