LEXA, Ark. - The Rison Wildcats ended their 2025 football season the same way several games have ended this year — in heartbreak fashion after leading late. Rison held a 36–26 lead with just over four minutes remaining Friday night, but Barton scored 20 unanswered points in the final 3:50 to hand the Wildcats a 46–36 loss.
Rison started strong, driving 71 yards on its opening possession and scoring on a one-yard keeper by quarterback Kyson Walker. Kyson Fletcher ran in the two-point conversion to make it 8–0 with 7:41 left in the first quarter. Barton answered moments later when Jack Sexton connected with Quinteryon Wilson on a 37-yard touchdown pass, but the Wildcats blocked the extra point to keep an 8–6 lead. The Bears recovered the ensuing onside kick and scored again on a 13-yard run with one minute left in the quarter. The two-point conversion gave Barton a 14–8 advantage.
The Wildcats came right back, going 66 yards in eight plays and regaining the lead on another one-yard run by Walker early in the second quarter. Fletcher added his second two-point conversion to make it 16–14. Barton took the lead back on an 85-yard touchdown pass from Sexton to Wilson, but a missed PAT left the Bears up 20–16. Rison answered just before halftime when Jaquis Rauls scored on a two-yard run with 7.1 seconds left in the half, giving the Wildcats a 22–20 lead at the break.
Barton opened the second half with a 21-yard touchdown run to go ahead 26–22, but Rison quickly responded with a 45-yard drive capped by a one-yard run from Rauls. Walker added the two-point conversion to put the Wildcats ahead 30–26 with 7:47 left in the third quarter. Rison’s defense forced a punt, and after both teams traded turnovers on downs, Walker added another short touchdown run with 4:18 left in the game. The Wildcats were stopped on the two-point try but led 36–26.
From there, Barton mounted its comeback, scoring on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 remaining to close the gap to 36–32. After forcing a…