CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WYNNE (13-0) VS. PULASKI ACADEMY (12-1)

5A title game: Wet, perhaps wild, clash

Yellowjackets give Bruins different look

Wynne Coach Chris Hill and his undefeated Yellowjackets will get another crack at Pulaski Academy today in the Class 5A state championship game. The Yellowjackets lost 35-21 to the Bruins in Week 2 last season and 38-28 in the 2014 final.
Wynne Coach Chris Hill and his undefeated Yellowjackets will get another crack at Pulaski Academy today in the Class 5A state championship game. The Yellowjackets lost 35-21 to the Bruins in Week 2 last season and 38-28 in the 2014 final.

It could be a wet Class 5A state championship game between Wynne and Pulaski Academy today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

In preparation for today's noon game, Wynne Coach Chris Hill had his team dunk footballs in Gatorade buckets.

[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]

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Wynne running back Ta’Von Hicks has rushed for 1,765 yards and 25 touchdowns on 181 carries this season, helping Wynne average 430.7 yards on the ground per game.

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Democrat-Gazette file photo

Wynne High School's coach Chris Hill is shown in this file photo.

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Special to the Democrat-Gazette

Pulaski Academy head coach Kevin Kelley is shown in this photo.

"We didn't really have any problems with it," Hill said. "So we hope that gives them confidence going into Saturday [today]."

Today's forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of rain with temperatures near 50 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

"We really haven't played in rain all year long," Hill said. "Whichever team handles the elements the best will increase their chances of winning."

Wynne primarily runs the football in its flexbone offense while Pulaski Academy is a pass-first offense. Even though Wynne runs the football, Hill plays down any advantage his team could have against the Bruins.

"We've got a center-quarterback exchange, a quarterback-fullback exchange and a quarterback-slot exchange. So we've got a lot more exchanges than a passing team does," Hill said.

Wynne (13-0) has averaged 430.7 yards on the ground this season, led by running back Ta'von Hicks (1,765 yards, 25 touchdowns) and slotback Devontai Pounds (938 yards, 11 touchdowns). The Yellowjackets switched from the Spread offense -- led by current Cincinnati quarterback Ross Trail in 2014 -- to the flexbone in 2015.

Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley, whose Bruins defeated the Yellowjackets in the 2014 Class 5A state championship game, acknowledges Wynne's offense could present problems for his team's 3-4 defense.

"You don't see it any other time of the year," Kelley said. "Everybody's running the Spread now. They make you play assignment football. In a lot of their plays, there's three different guys who can have the ball at any moment. We teach our guys to run to the football. But you can't just run to the football because they'll pull it out of his stomach and pitch it to somebody else. That guy is running without anybody guarding, and he's 70 yards down the field.

"We're a super aggressive defense by design, and they use that aggression against you."

Wynne has been one of the few Arkansas teams that has been able to compete with Pulaski Academy (12-1) since 2014. The Yellowjackets had a 21-7 halftime lead against the Bruins in Week 2 last season but lost 35-21.

Pulaski Academy has not lost to an Arkansas team since the 2013 Class 5A second round to eventual state champion Morrilton, a fact Hill pointed out Thursday after his team's practice at War Memorial Stadium.

"Our kids have confidence that they can play with them," Hill said. "A lot of teams may be beat before they get on the field when they play PA, because they've won so many games. So we certainly have our work cut out for us. But I think our kids are excited, and I think we'll get great effort on Saturday."

The Bruins have an opportunity to win a third consecutive state title, something that hasn't been done since Greenwood from 2010-12.

"I want them to be glad that they put in all of those hours. It's one of the rewards that comes with that," Kelley said. "This group of seniors has a chance to leave a little different legacy. We always talk about building what the other guys before you have built. You don't want to be the guy who takes a step back. This is their chance to add on to what those guys have done and they take that seriously."

CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Wynne

OFFENSE

POS.;NO.;NAME;HT.;WT.;CL.

WR;19;Brady Taylor;5-11;170;Sr.

SB;14;Jaylon McDaniel;6-0;175;Sr.

OL;66;Corban Arnold;6-1;250;Sr.

OL;71;Eric South;5-8;290;Jr.

OL;60;Hunter Hylie;5-11;230;Jr.

OL;77;Brandon Keeling;6-1;310;Sr.

OL;64;Matt Vines;6-0;200;Sr.

QB;3;Luke Chapman;5-9;175;Jr.

RB;7;Ta’von Hicks;5-11;190;Jr.

SB;27;Devontai Pounds;6-0;165;Sr.

WR;13;Allen Watson;6-2;198;So.

K;17;Brendan Yokum;5-11;165;Sr.

DEFENSE

POS.;NO.;NAME;HT.;WT.;CL.

DL;7;Ta’von Hicks;5-11;190;Jr.

DL;50;Jake Owens;6-3;220;Sr.

DL;90;Robert Mohr;5-11;210;Sr.

DL;66;Corban Arnold;6-1;250;Sr.

LB;4;Marterious Daniel;6-2;230;Jr.

LB;13;Allen Watson;6-2;198;So.

LB;25;Mason Burnett;6-0;205;Jr.

CB;27;Devontai Pounds;6-0;165;Sr.

FS;10;Jackson McClintock;5-10;150;Jr.

SS;14;Jaylon McDaniel;6-0;175;Sr.

CB;18;Wesley Gatlin;5-8;160;So.

P;3;Luke Chapman;5-9;175;Jr.

Pulaski Academy

OFFENSE

POS.;NO.;NAME;HT.;WT.;CL.

WR;1;Tra Johnson;6-2;185;Jr.

WR;18;Ray Jackson;6-0;165;Sr.

OL;57;Seth Martin;6-5;280;Sr.

