Crazy stats necessitate 2 honorees
In a game that featured 142 points and more than 1,400 yards, one player of the week from Pulaski Academy’s 8656 victory over Little Rock Christian was not enough.
P ulaski Academy senior quarterback Layne Hatcher and Little Rock Christian senior quarterback Jackson Bowersock are the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps co-players of the week.
Both players will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday. Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will be the speaker.
Hatcher completed 36 of 45 passes for 757 yards with 6 touchdowns and zero interceptions, and rushed for 34 yards and 3 touchdowns on 16 carries.
Bowersock set a Little Rock Christian record with eight touchdown passes. He finished 28-of-40 passing for 425 yards and had 2 interceptions.
Hatcher’s 757 passing yards set a state record and ranks third all-time in the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) record book. His 791 total yards are a single-game national record.
Pulaski Academy finished with a national-record 991 yards on offense, including 234 rushing.
“Anytime you’re able to run the football like we were and throw the football like we were — and you’ve got receivers who can break a 5-yard pass and get past a tackle — that makes it easier on the play-caller, which is me,” Bruins Coach Kevin Kelley said.
The Bruins also set a state record for most touchdowns in a single game with 13. They scored on 13 of their 14 possessions, with their only nonscoring drive coming before halftime.
The 86 points scored by the Bruins were the third most by a team in Arkansas, behind Nashville’s 91 in 2016 against Idabel, Okla., and Fountain Lake’s 88 against Hot Springs Lakeside in 2008.
“Hat’s off to PA,” Little Rock Christian Coach Eric Cohu said. “They’ve got a very prolific offense.”
The Bruins and Warriors combined for 1,443 yards, with Pulaski Academy outgaining Little Rock Christian 991-452.
Little Rock Christian’s twoyear starter at quarterback did his part to keep up with the Bruins.
Bowersock threw three touchdown passes to senior Trey Harris (48, 52, 39 yards) and sophomore Chris Hightower (6, 15, 24 yards). He tossed two scoring passes to junior Justice Hill (9 and 15 yards).
This season, Bowersock has passed for 1,799 yards and 20 touchdowns.
“Jackson did a great job,” Cohu said.
Hatcher surpassed the 2,000-yard mark Friday. He has passed for 2,751 yards and 32 touchdowns in 6 games.
The three-year starter for the Bruins threw two touchdown passes to senior Brett Lynch (27 and 24 yards), and one apiece to seniors Tra Johnson (65 yards), John David White (28 yards), Nathan
Biagoni (91 yards), and junior Hudson Henry (11 yards). Johnson set a school record for most receiving yards in a single game with 323.
Hatcher and Bowersock, who are childhood friends, met at midfield to congratulate each other after the game.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Hatcher said. “It’s cool to see him. We sent each other texts, saying ‘I love you, bro, don’t torch me too bad’ the night before [Thursday before Friday]. We both came out and put up some points. That was awesome to see.
“It was cool to see everybody having fun out there.”