JV loss in ’15 propels PA to victory over Maumelle
PULASKI ACADEMY 58, MAUMELLE 39
Though it was the first meeting of the Maumelle Hornets and Pulaski Academy Bruins since Maumelle High opened in 2011, PA’s seniors had revenge on their minds, and they got it.
They remembered a junior varsity loss to Maumelle as freshmen in 2015 and more than made up for it with a 5839 victory at Hornet Stadium in Maumelle on Friday night.
“They had a little confidence because they had beaten us before,” PA Coach Kevin Kelley said. “Honestly, we have a lot of respect for them for coming out and playing us like they did.”
“I remember that game,” Maumelle Coach Kirk Horton said. “We beat them, 8-6. It was a defensive struggle over at their place. We weren’t afraid of them, especially our seniors. They’ve had success against them. Here we were with a chance to show it again, and for a lot of the game we did.”
Junior quarterback Braden Bratcher completed 32 of 43 passes for 355 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead PA (5-1, 3-0 5A-Central), but he turned over three missed snaps and threw one interception that Maumelle used to stay in touch until late.
“I’m always pleased with Braden’s effort,” Kelley said. “He’s still learning a lot, and it’s a tough system. We make a lot of mistakes. We’re hoping that we continue to get better and we peak at the end.”
Maumelle (3-3, 0-3) was within 44-33 after a 21-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tyler Maxwell to junior Jace Hartje with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.
“We fell a little bit short, but I was pleased by their effort and grit,” Horton said.
PA scored from deep on its first possession of the game when Bratcher tossed the ball to junior receiver Andrew Cobb, who hit junior receiver Merritt Jones with a 55-yard touchdown pass with 11:26 left in the first quarter. PA failed on its two-point conversion pass and led 6-0.
Maumelle responded quickly with a 50-yard drive completed by senior running back Darius Thompson’s 4-yard touchdown run. With senior Keaton Miguet’s extra-point kick, Maumelle led 7-6.
Thompson led Maumelle with 100 yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries.
Maumelle took a 14-6 lead on Thompson’s 10-yard touchdown run with 7:56 left in the first quarter.
Bratcher’s 18-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver J.D. White put PA within 14-12 early in the second quarter, and PA sophomore Futa Shinkawa recovered the following onside kick near midfield.
PA completed an eightplay drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Bratcher to Jones to take a 20-14 lead with 8:40 left in the second quarter.
Maumelle took a 21-20 lead on senior Antavius Henderson’s 76-yard touchdown run, but PA followed with a 12-play drive capped by Izarius Wood’s 7-yard touchdown run that gave PA a 28-21 halftime lead.
“When this week’s over with, there’s some good from being down in the first half and coming back from that,” Kelley said. “At the same time, we have a lot of respect for what Maumelle was able to do.”