The Dardanelle Sand Lizards controlled the Clarksville Panthers in the first half and led 24-3 at halftime.
But Clarksville held Dardanelle to just a touchdown in the second half and scored 21 points but came up just short as the Sand Lizards claimed a 31-24 non-conference win Friday night at Whitson-Morgan Stadium at Metheny Field.
Clarksville (1-2) got the game's opening kickoff but later punted to Dardanelle (2-1). The Sand Lizards got to the Panther 15, where Carter Chandler took the shovel pass from Elyas Carter for the touchdown. Temo Martinez added the point-after kick for a 7-0 lead with 10:14 left in the first quarter.
Clarksville got a first down on its next drive, but on the punt, the snap went past the punter and got back to the Panther 13. But the Panthers kept Dardanelle out of the end zone and forced Martinez to kick a 25-yard field goal for a Sand Lizards 10-0 lead with 7:42 to go in the first quarter.
Clarksville got on the scoreboard with a 31-yard field goal with 1:16 remaining in the first quarter. The score at the end of the stanza was 10-3 in favor of Dardanelle.
Carter got loose on a 35-yard run down to the Panthers 1. Chandler crossed the goal line a play later, and the Martinez PAT gave the Sand Lizards a 17-3 advantage with 7:30 left in the second quarter.
A 15-yard personal foul penalty on Clarksville advanced Dardanelle to the Panthers 13. Carter reached the end zone on first down with 47 ticks left on the clock. The Sand Lizards led 24-3 at the halftime break.
Clarksville scored its first touchdown on the first series of the third quarter. The Panthers got about a 50-yard run down to the Dardanelle 14. A couple of plays later, Colton Gregory scored from seven yards out, and the PAT made the score 31-10 with 7:42 showing in the third quarter.
Carter connected with Tate Vestal on a 14-yard touchdown pass for a 31-10 lead with 9:43 to go in the fourth quarter after the Martinez PAT.
Clarksville wasn't going down without a fight, however. Gregory got loose and ran down to the Sand Lizards 4. Quarterback Nicholas Butler took it into the end zone on the next play, and the Panthers were within 31-17 with 7:37 remaining in the game.
Dardanelle was forced to punt from its 31, and Clarksville took over with under 3:30 showing. After the Panthers got into Sand Lizards territory, Buckner hit the right side and scampered 40 yards for the touchdown. Clarksville pulled within 31-24 with 2:50 to go in the fourth quarter.
Dardanelle was forced to punt again, and the Panthers needed to cover 80 yards in 1:13 to have a chance to tie the game. But the Sand Lizards defense held Clarksville to only two yards and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs. Dardanelle took a knee to run out the clock.
The Sand Lizards open 4A-4 Conference play next week at Keenan Field when they host the Dover Pirates. Clarksville will enter 5A-West Conference action and travel to Farmington.


Read more: The Courier - Your Messenger for the River Valley - Sand Lizards hold off Panthers 31 24