AHS falls to Zebras
Hogs QB Scott throws for 208 yards in 28-13 loss
PINE BLUFF, Ark.—Miscues on special teams hurt Arkansas High in a tough 28-13 loss to Pine Bluff on Friday night at Zebra Field.
The Zebras (2-1-1, 1-0) recovered a momentum-shifting onside kick to open the second half that led to a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Pine Bluff recovered a muffed punt return deep in AHS territory to set up another score.
The Razorbacks (1-2, 0-1) had good showings on offense and defense despite the loss. Quarterback DeAndre Scott had his best performance of the year, completing 14 of 26 passes for 208 yards and a score. Scott also showed that he could make plays with his feet, scampering for 46 yards. TiiWayne White was Scott's primary target of the night, pulling down seven grabs for 140 yards. Andrew Bishop led the Hogs on the ground with 52 yards and a TD.
AHS' defense forced several
three-and-outs that led to two punts and two missed field goals. It was the big-yardage plays that hurt the Razorbacks, giving up scores of 28, 26, and 43 yards.
The quick first half of action took just 51 minutes to complete. Pine Bluff started the game at its 28-yard line and drove the ball all the way to paydirt. The drive was spearheaded by a 14-yard run from Kentarius White. After a few more short runs and a nineyard catch from Will Gragg, sophomore quarterback LaDarius Skelton connected with Tyler Bell for the 28-yard score to put the Zebras up 7-0.
The Razorbacks took over on their 20-yard line on the following drive and moved into Pine Bluff territory on just four plays. The biggest play of the march came on a 45-yard pass from Scott to White to give the Hogs excellent field position. But the Zebra defense woke up after the big gain and halted Arkansas High's progress at the 25-yard line.
After Providence George broke up a pass in the end zone to force a Pine Bluff punt, AHS regained control at its own 35 to try to put some points on the board. Scott showed some quick reflexes with his feet and bobbed and weaved his way out of a sack on back-to-back plays to gain positive yardage. A few plays later, Arkansas High would be stopped on fourth-and-one to give the ball back to Pine Bluff.
Mistakes plagued the Zebras in the second quarter, including three penalties that pushed them from the Arkansas High 7-yard line all the way back out to around the AHS 30-yard line. The string of penalties led to a missed field goal.
The Hogs got the ball back with under a minute left in the quarter, but those seconds would quickly expire to end the first half with a 7-0 score.
The Zebras caught AHS off guard in the top of the second half. Pine Bluff's Austin McGehee footed an onside kick that ended up in his own teammates hands to give the Zebras an adrenaline rush. A few plays later, Romar Reeves busted through a hole for a 26-yard TD to give Pine Bluff a 14-0.
Arkansas High struck back in impressive fashion. The Razorbacks marched down the field on an 18-play drive that ate over six minutes off the clock. After some fancy footwork from Scott to pick up some yards mixed in with a few first-down catches from Bishop and White, the drive eventually ended with a twoyard TD catch from the versatile Kendrix McCann to take the score to 14-7.
The celebration would be short-lived as the Zebras would score about a minute later on a 43-yard touchdown grab from Bell late in the quarter.
AHS threatened to score in the beginning of the final quarter. White grabbed a leaping 33-yard catch in double coverage to get a fire going on the Razorback sideline. Inside the Pine Bluff 30-yard line, the Hogs struggled to keep the ball moving and turned it over after a failed fourth-down conversion attempt.
On the following drive, Arkansas High's defense halted Pine Bluff's progress and forced a punt. But the Hogs were unable to successfully field the punt and a host of Zebras piled on the ball to give them possession in excellent field position. Reeves scored shortly after on a one-yard plunge.
Bishop tacked on a late score for AHS, but there just wasn't enough time left to overcome the deficit.