The University of Arkansas at Monticello entered Saturday’s Homecoming Game against the East Central Tigers attempting to snap their two game skid after falling in two consecutive contests to Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University.
Both teams were nationally ranked.
Also on the line for the Weevils was a chance to snap a Homecoming losing streak. The Weevils last Homecoming victory came during the 2019 season with a 31-28 win over Southern Nazarene University.
The Weevils would not play in the 2020 season due to Covid restrictions and would lose their Homecoming games in 2021, a 34-0 loss to Ouachita Baptist, and in 2022, a 26-23 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
The Weevils entered Saturday’s contest with a 2-2 record with East Central coming to Monticello with a 1-3 record.
UAM would win the opening coin toss and would elect to receive the football.
East Central kicked the ball 41 yards with the ball going out of bounds with head coach Hud Jackson making the call to take the ball at the UAM 35.
Redshirt Freshman Buddy Taylor would get the start at quarterback for the Weevils with Demilon Brown on the sideline with an injury.
Glen Cage would get the call for the first carry of the contest, carrying the ball seven yards on the opening play of the contest.
Cage would gain six yards on the next play, but a holding penalty against the Weevils would bring the ball back to the UAM 32.
Taylor’s first pass of the contest was completed to Jovonnie Gibson for a gain of 24 yards and a first down.
Isaiah Cross caught a pass for eight yards.
After an incomplete pass, Caleb Jacobs rushed for three yards and a first down.
The Weevils drive would stall on the next set of downs with UAM attempting to go for it on fourth down that resulted in an 11-yard loss on a sack, turning the ball over on downs at the East Central 45.
East Central could not get anything going offensively with UAM forcing the Tigers to punt.
The Tiger punt would travel 35 yards with the Weevils taking possession at their own 15.
UAM was only to gain six yards on their possession with Zachary Grisotti’s punt travelling 54 yards to the East Central 25 with the Tigers returning the ball six yards to begin their drive at the East Central 31.
UAM would force East Central into a 3rd and 10 situation with the Tigers gaining yardage out to the 50 for a first down.
East Central advanced the ball to the one-yard line with Jaren Hendricks taking the ball in from one-yard out for the East Central score.
Tommy Yousey added the extra point to give East Central a 7-0 lead with 3:39 remaining in the first quarter.
The score would remain 7-0 for the remainder of the quarter with East Central gaining a first down at the end of the quarter.
East Central would turn the ball over on downs after the East Central quarterback was hurried by Monticello’s T. C. Ravine forcing an incomplete pass.
UAM’s first drive of the second half would push the ball into East Central territory with Buddy Taylor’s pass being intercepted by Jimmy Pitts at the goal line, returning the ball back to the UAM 21.
East Central could not take advantage of the turnover as the UAM defense forced the Tigers to punt from the UAM 12 with the Weevils taking over at their own 44.
East Central forced UAM to punt the ball away, with UAM forcing East Central into a punting situation on their possession.
On the East Central punt, UAM’s Gregg Hooks would block the Tiger punt, recovering the ball at the ECU two.
Jovonnie Gibson advanced the ball to the one, with Arlie Lee covering the yard on the next play to give UAM the score.
Grisotti added the extra point with UAM tying the contest, 7-7, with 4:22 remaining in the half.
ECU started their next drive at their own 26 with UAM’s Johnny Taylor sacking quarterback Zy Gravitt for a three-yard loss.
On the next play, quarterback Jaiave Magalei connected with Isaiah Willhoite for a 77-yard touchdown strike.
After the successful extra point, East Central retook the lead 14-7.
East Central would add an additional score before the end of the half with Magalei connecting with C. J. Moore for a 12-yard touchdown.
After the extra point, the Tigers extended their lead to 21-7.
East Central would receive the ball to start the second half, and would increase their lead to 28-7 after a 37-yard touchdown pass and extra point.
The Weevils would cut the lead in half on their next possession.
Kristian Gammage gained 38 yards on the first carry of the second half.
UAM advanced the ball down to the ECU one where Arlie Lee took the ball in for his second touchdown of the day.
Grisotti added the extra point to cut the lead to 28-14.
UAM pulled within a touchdown to start the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Gammage and a Grisotti kick put the score at 28-21.
East Central extended the lead to 35-21 with 3:59 remaining in the contest.
UAM would answer the Tiger score with a touchdown on a one-yard run by Jovonnie Gibson.
Grisotti added the extra point to make the score 35-28 with six seconds remaining in the contest.
The score would be the final score of the contest.
With the win, East Central improves to 2-3 with the Weevils falling to 2-3.
Buddy Taylor would pass for 217 yards with two interceptions.
Isaiah Cross led the Weevils with 83 yards receiving.
Gammage led the Weevils in rushing with 68 yards and a touchdown.
Arlie Lee would have two rushing touchdowns and Jovonnie Gibson had one rushing touchdown on the day.
Zachary Grisotti added four extra points.
The Weevils will travel to Durant, Oklahoma to face Southeastern on Saturday with a 2 pm kick scheduled.
