~East Prairie junior running back gains 340 yards on ground
CARUTHERSVILLE -- East Prairie's M.C. Williams continued his late season surge, running for 340 yards and five touchdowns in the Eagles' 54-26 win over Caruthersville Thursday night.
Playing in cool, wet conditions, the Eagles wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, scoring on their first possession when Williams ran the ball in from 18 yards out, giving the Eagles a 6-0 lead.
Caruthersville answered when Jovon Haggerman scored from one yard away and after the two-point conversion the Tigers held an 8-6 lead.
Williams answered with a 40-yard touchdown run minutes later and after the two-point conversion the Eagles led 14-8. Caruthersville tied the game with 5 seconds remaining in the first quarter when quarterback Jake Van Ausdall scored from 4 yards out. However, on the ensuing kickoff, East Prairie's Tony Jones returned the ball 80 yards and after a Williams two-point conversion run East Prairie led 22-14.
The Eagles would not trail again as Williams added a 1-yard run and a two-point conversion with 8:02 left in the first half put East Prairie ahead 30-14. Caruthersville added a 54-yard touchdown pass from Van Ausdall to Rashad Fields to cut into the Eagle lead 30-20 at the half.
But the second half was all Eagles as Williams scored two touchdowns from 12 and 13 yards while Jordan Jarrett added a 4-yard touchdown run as part of his 72 yard rushing performance.
Caruthersville (0-9) added a score on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Van Ausdall to Roy Leasure.
With the win, East Prairie (2-7) moves to 1-1 in Class 2, District 1. A Charleston win tonight against Malden would clinch the district for the Bluejays while a Malden win put both Charleston and the Greenwave at 1-1 along with East Prairie.