BETHANY — Jones exploded for 29 points in the second quarter en route to a 43-19 win over Bethany Friday (Sept. 12).

“Not the outcome we wanted, but, had a lot of good stuff on our end and played really well early,” Bethany coach Jon Arthur said via phone.

The Bronchos, seventh-ranked in 4A, got on the board first. Junior Wyatt Keefer set up the score with a 77-yard scamper down the Jones sideline. On the next play, junior Brody McLaren found sophomore Breck Brady in the corner of the end zone. Brady used his 6-5 foot frame to reach above the defender for opening score and Bethany led,7-0.

Bethany drove to the Jones 20-yard line but came away empty when sophomore Cody Martin’s field goal attempt was off target.

Early in the second quarter, Jones took the lead when junior JonQuay Johnson sprinted through Bethany defenders for a 42-yard score.

With 7:13 left before halftime, the Longhorns, top-ranked in 3A, added more with a two-yard run from freshman Jose Taylor to make it 14-7.

The Bronchos answered with a score nearly three minutes later. McLaren connected with senior Seth Greiner over the middle for a big gain. Keefer followed with a two-yard run. Bethany couldn’t convert the two-point conversion and the Bronchos trailed 15-13.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jones extended the lead and grabbed the momentum for good.

Jones junior Hunter Purvis returned the kickoff 90 yards to make it 22-13 with 4:14 left before halftime.

“That kind of turned the momentum a little bit,” Arthur said.

Senior quarterback Acyn Hansen added one more touchdown before the intermission with a two-yard run to make it 29-13.

Neither offense did much in the third quarter. The Longhorns got a two-yard touchdown run with 3:32 left in the quarter to make it 36-13.

In the fourth quarter, the Bronchos scored one more time. Keefer had his second two-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed.

Jones scored one more time to seal the win.

Arthur praised Keefer as the standout in the game. Keefer had two of the scores.

Arthur also praised Greiner.

“(Keefer) had some big time, had some good catches and tough yards after the catch,” Arthur said.

UP NEXT

The Bronchos host Shiloh Christian (Ark.) (1-1) next Friday (Sept. 19).

The Saints, from Springdale in northwest Arkansas are a 6A power that has 10 state titles in different classifications, including their last title – in 2020 as a 4A school. They finished as the 6A state runner-up last season and have opened this season ranked seventh in 6A in Arkansas.

Lincoln Christian, top-ranked in 3A, beat Shiloh, 41-33, Friday.

Photographs courtesy of Kristie Escoe of Life in Action Photography.

	1	2	3	4	F
Jones (3-0)	0	29	7	7	43
Bethany (1-1)	7	6	0	6	19