Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Pulaski Academy rolls over Alma
PULASKI ACADEMY 57, ALMA 21
LITTLE ROCK — The Alma Airedales made it a game for the first 10 minutes.
After that, the Pulaski Academy Bruins turned it into the sort of first-round playoff result they expect, in this case a 57-21 victory to start its run in the Class 5A playoffs at Hatcher Stadium on Friday night.
PA’s first two possessions were similar to those in many of its previous early-round playoff games. They featured touchdown runs of 6 yards by junior running back Jayden Kelley and 2 yards by sophomore Izarius Woods that gave PA a 14-0 lead with 5 minutes, 14 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the kickoff after Woods’ touchdown, Alma recovered PA’s onside kick attempt at its 49 and immediately scored on a 49-yard pass from junior quarterback Landon Blair to junior receiver Marquis Peter to pull within 14-7.
“We had a little momentum,” Alma coach Dale Loughridge said. “I felt it then, and I felt it before the game, but there were one or two or three opportunities that we didn’t seize the moment on, and against that team, you can’t do that.”
Junior quarterback Braden Bratcher completed 22 of 27 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 23-yard run to lead PA (10-1). Kelley rushed 7 times for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“Braden is a heck of a quarterback,” PA coach Kevin Kelley said. “Sometimes he likes to run a little more than I want, but he’s got that capacity. He’s getting better and better each week. We know what we’re going to get on defense. We know what we’re going to get at receiver. The better he plays, the better chance we have to do something.”
PA senior tight end Hudson Henry caught 6 passes for 105 yards and 1 touchdown.
PA responded to Alma’s first score with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Bratcher to Henry, touchdowns on runs of 18 yards by Woods, 50 yards by Kelley, the run by Bratcher, and a 31-yard touchdown pass from Bratcher to senior receiver John David White to take a 50-7 lead late in the second quarter.
Alma (5-6) recovered a fumble at the PA 15 with 1:40 left before halftime, and a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Blair put it within 50-14.
PA scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior defensive end Garrett Pritchard to senior guard Chase McCarver late in the third quarter, and Alma completed the scoring midway through the fourth on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Blair to junior receiver Ben Henley.
“They’re just so efficient,” Loughridge said. “They throw and catch so well, and their defense just swarms to the ball so well. They’re the class of 5A right now, and they just show us the level we have to get to.”
PA advanced to a second-round home game at Little Rock McClellan, 24-14 firstround winners over Valley View. Kelley said he looked forward to the matchup.
“Playing McClellan is always a great game,” Kelley said. “Coach [Maurice] Moody does a great job with those guys. We’ll have to come up with a great game plan. From a fans point of view, it’s a great game, and it’s an exciting game for both schools.”