Hammonds runs wild, but Eskola not satisfied
T.J. Hammonds rolled up 285 yards rushing in Pulaski Robinson’s 59-20 victory over Baptist Prep, but Coach Todd Eskola didn’t come away pleased Friday night.
“We played terrible,” Eskola said following the 4-4A Conference opener. “I thought Baptist outplayed us in the first half. I think we had six turnovers by our calculations, and that is totally unacceptable. We played like we practiced. The kids did not focus in practice this week.
“Hopefully this is a good lesson for us going forward that you can’t overlook anybody.”
Eskola was even short on praise for Hammonds, the University of Arkansas commitment who finished with four touchdowns while running only 13 times.
“He had a big night, but he also fumbled in the red zone,’’ Eskola said. “We can’t do that.”
Nathan Page caught 2 passes for 44 yards and intercepted 3 passes. Fells ran 12 times for 78 yards and intercepted a pass.
Baptist Prep (0-4) stunned Robinson (4-0) early, scoring on an 81-yard pass from Cory McGonigal to Jake Riddle with 9:48 left in the first quarter. Chad McGonigal kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Hammonds answered on the next play, scoring on a 58yard run. Myles Fells ran in the two-point conversion, and the Senators never trailed again.
Robinson scored three more touchdowns in the opening quarter. Fells ran in from the 9 at the 5:53 mark and quarterback Brennen Johnson’s twopoint conversion increased the Senators’ lead to 16-7.
Hammonds’ second touchdown, a 22-yard run, came at the 5:06 mark. Four minutes later, Johnson hit Nathan Page for a 13-yard TD. Hunter Eskola’s kick made it 30-7.
Baptist closed to within 30- 20 thanks to two touchdowns by Riddle on runs of 2 and 7 yards. The 2-yard TD run capped a 73-yard drive with 10:39 left in the half, and after sophomore Tyler Homes recovered an onside kick Riddle scored his third touchdown of the half with 8:33 to play.
Robinson’s final two drives of the first half ended with turnovers, but the Senators scored the game’s final 29 points.
Hammonds scored on runs of 44 and 83 yards in the second half. Page returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown, and Edmond Robinson’s tacked on the final score with a 5-yard run.