ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - For the sixth time in the last seven meetings, the Battle of the Ravine was decided by one score. This time, the Henderson State Reddies came out on top.
For the first time since 2015, (RV) Henderson State defeated No. 10 Ouachita Baptist, snapping the Tigers' six-game winning streak in the series, 31-27. Both 2015 and 2023 victories were by four points.
The Reddies controlled the ball for 39:35 while converting 13-of-18 third-down conversions. Saturday served as Henderson's longest time of possession for a single game in GAC history and matched the most third-down conversions for a game in the same time span.
The last time HSU saw 13 third-down conversions? 2015 in a win against Ouachita Baptist.
In a rivalry game where special teams always plays a major factor, the Tigers missed two extra-points while failing on a fake punt. Henderson converted all of its extra-points and hit on one of its two field-goal attempts.
Elijah George played his best game of the season with six receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown, including three third-down conversions in the first half, while
Chris Hatzis had a team-high seven receptions for 67 yards.
With the help of George and Hatzis, Henderson's offense overcame a slow start. After starting the game 1-for-5 on the first two drives, quarterback
Andrew Edwards completed 20 of his final 24 passes the rest of the way.
The Reddies' two sack-leaders proved true again Saturday as
Gary Lewis and
Dylan Ndambuki were responsible for HSU's two sacks on the afternoon, including Lewis' strip-sack late in the contest that helped put the finishing touches on the streak-ending victory.
Ouachita Baptist got the scoring started in the 96th Battle of the Ravine, taking the ball 66 yards in five plays on the opening drive for the early 6-0 lead after the snap on the extra-point was fumbled. Henderson was forced into a three-and-out on its first drive as the momentum was all on the home side.
The momentum quickly changed on the Tigers' next possession as OUA quarterback Riley Harms overthrew his intended target, finding the hands of HSU defensive back
Kirby Owens II before bringing it back to the Ouachita 34-yard line.
Edwards cashed in his first touchdown of the game five plays later, made possible by George's first third-down conversion of the opening 30 minutes of game time on a diving back-shoulder throw. A
Kolby King converted extra point put HSU on top, 7-6.
Ndambuki's sack came on the ensuing OUA drive to force the first punt of the game for the home team before Henderson sent away its second punt of the contest. A short punt gave the Tigers a short field, which they made good on for the 13-7 lead.
Facing its second deficit of the game, the Reddies put together the longest drive of the game up to that point as Edwards found tight end
Cayden Davis down the middle of the field for 22 yards to cap off an 11-play, 67-yard drive to retake the lead, 14-13.
Teams traded off punts the remainder of the first half as Henderson took the slight lead to the locker room. Up ahead for head coach
Scott Maxfield and his team was the best third-quarter of the season.
The Reddies had two drives in the third period that lasted a total of 10 minutes and 46 seconds, both of which resulted in back-breaking touchdowns for the Tiger home crowd. After a
Cameron Thomas 41-yard kickoff return to open the second half fueled the first touchdown, a
Korien Burrell one-yard touchdown plunge capitalized on a 12-play, 48-yard series to extend the lead to 28-13.
The second Ouachita mistake on special teams came 11 seconds in the fourth quarter. Needing to cut into the Reddie lead with 15 minutes remaining in the classic rivalry, Tiger kicker and 2021 Battle-of-the-Ravine hero Gabe Goodman missed a 24-yard field goal to keep the 28-13 tally.
Henderson responded with its longest drive of the game, converting on four third-downs as part of a 17-play, 66 yard drive that lasted 8:56 - HSU's longest drive of the season - before King made his field-goal try of 31 yards for the 31-13 lead.
With just over five minutes remaining, Henderson's defense came up with the biggest play of the game. Lewis came around the edge and blindsided back-up Ouachita quarterback Eli Livingston, knocking the ball free before
Jakob Neel pounced on it as victory was in sight.
Henderson was able to take an additional 1:27 off the clock until a missed field-goal after the turnover yielded a Tiger touchdown and two-point conversion to cut the lead to 10 before a successful onside kick opened the door for another touchdown, leaving OUA an extra-point away from getting within three points with 44 second remaining.
The third and final Ouachita Baptist special teams mistake occurred as Goodman missed his first extra-point of the season, being 54-for-54 heading into the game, for the Tigers' second unsuccessful point-after try of the game.
The Reddies corralled the purple-and-yellow's next onside kick attempt, putting into motion the celebration surrounding a Battle of the Ravine victory.
Henderson St. closes the 2023 regular season with its second nine-win season of the last three campaigns, highlighting by its first Battle of the Ravine victory since 2015.
