Little Rock Parkview visited Pine Bluff last season and promptly lost 42-13 to the eventual Class 6A state champions.
"They were shell-shocked," Parkview Coach William Hardiman said. "It was over before it started."
PINE BLUFF AT LR PARKVIEW
WHEN 7 p.m. today
WHERE War Eagle Stadium, Little Rock (on Little Rock Fair campus)
RECORDS Pine Bluff 4-0, 1-0 6A-South; Little Rock Parkview 3-1, 0-1
RANKINGS Pine Bluff No. 3 overall, No. 1 Class 6A; Little Rock Parkview No. 5 Class 6A
COACHES Pine Bluff: Bobby Bolding; Little Rock Parkview: William Hardiman
KEY PLAYERS Pine Bluff: QB Ladarius Skelton, Sr., 6-2, 210; RB Romar Reades, Sr., 5-8, 192; WR David Beasley, Sr., 6-3, 190; DE John Tate, Sr., 6-4, 260. Little Rock Parkview: QB Koilan Jackson, Jr., 6-2, 191; RB Jason Green, Sr., 6-1, 185; WR Kolby McNeal, Sr., 5-11, 178; DT Kenyon Jackson, Sr., 6-0, 295.
One year later, a more experienced Parkview team is ready for another shot at the Zebras. And this time it's in Little Rock.
The Patriots, the No. 5 team in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Class 6A Super Six, host the No. 1 Zebras tonight at War Eagle Stadium at Little Rock Fair High School. It's the 6A-South Conference home opener for the Patriots (3-1, 0-1), who lost 30-13 last Friday at Benton.
"We're relaxed," Hardiman said. "No panic, no rush. We're playing one of the best teams in the state."
Pine Bluff is where Hardiman hopes Parkview can be one day.
"They move their talent where it's supposed to be," Hardiman said. "They're very humble, and they love football. They handle themselves like champions."
The Zebras (4-0, 1-0 6A-South) have held opponents to an average of 9.25 points per game and shut out Texarkana 40-0 last week when senior running back Romar Reades rushed for 169 yards and 3 touchdowns on 13 carries.
Reades has rushed for 547 yards and 5 touchdowns on 60 carries this season, an average of 9.1 yards per carry.
"He's always been a talented running back," Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding said. "We've always had to play him on defense. He's not playing any defense this year. Now everybody's seeing what he's capable of.
"He's a heck of a football player."
Bolding said that while his team has shown signs of improving offensively, he is still looking for more from his veteran group.
"We've done a good job of, knocking on wood, taking care of the football," Bolding said. "We need to continue to do that."
After Parkview lost at Pine Bluff last season, the Patriots won three of their final five games to clinch a spot in the playoffs, winning at Searcy before losing at Benton in the quarterfinals. Bolding said it's a different Parkview team this season, led by junior quarterback Koilan Jackson, who has passed for more than 700 yards and 14 touchdowns.
"You can tell they're a year older, a year wiser," Bolding said. "They're bigger and stronger than they have been."
Hardiman said the Patriots have to take advantage of their opportunities this week, something they couldn't do last week at Benton.
"We have to play a full four quarters," Hardiman said. "Pine Bluff is no Benton. They're their own team. We're going to play a smart game, an efficient game."
Sports on 10/02/2015