OL;50;Ford Aguiar;5-11;205;Jr.

OL;70;Allen Amuimuia;6-2;295;Jr.

OL;52;David Steele;5-10;270;Sr.

OL;72;Luke Jones;6-6;290;Jr.

QB;3;Layne Hatcher;6-2;201;Jr.

RB;28;Jaren Watkins;5-7;165;Sr.

WR;4;Brett Lynch;6-2;170;Jr.

WR;6;Hayden Cobb;6-2;155;Jr.

K;3;Layne Hatcher;6-2;201;Jr.

DEFENSE

POS.;NO.;NAME;HT.;WT.;CL.

DL;30;Isiah Woods;6-2;230;Jr.

DL;47;Cameron Fonseca;6-1;215;Sr.

DL;44;Will Osment;6-3;180;Sr.

LB;32;Payton Titus;6-1;205;Sr.

LB;20;Brooks Walton;6-0;190;Jr.

LB;7;Wesley Wise;6-1;210;Jr.

LB;17;Zach David;6-0;200;Sr.

CB;19;Dylan Nosler;5-9;165;Sr.

SS;5;Hayden Henry;6-3;215;Sr.

FS;81;Cameron Blann;6-0;185;Sr.

CB;34;Blake Titus;5-10;165;So.

Pulaski Academy does not have a punter

Comparing

OFFENSES

WYNNE;VS.;PA

430.7;RUSHING;185.6

27.6;PASSING;353.5

458.4;TOTAL OFFENSE;539.2

51.4;POINTS;48.4

DEFENSES

WYNNE;VS.;PA

76.9;RUSHING;114.3

142.9;PASSING;99.8

219.8;TOTAL DEFENSE;214.2

16.6;POINTS;18.6

2;SHUTOUTS;0

TRADITION

WYNNE;VS.;PA

6;TITLE GAMES;8

4;STATE TITLES;5

Offensive and defensive totals represent per-game averages.

*Since the modern era began in 1968.

Wynne (13-0)

DATE;OPPONENT;RESULT

Sept. 2;Marion;W, 42-10

Sept. 9;Maumelle;W, 38-21

Sept. 16;Beebe;W, 49-6

Sept. 23;Blytheville*;W, 57-32

Sept. 30;Greene Co. Tech*;W, 48-0

Oct. 7;Valley View*;W, 56-21

Oct. 14;Batesville*;W, 63-21

Oct. 21;Paragould*;W, 41-7

Oct. 28;Forrest City*;W, 63-28

Nov. 4;Nettleton*;W, 48-0

Nov. 11;Morrilton#;W, 50-21

Nov. 18;LR McClellan#;W, 36-8

Nov. 25;Watson Chapel#;W, 77-41

*5A-East game #Playoff game

COACH Chris Hill, sixth season at school, 62-14

ASSISTANTS Clark McBride, Terrance Heaggars, Paul Burkhead, Chad Mitchell, Lewis Earnest, Jacob Reynolds, Josh Fox, Ed Duncan, Josh Pagan

MASCOT Yellowjackets

CONFERENCE 5A-East

RECORD 13-0, 7-0 5A-East

RANKING No. 2 in Class 5A

ENROLLMENT 636 (20th in 2016-2018 classification among 32 Class 5A football-playing schools)

PLAYERS TO WATCH RB Ta’von Hicks (Jr., 5-11, 190); SB Devontai Pounds (Sr., 6-0, 165); LB Mason Burnett (Jr., 6-0, 205)

LEADING RUSHER Ta’von Hicks, 181 carries, 1,765 yards, 25 touchdowns

LEADING PASSER Luke Chapman, 13 of 32, 326 yards, 8 touchdowns

LEADING RECEIVER Devontai Pounds, 5 receptions, 151 yards, 4 touchdowns

LEADING TACKLER Mason Burnett, 86 tackles

Pulaski Academy (12-1)

DATE;OPPONENT;RESULT

Sept. 2;Sand Springs (Okla.)Page;W, 56-21

Sept. 9;Salt Lake City East;L, 37-23

Sept. 16;McCracken Co. (Ky.);W, 56-14

Sept. 23;LR Fair*;W, 48-6

Sept. 30;Beebe*;W, 51-21

Oct. 7;LR Christian*;W, 73-35

Oct. 14;Sylvan Hills*;W, 35-23

Oct. 21;LR Parkview*;W, 55-13

Oct. 28;LR McClellan*;W, 22-18

Nov. 4;Mills*;W, 56-8

Nov. 11;Magnolia#;W, 49-21

Nov. 18;Forrest City#;W, 56-18

Nov. 25;Batesville#;W, 35-7

*5A-Central game #Playoff game

COACH Kevin Kelley, 14th season at school, 164-24-1

ASSISTANTS Todd Wood, Jason Wyatt, Madison Taylor, Anthony Lucas, Blake Amsler

MASCOT Bruins

CONFERENCE 5A-Central

RECORD 12-1, 7-0 5A-Central, first

RANKING No. 1 in Class 5A

ENROLLMENT 301 (32nd in 2016-2018 classification among 32 Class 5A football-playing schools)

PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Layne Hatcher (Jr., 6-2, 201); RB Jaren Watkins (Sr., 5-7, 165); CB Hayden Henry (Sr., 6-3, 215)

LEADING RUSHER Jaren Watkins, 179 carries, 1,673 yards, 17 touchdowns

LEADING PASSER Layne Hatcher, 259 of 394, 4,240 yards, 52 touchdowns

LEADING RECEIVER Ray Jackson, 47 receptions, 1,028 yards, 10 touchdowns

LEADING TACKLER Brooks Walton, 55.5 tackles

Sports on 12/03/2016

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