High school football report

Jonesboro senior tailback Martin Stafford (right) set school records for single-season and career rushing yardage in last week’s 45-21 victory over Lake Hamilton in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs.
Jonesboro senior tailback Martin Stafford (right) set school records for single-season and career rushing yardage in last week’s 45-21 victory over Lake Hamilton in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs.

— Stafford runs up numbers

Jonesboro senior tailback Martin Stafford reached two milestones in Friday night’s 45-21 victory over Lake Hamilton in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs.

Stafford rushed 20 times for 137 yards and 3 touchdowns to push his season yardage total to a school-record 1,869 yards.

Stafford set the previous mark (1,818 yards) last season.

Stafford also eclipsed 4,000 career rushing yards against Lake Hamilton, which Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said he believes is a school career record.

“Martin is the man,” said Coleman, a 1992 Jonesboro graduate.

Stafford has rushed 527 times for 4,088 yards and 59 touchdowns in his career. In his past 25 games, Stafford has rushed for at least 100 yards 19 times.

Jonesboro plays at Pine Bluff in a semifinal game Friday night.

Stafford, 5-8, 191 pounds, was an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Sophomore team defensive back after recording 44 tackles (1 for loss), 37 assists, 1 forced fumble and 7 pass breakups at safety.

Stafford also rushed for 401 yards as a sophomore.

Coleman said Stafford hasn’t been used much both ways the past two years because he is susceptible to muscle cramps, particularly early in the season.

Coleman said Stafford has been offered a scholarship by Football Championship Subdivision power Appalachian State, with Central Arkansas and Memphis showing interest.

STAR CITY

Towers unchanged

Injured Star City senior linebacker Zack Towers remained in serious condition Wednesday night at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

Towers has been hospitalized since leaving Star City’s Nov. 1 regularseason finale against Crossett with a head injury.

Towers underwent brain surgery at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff before being transferred to Children’s on Nov. 4.

Sports, Pages 33 on 11/22/2012

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