Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Bratcher, Kelley spark Bruins in blowout victory

- PETE PERKINS SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

CLASS 5A PULASKI ACADEMY 57, ALMA 21

The Alma Airedales made it a game for the first 10 minutes.

After that, the Pulaski Academy Bruins turned it into the sort of first-round playoff result they expect, in this case a 57-21 victory over Alma to start its run in the Class 5A playoffs at Little Rock’s Hatcher Stadium on Friday night.

Pulaski Academy’s first two possession­s were similar to those in many of its previous early round playoff games. They featured touchdown runs of 6 yards by junior running back Jayden Kelley and 2 yards by sophomore Izarius Woods that gave Pulaski Academy a 14-0 lead with 5:14 left in the first quarter.

On the kickoff after Woods’ touchdown, Alma recovered Pulaski Academy’s onside kick attempt at its 49 and immediatel­y scored on a 49-yard pass from junior quarterbac­k Landon Blair to junior receiver Marquis Peter to pull within 14-7.

“We had a little momentum,” Alma Coach Doug Loughridge said. “I felt it then, and I felt it before the game, but there were one or two or three opportunit­ies that we didn’t seize the moment on, and against that team, you can’t do that.”

Junior quarterbac­k Braden Bratcher completed 22 of 27 passes for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns and scored on a 23-yard run to lead Pulaski Academy (10-1). Kelley rushed 7 times for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“Braden is a heck of a quarterbac­k,” Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said. “Sometimes he likes to run a little more than I want, but he’s got that capacity. He’s getting better and better each week. We know what we’re going to get on defense. We know what we’re going to get at receiver. The better he plays, the better chance we have to do something.”

Pulaski Academy senior tight end Hudson Henry caught 6 passes for 105 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Bruins responded to Alma’s first score with an 11yard touchdown pass from Bratcher to Henry, touchdowns on runs of 18 yards by Woods, 50 yards by Kelley, the run by Bratcher, and a 31yard touchdown pass from Bratcher to senior receiver John David White to take a 50-7 lead late in the second quarter.

Alma (5-6) recovered a fumble at the Pulaski Academy 15 with 1:40 left before halftime, and a 1-yard quarterbac­k sneak by Blair put it within 50-14.

The Bruins scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior defensive end Garrett Pritchard to senior guard Chase McCarver late in the third quarter, and the Airedales completed the scoring midway through the fourth quarter on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Blair to junior receiver Ben Henley.

 ?? Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JIMMY JONES ?? Pulaski Academy running back Izarius Woods (left) runs away from Alma linebacker Gabe Jensen during the Bruins’ 57-21 victory over the Airedales on Friday in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. For more high school football photos, visit arkansason­line.com/galleries.
Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JIMMY JONES Pulaski Academy running back Izarius Woods (left) runs away from Alma linebacker Gabe Jensen during the Bruins’ 57-21 victory over the Airedales on Friday in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. For more high school football photos, visit arkansason­line.com/galleries.

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