It’s state championship or bust for PA
Pulaski Academy won its first 11 games last season before losing to eventual Class 5A champion Morrilton in the second round of the state playoffs
That’s not good enough for the Bruins, considering the standards that have been set for the Little Rock private school since Kevin Kelley arrived in 2013.
Winning the 5A-Central Conference rung hollow after last season.
“We don’t put up goals for conference championships or this or that or the other,” said Kelley, who has led the Bruins to three state championships in his tenure. “We have one goal, and that’s to win a state championship. That will always be our goal as long as I’m here.”
Pulaski Academy will be led this season by senior quarterback Will Hefley, who has orally committed to Tulsa. Hefley, 6-5, 205 pounds, completed 264 of 400 passes for 4,152 yards with 54 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2013.
Kelley said the Bruins’ undefeated 7-on-7 season over the summer helped Hefley.
“He’s looked fantastic,” Kelley said. “I’ve been able to add some things to the offense.”
The high-powered Bruins bring back their two leading receivers, seniors Will Hastings and junior Zach Kelley, as well as their top rusher in all-purpose junior Tre Bruce.
Hastings, 5-10, 165, caught 67 passes for 1,400 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Kelley, 5-7, 145, the coach’s son, finished with 1,582 yards on 84 receptions with 21 touchdowns. Bruce, 6-0, 190, accounted for 21 total touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving.
Bruce is the Bruins’ most versatile player, Kelley said.
“We can literally hand it off to him, and he can run or throw the football,” Kelley said. “Zack or Will can catch a short pass and take it 80 yards or they can just go over the top for 80 yards. That’s a good quality to have for those two guys.”
Sophomores Myles Fells, 5-9, 175, and Jaren Watkins, 5-4, 137, are also expected to contribute at running back.
Pulaski Academy averaged 49.5 points per game in 2013 and scored at least 37 points in every game. Kelley believes his team could post similar numbers again.
“This offense has a chance to be really, really good with the returning weapons that we have,” Kelley said. “You feel pretty good about it.”
Junior center Caden Haws leads the offensive line. Haws, 6-3, 285, was an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Sophomore team selection last season.
Pulaski Academy lost linebacker Tyler Colquitt and all four starters in the secondary to graduation, but Kelley is high on a linebackers corps that will be led by senior Reid Bartholomew, 5-10, 175, who recorded 52 tackles and an interception in 2013.
The Bruins open the season Sept. 5 at Highland Park in suburban Dallas before going to Florida on Sept. 11 to face New Smyrna Beach. It’s another chance for the Bruins to showcase themselves on a national level.
“We emphasize that the individual stars are fine, but we want everybody to talk about our team and what we’re doing, not the individual,” Kelley said. “It’s really an honor for us, but it shows what the kids have done before in the program and have gotten us to.
“The kids are excited. What high school wouldn’t look forward to playing a couple of games like that?”
As far as teams that could challenge the Bruins for the 5A-Central title, Kelley points to Sylvan Hills. The Bears return 10 starters from last year’s 7-4 team, including quarterback Tra Doss.
The Bruins host Sylvan Hills in the regular-season finale Nov. 7 at Joe B. Hatcher Stadium in Little Rock.
“I’d have them favored,” Kelley said of Sylvan Hills. “Everybody will be gunning after them. Everybody will be gunning after us. They’re well-coached, and they’re bringing everybody back.”