Legendary grid coach Tice flabbergasted after Farmington’s crazy 78-75 win at Morrilton

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

In 43 years as a head football coach at Huntsville, Harrison and now in his first season at Farmington, Tommy Tice had coached in 460 games before last Friday night.

But 461 was unlike anything he had ever seen as Farmington downed previously unbeaten Morrilton 78-75 in a game that goes down as the third-highest scoring high school game in state history.

“I can hardly even describe it,” Tice said. “I have never ever been involved in a game like that, never, and the strangest thing is our defense really ended up winning it for us.

“We picked off three passes, including the last one of the game, we stopped a two-point try and, while they gave up 75 points, they won it for us.

“The offense obviously did their part, too, but we had to have those stops at the end. It was just crazy.”

The win gave Farmington sole possession of first place in the Class 5A-West Conference and a game lead over Morrilton (7-1, 4-1) and Vilonia (6-2, 4-1), two teams it has wins over.

The Cardinals host Clarksville (1-7, 0-5) on Friday night and finish up their regular season at Alma (4-4, 2-3) on Nov. 8.

“I think the right way to do this is treat it like you kind of got beat,” Tice said of the Morrilton game. “By saying that, we have got to bury this as quickly as we can and not have a hangover from it.

“Because we need to move on because we have lots to play for and I am hopeful this will not be the highlight of of the year.”

It was game in which Morrilton quarterback Maddox Berry threw for a state-record 11 touchdowns while completing 38 of 60 passes for 729 yards.

That’s the third-most passing yards in state history behind Pulaski Academy’s Brandon Bratcher (764 in 2019) and Layne Hatcher (757 in 2017), who held the previous record of 10 TD tosses.

“This guy at Morrilton can throw it and those guys can catch it,” Tice said. “He truly is the best passer that I have ever been on the field with.”

Farmington quarterback Ayden Lester also shined as well while completing 17 of 26 passing for 300 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 14 carries for 131 yards and three more scores and even catching a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Lester’s 35-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left proved to be the game-winner after Berry had tossed a 39-scoring to give host Morrilton a 75-71 lead with 1:48 remaining.

“He is just a winner,” Tice said. “He can beat you with his arm and his feet. He is just so smart. He gets us in and out of bad plays. He overcomes coaching really well. He is a coach on the field.

“He has a great football IQ, just a great IQ overall that is very high. He studies more film than probably we do. It’s hard to put him in a situation that he hasn’t already been mentally. He just has great composure.”

The 153 combined points was just one short of the state record set in Fountain Lake’s 88-26 win over Hot Springs Lakeside in 2008 and tied in Nashville’s 91-63 victory over Idabel (Okla.) High in 2016.

“It was just crazy,” Tice said. “Both teams just made play after play after play.”

Tice has 296 career wins, which is the third most in state history after spending 13 years in two stints at Huntsville sandwiched around a 29-year run at Harrison.

The 2022 Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inductee led the Goblins to the 1999 Class AAAA state title with a 10-7 win over Alma.

Tice also has six state semifinal appearances, 15 conference championships, has been named conference coach of the year 16 times and is in six different Hall of Fames.

He had retired nine years ago and plan to just spend time with Joann, his wife of 38 years.

But Farmington athletic director Beau Thompson called Tice when then Cardinals head coach JR Eldridge left to take a job in the private sector.

“There were several things and you know how timing is in your life,” Tice said. “Joann and I had both retired and she failed it and went back to selling real estate.

“So now I am sitting at home by myself and I am starting to think I need to find something to do. And about the only think I know how to do is coach football.”

Tice decided to join the Harrison radio broadcast and spent time at practice.

“I got more involved at Harrison on the radio and going to practices, talking to coaches around and then Beau Thompson called.

“I thought ‘no, there is too many moving parts for this to be a viable thing.’ But then he called again and I got to thinking about it.

“I knew I was not really happy with how my coaching had ended as far as being successful and Farmington provided that spot where they have everything in place and I thought ‘you need to go for that.’

“Maybe I shouldn’t have answered that phone call, but it is just one of those places that has it all set up.”

That includes a development program that has been a factor in Farmington’s success.

“We have 90 kids on our team and we are able to play at every level from peewee all way through varsity and be competitive. The community is very supportive of football and the administration is very supportive of football.”

Tice was able to hire a pair of former head coaches in Mark Whatley (offensive coordinator) and Casey Moreland (defensive coordinator), who had been on the previous staff.

“We also were able to add a tremendous coaching staff and it is just one of those things that kind of fell into place,” Tice said. “The key thing is that we have got a tremendous football team that is very talented.”

It was an interesting week for Tice when Farmington played Harrison on Oct. 14 and won 33-14.

“It was,” Tice said. “My son coaches linebackers at Harrison. So I didn’t really know where Joann was going to choose to reside that week.

“…I looked at the roster and saw a lot of kids whose dads had played for me. It did cause you to stop and think a little bit and put things in perspective.

“The main thing I did because I knew I would be emotionally involved in the game, I made a concentrated effort to stay out if our coaches’ away.

“Rely on them more to out the game plan together and strategy and just stay out of the way because all I can do is just screw it up by being emotionally involved too much.

“It worked out just like most everything has this season. We have just got to keep pushing.”

Photo courtesy of Farmington Athletics