Hatcher accumulates stats as Bruins pile up points

Pulaski Academy junior quarterback Layne Hatcher improved upon his stellar season for the Bruins on Friday night.

Hatcher threw for a season-high 473 yards and 6 touchdowns in the Bruins' 73-35 victory at Little Rock Christian. The second-year starting quarterback completed 27 of 38 passes, and he threw touchdown passes of 47, 10, 53, 18, 27 and 7 yards as Pulaski Academy (5-1) improved to 3-0 in the 5A-Central Conference.

Hatcher is this week's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Week. He will be honored at Monday's Little Rock Touchdown Club luncheon. Arkansas State Coach Blake Anderson is the guest speaker.

Hatcher's first touchdown pass was a 47-yard screen play to senior running back Jaren Watkins, and his two-point conversion pass to junior wide receiver Tra Johnson made it 8-0 Bruins with 10:01 left in the first quarter.

Pulaski Academy extended its lead to 23-0 with 2:50 left in the first quarter on Hatcher's 10-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Cameron Blann.

Hatcher had one more touchdown pass in the first quarter, finding senior wide receiver Ray Jackson for a 53-yard score to make it 30-7 Bruins with 2:11 left.

Pulaski Academy's lead was cut to 36-27 in the third quarter, but Hatcher helped the Bruins outscore the Warriors 37-8 the rest of the game.

He threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Brett Lynch with 9:52 left in the third quarter for a 44-27 lead. Later in the quarter, Hatcher threw touchdown passes of 27 yards to Johnson and 7 yards to junior wide receiver Hayden Cobb to help the Bruins invoke the Arkansas Activities Association's 35-point sportsmanship rule with a 73-35 advantage with 25 seconds left in the third quarter.

This season, Hatcher has completed 129 of 197 passes for 1,882 yards with 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. As a sophomore in 2015, Hatcher passed for 4,667 yards with 55 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to help Pulaski Academy win its second consecutive Class 5A state championship.

"When he's throwing the ball down the field, he's really good," Bruins Coach Kevin Kelley said. "He threw two touchdowns when we had the play called in late. He scrambled around and looked for the open guy. He's so good at it. He doesn't look tremendously fast. But right now, he's doing a fantastic job of keeping his eyes downfield. That's when big plays open up."

Kelley also has been impressed with Hatcher's toughness, which showed in Friday's game.

"He made some tough plays," Kelley said. "He's getting hit and he's still able to throw the ball down the field. It gives us a chance to make the next down."

Sports on 10/13/2016