By Mike Battreall/For Daily Reporter
LAPEL — Eastern Hancock’s final postseason tuneup Friday night was exactly like what it will see next week — a difficult test.
The Royals hung with explosive Lapel for a half, but like EH quarterback Houston Swan was in the first 24 minutes, Bulldogs’ running back Tyler Dollar became hot after halftime.
Dollar’s 240 yards and three scores trumped Swan’’s three first-half touchdown passes, and EH fell 42-21 after leading by a point at halftime.
EH will take a 5-4 mark into next Friday’s Class 2A Sectional 38 match against visiting Centerville (8-0), ranked sixth.
“I think overall, we played great football,” EH coach Phil Morris said. “We’ve come a long way toward eliminating mistakes and just executing.”
The Royals did not turn the ball over, and the offense clicked in the first half, particularly in the air.
While Dollar on the other side was quietly picking up chunks of yardage, Swan and his receivers were on the attack in a big way.
EH recovered from a 14-0 deficit incurred in the opening four minutes, beginning right after Lapel’s second score.
Swan uncorked a 52-yard aerial. to Zach Arnold with just over five minutes to go in the first quarter to cap off a five-play drive, similar to the speed in which the Bulldogs (7-2) got their points.
On the first play of the second quarter, Swan threw a screen to Cole Rainbolt and the latter took it 20 yards to the end zone. Aaron Redman’s point-after put the Royals ahead 14-13.
After Lapel retook the lead on Brennan Stow’s second TD keeper, the Royals landed the final punch of the half.
Swan found Landon O’Neal from 18 yards out with 54 seconds to go. The key play of the drive was a 12-yard run by Arnold on fourth-and-2, to Lapel’s 18. Redman’s conversion gave EH a 21-20 edge into the break.
EH got the ball to start the second half, but went three-and-out. When the Bulldogs took over, Dollar went 55-and-6, as he sprinted from his team’s 45 to the house on Lapel’s first play scrimmage in the half.
Swan came close to Dollar’s numbers, with 232 yards on 17 of 32 passing.
O’Neal caught seven balls for 85 yards, Arnold four for 83 and Rainbolt five for 57. Arnold led Royal rushers with 43 yards on five carries.
“I think we’re still showing that we can have balance, running and passing,” Morris said. “Our passing game has really come along and I think it is going to help us as we go into the tournament.”
Lapel 42, Eastern Hancock 21
EASTERN HANCOCK (5-4);7;14;0;0;—;21
LAPEL (7-2);13;7;14;7;—;42
Scoring Summary
L—Brennan Stow 3 run (Kaden Camp kick), 10:24
L—Nick Witte 45 pass from Stow (kick failed), 7:57
EH—Zach Arnold 52 pass from Houston Swan (Aaron Redman kick), 5:07
EH—Cole Rainbolt 20 pass from Swan (Redman kick), 11:51
L—Stow 2 run (Camp kick), 3:53
EH—Landon O’Neal 18 pass from Swan (Redman kick), :54
L—Tyler Dollar 55 run (Kyle Shelton pass from Stow), 11:00
L—Dollar 15 run (Camp kick), 6:27
L—Dollar 8 run (Camp kick), 10:26
