STUTTGART – The Stuttgart High School offense proved tough for White Hall to stop during Tuesday night’s football scrimmage.
The Ricebird starters scored touchdowns on four of their five possessions at Ned Moseley Stadium, not counting a drive which began with 5 seconds on the clock.
Stuttgart coach Josh Price said he saw a lot of good from his team.
“Offensively, the only time they stopped us was when we had two stupid penalties, so we’re going to be pretty fluent on offense if our kids continue to execute and take care of the football,” Price said. “Defensively, I thought we got a lot better after the first set of 10 plays, creating a few turnovers. I thought we did a really good job of getting to the ball.”
The scrimmage began with each team’s starting offense getting 10 plays against the other’s starting defense. The backups then each got one 10-play possession and one six-play possession. After the scripted portion, the teams played two 12-minute live quarters.
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Score wasn’t kept during the scripted segment, though both starting offenses scored a touchdown during their initial 10 plays. Stuttgart outscored White Hall 21-13 during the live quarters.
White Hall coach Daryl Patton said the Bulldogs made too many of the same mistakes that cost them last season.
“That’s what bothers me,” Patton said. “Same mistakes, and I’ve gotta correct it. That falls on me, and I’ve gotta correct it, but we did some good things. … We’re going to try to fix this and get ready for Sheridan.”
Stuttgart starting quarterback Cain Price, coming off an all-conference sophomore year, completed 14 of 19 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He went 5 of 5 with a touchdown during the first 10-play possession.
The Ricebirds completed passes to 12 receivers between the first and second string offenses. Jaymarrion Hoard and Quarterion Johnson, both seniors, led the team. Hoard caught five passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns, while Johnson caught four passes for 93 yards and a score.
Josh Price said Stuttgart has a lot of players who can handle the ball this year.
“If you’ll block and do a good job and not be selfish, I’ll get you the ball,” the coach said. “I can call plays enough to spread it around. …The last couple of years, we’ve really went to De’Ontae Clark, who’s now at UAPB, a whole lot more. We’re focusing on spreading the ball around and involving more people.”
White Hall got the ball first to begin the scrimmage and scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Wyatt Golden to junior receiver Aiden Bitely, but the Bulldogs didn’t score again until the second live quarter.
The Ricebirds led 21-0 with 5:23 remaining after backup quarterback Bradley Benton completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Bray Covington Minor.
Bulldog running back Xavier Wallace cut into the deficit with a 5-yard touchdown run. After White Hall forced a quick Stuttgart punt, Golden hit junior Kel McEntire for a 56-yard touchdown to cut it to 21-13. Stuttgart did enough on its next possession to run out the clock without giving the Bulldogs a chance to go for the tie.
Patton said he was proud the Bulldogs didn’t quit.
“That’s crucial, because they could have, and we didn’t,” Patton said. “That’s something we can build on, we can get better at, but we gotta clean up our mistakes. We shouldn’t be in that position.”
Golden completed 15 of 30 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. McEntire led the White Hall receivers with four catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Both teams will open the regular season at home on Aug. 29. White Hall will host Sheridan, and Stuttgart will host Lonoke.
Southeast Arkansas football schedule
High school Week 0
Aug. 28: Hermitage at South Side Bee Branch, 7 p.m.
Aug. 29: Sheridan at White Hall; Pine Bluff at Grenada, Miss.; Watson Chapel at Helena-West Helena Central; Crossett at Prescott; DeWitt at Central Arkansas Christian; Drew Central at Hamburg; Fordyce at Monticello; Lonoke at Stuttgart; Greenbrier at Warren; Carlisle at Lake Village Lakeside; Dermott at Midland (all games start at 7 p.m.)
College Week 1
Aug. 30: UAPB at Texas Tech, Lubbock, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
NOTE: UA-Monticello’s season starts Sept. 4 at Southeastern Oklahoma State.