Golden Lions can’t tame PB native

PINE BLUFF — Southern quarterback Ladarius Skelton accounted for 204 yards of offense and had three touch- down runs to power the Jaguars to a 31-7 victory over the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Saturday night at Simmons Bank Field.

Skelton, a Pine Bluff native, finished 17-of-25 passing for 157 yards and 2 interceptions, but the junior used his legs to help the Jaguars (2-3, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) beat the Golden Lions (3-2, 1-1) for the sev- enth consecutive season.

Running back Christopher Chaney carried 12 times for 107 yards, and wide receiver Timothy Bedford caught 9 passes for 83 yards for Southern, which bounced back from a close loss last week

to Florida A&M to stop the Golden Lions’ three-game winning streak.

Quarterback Shannon Patrick was 16 of 26 for 159 yards and 3 interceptions for UAPB, which was playing without leading rusher KeShawn Williams because of a leg injury. With Williams out, the bulk of the groundwork shifted to Taeyler Porter, who had a tough time finding open lanes against a Jaguars’ defense that came into the game ranked first in the SWAC against the run. Porter ended with 59 yards on 19 carries.

UAPB turned the ball over four times, all of which came inside Southern territory but got a boost early after blocking a 40-yard field goal attempt from Cesar Barajas on Southern’s first possession. The Golden Lions’ defense, however, struggled against the Jaguars’ up-tempo offense and had no answer for Skelton.

After Southern forced UAPB into a punt on its initial series, Skelton scored on a 4-yard run with 3:46 left in the first quarter to polish off a 12-play, 80-yard drive that gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead.

Southern opened a 14-point cushion nearly three minutes later. Defensive end Joe Davis intercepted a screen pass from UAPB quarterback Skyler Perry at the Jaguars’ 45 and return it 21 yards to the Golden Lions’ 34. Six plays later, running back Jarod Sims scooted up the middle on a 3-yard touchdown run.

The teams exchanged interceptions before UAPB cut the deficit in half. Running back Omar Allen capped a short 3-play, 25-yard march with a 13-yard touchdown with 12:14 to go in the second quarter to make it 14-7.

Southern pushed its lead to 21-7 at the 3:48 mark of the third quarter on Skelton’s 19yard touchdown run, and the Jaguars put the game away on Skelton’s 5-yard scoring run to finish off a back-breaking 11-play, 95-yard drive.

Southern’s Martell Fontenot added a 46-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to set the final margin.