After splitting a pair of competitive games to start conference play, Pine Bluff is set for a pivotal road game.
The Zebras will head north Friday to face Beebe at 7 p.m.
Pine Bluff (1-4, 1-1 in 5A-Central) and Beebe enter this week tied for third in the 5A-Central Conference with Maumelle and White Hall. Pine Bluff fell 21-18 to Maumelle last week, while Beebe lost 26-18 at White Hall.
Zebras coach Micheal Williams said this is a big game in the playoff hunt.
“Whoever wins this game sets themselves up for a playoff spot,” Williams said. “If we beat Beebe, we go into next week’s game against Searcy 2-1. But if Beebe beats us, they got a win over Maumelle, and they got a win over us. That kind of puts us fighting for a fourth spot early in the season.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff came out of its bye week to begin conference play with a 15-0 win at Jacksonville, the Zebras’ first victory this season before falling to Maumelle in a close game last week.
After scoring 6 combined points across three non-conference games, the Zebras are scoring 16.5 points per game so far in conference action.
Williams said simplifying the offense has helped the Zebras.
“We was doing too much, I think,” Williams said. “I think that’s what really got us, so we just shared basics of running our basic offense, and then we said we just gonna build off of that.”
Beebe (3-2, 1-1) is led on offense by quarterback Mason Harbin and running back Madden Harbin, though Williams emphasized the Zebras are preparing for the Badgers’ entire team rather than worrying about two players.
Pine Bluff allowed 25.3 points per game in non-conference action but just 10.5 in the two conference matchups. Those numbers can be a bit misleading since some of the points the Zebras allowed in the first three games resulted from turnovers by the offense rather than the defense getting beaten.
Williams said he was disappointed to see the defense allow 21 points last week.
“The key for us to win is to make sure we go back to playing Zebra football as far as defense wise, and then the offense, keep it rolling,” Williams said. “If the offense can keep it rolling and we can stay around 15-25 points, I think we have a chance to win every game, and especially this one.”
Although Beebe is coming off a road loss, the Badgers are 3-0 at home this season, having defeated Nettleton, Greene County Tech and Maumelle. Beebe is scoring 29.3 points per game at home compared to 16 on the road.
Williams said Beebe has always been a tough place to play.
“My first year playing Beebe, we beat them here at our house, and we beat them pretty good,” Williams said. “Last year, we barely made it out of that game. … For whatever reason, Beebe is just a tough place to play.”