For such a young team, the Fordyce Redbugs looked like a seasoned veteran club in the first round of the 3A state football playoffs. Then again, the team with a freshman quarterback and only eight seniors isn’t undefeated for nothing.
Fordyce contained a senior-laden backfield-by-committee and built a 30-0 lead by halftime to beat the Hoxie Mustangs, 52-14, last Friday. Sophomore Micah Gamble returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown and rushed 85 yards for another, while freshman Andreal Ellison Jr. threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
Playoff experience builds up quickly in Fordyce.
“We have more confidence because we know what we can do,” Gamble said after the win. “We know if we lock in, for real, we can go all the way.”
The Conference 3A-8 champion Redbugs (11-0) remain home at Paul “Bear” Bryant Stadium, 101 Atkinson St., to host the 3A-2 runner-up Jessieville Lions at 7 p.m. Friday. The winner will host Booneville or Mayflower in the quarterfinal round Nov. 29.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Tim Rodgers, Fordyce’s 15th-year head coach, said the team — which won back-to-back 2A titles in 2019-20 and was 2A runner-up in 2021 — has handled the playoff pressure well.
“Everybody’s been showing up for practice. We’ve been doing the things we’re supposed to,” Rodgers said. “Friday night, we jumped out on them and kind of got up 30-nothing at half, so I was proud of that. Right now, we just don’t know how to face adversity, being behind and having a tough game yet. Hopefully, Friday night, we get pushed a little bit and see how we react and carry it over from game to game.”
Rodgers sees similarities between Jessieville and Hoxie that the Redbugs have focused on in practice this week.
“They’ve got some big linemen and big running backs who can line up and try to pound on you a lot,” Rodgers said. “I know the final score was 52-14, but Hoxie, they kind of threw the ball down our throat a little bit in the second half or right there at the end of the first half, so they kind of worry us a little bit.”
Dalton Ellison, Jessieville’s senior quarterback, has rushed for 667 yards in 9 games this season. Sophomore Jacob Graves has racked up 514 yards in eight games, senior Jacob Marquez has carried for 259 yards and two others have gone for more than 100 yards.
Ellison’s passing stats were unavailable, but senior receiver Tony Soileau has made 21 catches for 304 yards. Soileau also had 455 total yards of offense, third best on the team behind Ellison and Graves.
Hoxie, which scored on its first drive of the second half, totaled 254 yards of offense at Fordyce.
“Hoxie did some things to us we shouldn’t have let us do,” Rodgers said. “Jessieville is going to see that film, so they’re going to try to do the same thing.”
Fordyce is one of three teams from southeast Arkansas remaining in the 3A playoffs.
On Friday Dumas will visit Glen Rose after beating Harmony Grove (Ouachita County) in the first round and Rison will travel to Rivercrest after eliminating Walnut Ridge.