Robinson rumbles, floors Pocahontas
Jack Cleveland wasn’t Joe T. Robinson’s starting quarterback a year ago, but that second-round loss lingered with the Senators.
For a program that had reached the state title game each of the previous two seasons — winning in 2019 — there’s only objective: return to the top of Class 4A.
Robinson took another step toward doing just that Friday night, blasting Pocahontas 49-7 at Charlie George Stadium to advance to the quarterfinals. The Senators scored on their first play from scrimmage and kept the pedal down for the entirety of the first half — Robinson rolled up 336 yards of total offense, scoring on all six of its offensive series — before the sportsmanship rule went into effect.
Cleveland certainly did his part in those opening 24 minutes, tallying 274 yards through the air and completing all nine of his pass attempts, three of which went for touchdowns.
“The kids had a great week of preparation,” Senators Coach Todd Eskola said. “We’ve got some kids that believe in one another. … We felt like they understood what we wanted to attack and [Jack] made some great adjustments in the first half.”
Pocahontas (9-3) had a clear plan from the jump, wanting to burn as much time as it could. The visitors ran the ball three times on their opening series, waiting until there were fewer than five seconds on the play clock before each snap.
They continued to do so after Robinson (11-1) muffed the opening punt, but when the Senators’ offense finally took to the field nearly halfway through the first quarter, Cleveland and Gkyson Wright needed a mere 13 seconds to put their team ahead. Wright hauled in a jump-ball nearly 50 yards downfield and then did the rest himself for a 72-yard touchdown.
Robinson forced yet another three-and-out and within a matter of minutes, the Senators reeled off an 81-yard drive, needing just five plays to find the end zone and double their lead as Cleveland teamed up with Kirby Owens.
Wright scored again before halftime as both he and Owens logged more than 100 yards apiece, neither needing more than three catches to do so.
“They’re great athletes, they run great routes, they block their butts off,” Cleveland said of his two receivers. “They’re awesome guys and it makes it super easy.”
What was perhaps even more impressive than Robinson’s offensive showing was the Senators holding Pocahontas to just 64 yards of total offense in the first half.
Pocahontas quarterback Connor Baker entered the week as the state’s leading rusher across all classifications with 2,194 yards on 267 carries and 41 touchdowns on the ground.
Friday, Baker mustered a mere 17 yards on 16 carries with a fumble and two interceptions as Robinson held Pocahontas scoreless until there were just more than five minutes remaining.
“The overall speed [gave us trouble],” Pocahontas Coach Charles Baty said. “They’re just so quick — great tacklers on defense, very explosive on offense. I’m very impressed with how hard their kids played.”
The Senators played their reserves throughout the third and fourth quarters, easing their way into the quarterfinal round for the fifth time in the last six years.
And while a postseason blowout could make some teams overconfident, Robinson knows what’s required to get to where it ultimately expects to be in three weeks.
“It’s about us,” Eskola said. “It’s been that way all year and honestly, I don’t care who we play. If we play well, we think we can play with anybody.”