PA scores 56 points in 1st half

Pulaski Academy senior Zack Kelley made a concerted effort to enjoy his time on the field during Friday's Class 5A playoff opener against Vilonia.

Kelley thought his senior season was over before it started after suffering a serious knee injury. But there he was on Friday, as he has been since October, playing on a reconstructed ACL and helping his team roll to a 56-14 victory.

Kelley spearheaded Pulaski Academy's 56-point first half with 8 catches for 145 yards and 2 long touchdowns. The Bruins racked up 515 first-half yards and scored touchdowns on 8 of their 9 possessions.

It was an impressive offensive showing -- enough to impress someone who knows a little something about the extraordinary.

"Fifty-six in the first half," Kelley said. "That's incredible."

Kelley returned to the field against Warren 57 days after tearing his ACL during a 7-on-7 tournament in July, and he was one of many contributors against Vilonia.

Sophomore quarterback Layne Hatcher went 13 of 25 for 246 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first half despite Vilonia (5-6) trying to drop nine or 10 players into coverage on passing downs.

Jaren Watkins took advantage of Vilonia's emphasis on pass defense and shredded the Eagles for 176 yards on eight carries. He scored on runs of 9 and 38 yards and also added a 47-yard run on the game's first play.

The Bruins (11-0) needed two plays and 29 seconds to score. Hatcher found Tre Bruce for a 21-yard touchdown, and Pulaski Academy led 8-0 after a two-point conversion.

Eight minutes in, the lead grew to 22-0 after Watkins' 9-yard score and Kelley's first touchdown reception, which went for 26 yards.

Vilonia's Wade Richards scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Pulaski Academy lead to 22-7.

But the Bruins responded with 34 points in the second quarter to take command and send a message to the rest of the teams in the 5A bracket.

"I want everybody to see around the state that our kids are playing really good football right now," Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said. "I think they showed that.

"Violia's tough. They've got a tough mind-set and those kids get after it. So we definitely didn't want to let them hang around. You let them hang around and they'll make you pay for it."

Watkins scored on a 38-yard run, followed by R.J. Anderson's 15-yard touchdown run to start the second quarter. Hatcher found Kelley for 51 yards to make it 42-7 with 4:36 remaining before halftime. Bruce added his second touchdown -- this time a 21-yard run, and the Bruins topped it off with a 41-yard pass from Hatcher to Ray Jackson with one second left before the half.

Richards finished the scoring with a 3-yard run in the third quarter, but it was Pulaski Academy that made a statement.

"I think we're capable of winning a state championship," Zack Kelley said. "We just need to keep practicing hard, and executing and stay healthy. Keep doing all the crazy things we do."

Sports on 11/14/2015

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