5A-CENTRAL

Bruins survive upset bid

Pulaski Academy junior quarterback Layne Hatcher threw two touchdowns and four interceptions, but the Bruins held on for a 22-18 victory Friday night at Little Rock McClellan.
Pulaski Academy junior quarterback Layne Hatcher threw two touchdowns and four interceptions, but the Bruins held on for a 22-18 victory Friday night at Little Rock McClellan.

Pulaski Academy was shut out offensively in the second half Friday night at Little Rock McClellan.

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

Fortunately for the Bruins, the defense picked up their offense.

Senior linebacker Payton Titus recovered a fumble with 1:13 remaining to preserve Pulaski Academy's 22-18 victory over McClellan at Lions Stadim in Little Rock.

Pulaski Academy (8-1, 6-0) clinched the No. 1 seed from the 5A-Central Conference and will have homefield throughout the Class 5A playoffs.

"This is where we want to be," Coach Kevin Kelley said. "Yeah, we're making more mistakes than we wanted to. But our goal is to be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and have home-field advantage. The golden opportunity was there for us, McClellan or Sylvan Hills to seize that. We were able to do that.

"If our defense plays like this the rest of the year, we're going to be tough to beat."

McClellan, which was without senior running back Pierre Strong for the final three plays after he injured his shoulder as well as starting quarterback Dalvion Childs with a sprained ankle, was at its own 34 with less than two minutes left on a drive set up by junior safety Andre Campbell's interception. Junior Benny Kemp threw a short pass to junior Tommy Crumpton, but Crumpton fumbled on the play and Titus recovered near the Pulaski Academy sideline.

"He's a guy who's a leader for us," Kelley said of Titus. "He seems to make plays. Here he is again making a play.

"He plays so hard and he's always around the ball."

The Bruins ran out the clock and defeated the Crimson Lions in a rematch of last year's Class 5A state championship game, also won by Pulaski Academy at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

When Childs and Strong were injured, those were critical losses for McClellan (6-3, 4-2 5A-Central), Coach Maurice Moody said. His team attempted to knock off the two-time defending Class 5A champions, but came up four points short.

"We were in a panic mode trying to get it down the field to guys who aren't accustomed to making plays for us," Moody said. "Our guys did what they could.

"We came up short. It hurts. It sucks."

Pulaski Academy led 22-6 at halftime, but McClellan cut the lead to 22-12 on Strong's 5-yard touchdown with 5:24 left in the third quarter. With 4:21 remaining in the third quarter, McClellan pulled within 22-18 on senior defensive lineman Jaylen Houston-Hay's 12-yard interception return.

Strong left the game with his injury after a 28-yard run, finishing with 108 yards and 1 touchdown on 19 carries and added a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior Marcis Hall. Strong is expected to have an MRI today in his shoulder. His status for Thursday's 5A-Central finale at Little Rock Parkview is unknown.

Pulaski Academy junior quarterback Layne Hatcher completed 17 of 33 passes for 324 yards with 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Junior running back Jaren Watkins rushed for 86 yards and a 3-yard touchdown on 22 carries for the Bruins. Junior Tra Johnson caught a 90-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and finished with 5 receptions for 136 yards. Brett Lynch, also a junior, had a 40-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. He had 4 catches for 95 yards.

Sports on 10/29/2016

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