The party's over.
  Fourth-ranked Camden Fairview's superior speed proved too much for No. 3 White Hall to counter as the Cardinals rallied past the visiting Bulldogs 35-13 in a second-round playoff game last Friday night. The contest was closer than the score indicates, however.
    The Dogs covered 57 yards in a snappy, 11-play drive on their first possession. Quarterback/running back Larry Walls, the game's leading rusher with 185 yards on 26 carries, capped the march with a 13-yard touchdown run. Heath Heinrich kicked the point-after.
    Moments later, White Hall was denied a second score. Linebacker Spencer Lybrand scooped up a Fairview fumble at midfield and wrestled past several defenders into the end zone. But while a pair of officials signaled a TD, another tossed a late flag near the line of scrimmage. Lybrand's return was nullified and White Hall was penalized 10 yards for a block-in-the-back infraction.
    The decision seemingly fueled Fairview, which improved to 9-3 and will play at Greenbrier in a Friday night semifinal. The Cardinals responded with a pair of big scoring plays – a 40-yard pass from Brandon Keaton to Johnathan Cooper, and a 42-yard Jonathan Davis punt return – to move ahead by 14-7 before the opening period ended.
    White Hall (9-3) seemed to be in gear on its ensuing possession, but a third-down, short-yardage effort by Walls was stymied when a Fairview defender grabbed Walls' facemask as Walls whizzed past. Walls' head was twisted as he was yanked to the ground in front of White Hall's bench. Bulldog coaches and players joined White Hall's fans in loudly pointing out the infraction, but officials – including one looking on from just a few feet away – apparently failed to see it.
    The Dogs continued to battle back, however, and pulled to within 14-13 midway of the second quarter when Walls hit paydirt on a 67-yard flash. But Fairview soon answered with its third TD when James Gulley scored on a 1-yard run that gave the Cardinals a 21-13 halftime command.
    In the second half, White Hall was penalized on several key plays. Vaughn, who rarely questions officiating crews or protests their decisions, eventually lost his patience. By the fourth quarter, he was confronting officials and seeking some explanations.
    The Dogs remained within striking distance of a touchdown and a 2-point conversion until Fairview finally put the nails in White Hall's coffin with a pair of fourth-quarter TDs. William Brewer notched the first on a 17-yard run. Keaton iced the win with a late 15-yard scoring pass to Sedric Porchia.
    Leading White Hall's defensive charge were Tyler Robinson and Dion Young, each with a dozen stops. Tim Cook and Nathan Lee both had nine tackles and Stan Lawson had an interception and fumble recovery.
    Walls wound up with 2,170 yards for the season and lifted his school-record career total to 4,529 yards.
    "I think it speaks volumes about this White Hall team that the only three opponents to beat us are still in the running for a state championship," said Vaughn. Conference foe Monticello (12-0), which topped the Dogs by 12-6 on Oct. 16, hosts 9-3 Pulaski Academy in the other Class 5A semifinal. Watson Chapel (10-2), a 47-14 victor over White Hall on Sept. 11, hosts 10-1 El Dorado in a 6A semifinal. Nick Vaughn, a WHHS product and son of the Bulldogs coach, is an assistant at El Dorado.
    "There's a possibility that when it's all said and done, our only losses would have been to two state champions and a runner-up," White Hall's Vaughn said. "We beat three 5A playoff teams (Alma, Mills and Sylvan Hills) and a 6A playoff team (Sheridan).
    "There's not one coach or player on this team who wouldn't like to be practicing on Thanksgiving and playing the day after, but we had a fabulous season, playing seven playoff teams and whipping four of them.
    “This was the first White Hall team to ever begin the season ranked in The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Super 6 and remain there for the entire season. We were ranked sixth after last week’s loss.”
    Vaughn said Bulldog supporters share in the team’s success.
    “Our band and spirit squad and our fans helped us along and they’re all part of this team,” said Vaughn. “I want to thank my staff, our players and our supporters for a fabulous year.
    “I think White Hall is the best example of teamwork in the whole state.”