CLASS 5A PLAYOFFS

Pulaski Academy rolls on

Pulaski Academy linebacker Reed Rickenbach (11) tackles Blytheville fullback D’Arik Haley after a short gain during the Bruins’ 49-21 victory over the Chickasaws on Friday at Hatcher Stadium in Little Rock.
Pulaski Academy linebacker Reed Rickenbach (11) tackles Blytheville fullback D’Arik Haley after a short gain during the Bruins’ 49-21 victory over the Chickasaws on Friday at Hatcher Stadium in Little Rock.

It was business as usual for Pulaski Academy in its Class 5A playoff opener Friday night.

Senior quarterback Will Hefley completed 19 of 26 passes for 274 yards and 5 touchdowns to lead the Bruins past Blytheville 49-21 on Rector Field at Joe B. Hatcher Stadium.

The Bruins (10-1), the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's top team in Class 5A, will host Camden Fairview next Friday in the second round.

"They didn't get too high when they won," said Coach Kevin Kelley, whose team has won 10 consecutive since losing to Highland Park in Dallas in the season opener Sept. 5. "They expected to win this game and move on in the playoffs. That's the type of approach you have to take in the playoffs."

Hefley completed 16 of 23 passes for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first half as the Bruins led 35-7 at halftime. The Tulsa commitment has thrown for 51 touchdowns this season, three shy of the 54 he threw a year ago.

"That's a pretty good first half of football," Kelley said. "He does that every week. You come out and you don't think it's super spectacular, but he's moving us up and down the field. He's making those throws. He's the center of our offense."

Junior wide receiver Zack Kelley, the coach's son, caught 9 passes for 132 yards and 4 touchdowns of 15, 15, 8 and 2 yards. Senior wide receiver Will Hastings added 5 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Blytheville struck first, as Isaac Kelly's 24-yard reception set up De'Madre Clark's 30-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 11:05 left in the first quarter.

Pulaski Academy wasn't down for long, though.

The Bruins tied the game 7-7 with 9:46 left on Hefley's 15-yard touchdown pass to Zack Kelley to cap a 5-play, 46-yard drive over a span of 1:15.

Pulaski Academy's defense set up the offense's next score. Facing fourth-and-five, Blytheville quarterback Bailey Cason was sacked by Jacob Andersen, who forced a fumble and Dairreyel Veasley returned it 14 yards to the Blytheville 22.

One play later, junior Tre Bruce threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Kelley in the end zone to give the Bruins a 14-7 lead.

The Bruins extended their lead to 22-7 with 1:36 left in the first quarter on Cannon Smith's 4-yard touchdown reception and Palmer Jones' two-point conversion.

Pulaski Academy made it 28-7 with 10:59 left in the first half as Hefley found Hastings for a 35-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline, but Jaren Watkins was stopped on the ensuing two-point conversion run.

Kelley caught his third touchdown pass of the half, this one from 8 yards to increase the Bruins' lad to 35-7 with 4:16 left.

Kelley's fourth touchdown catch, from 2 yards out, invoked the Arkansas Activities Association's 35-point sportsmanship rule with 11:24 left in the third quarter, extending Pulaski Academy's lead to 42-7.

Sophomore running back Myles Fells added a 1-yard run with 7:12 left in the third quarter for a 49-7 lead.

Clark finished with 145 yards and 3 touchdowns on 33 carries for the Chickasaws, who finished 6-5 under first-year Coach Ben Fisher.

"You have to play a perfect game to be in it and we didn't do that," said Fisher, whose team committed three turnovers in the first half. "We ran into a buzz saw over there."

CAMDEN FAIRVIEW 61,

HARRISON 54

CAMDEN — Camden Fairview rallied form a 28-14 halftime deficit to defeat Harrison in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.

After recovering four onside kicks in the first half, Harrison led by 14 points behind the passing of Brock Humphrey, who passed four all four of Harrison’s scores in the first two quarters.

After getting a safety on a kickoff, Harrison led 37-21 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter before the scoring really picked up. After Kimonte Wilson scored with 44 seconds in the third quarter to get Camden Fairview within 37-27, the teams combined for six more scores in the final period. After Wilson scored again from 5 yards out, Camden Fairview got the ball back when Harrison fumbled an onside kick attempt. Wilson scored on a 60-yard run on the next play to put Camden Fairview up 40-37. Josiah Hamilton recovered a fumbled and set up another Cardinals score for a 47-37 lead.

Harrison ran the ensuing kickoff back, but Camden Fairview’s Byron Keaton scored on a 51-yard run. Harrison was able to get a final score with nine seconds remaining, but the Cardinals recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.

Wilson finished the game with 130 yards and three touchdowns.

Humphrey completed 31 of 58 passes for 329 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Silas Huskey had 15 catches for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had a 70-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

BATESVILLE 33,

JACKSONVILLE 14

BATESVILLE — Batesville (10-1) spotted Jacksonville (4-7) two touchdowns before rolling past the Red Devils in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Osvaldo Espericueta kicked field goals of 20 yards and 39 yards in the second quarter to help the Pioneers’ offense get untracked.

Batesville went ahead in the second quarter on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Kenton Crawford to Sam Skaggs.

Michael Robinson took over the Panthers’ offensive load in the third quarter, scoring on runs of 4 yards and 3 yards. He finished with 164 yards rushing,

Crawford threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Riley Caraway to set the final margin.

GREENBRIER 36,

WATSON CHAPEL 28

GREENBRIER — Harold Ross completed 28 of 42 passes for 367 yards and five touchdowns as Greenbrier (8-3) outlasted Watson Chapel (5-6) in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Three of Ross’ scoring passes went to Michael Spainhour, who finished the game with 5 receptions for 119 yards. Austin Porter had 14 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown.

Karson Matthews had 18 carries for 91 yards and a score for the Panthers.

Sports on 11/15/2014

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