One branch of the road to Little Rock goes through Pine Bluff this year.
Pine Bluff is set to host Shiloh Christian at 7 p.m. today in a Class 5A state semifinal at Jordan Stadium.
Pine Bluff (10-2) is seeking its first trip to a state championship game since 2017 after knocking off Hot Springs Lakeside 41-28 at home last week.
Shiloh Christian (10-2) is eyeing its fifth-straight title game appearance following last week’s 42-30 road win at Valley View. Between Classes 5A and 4A, the Saints have appeared in state title games each of the past four seasons, including winning the 4A championship in 2020.
The winner will face either Camden Fairview or reigning state champion Little Rock Parkview in the 5A state championship next Saturday.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff quarterback Landon Holcomb said being among the final four teams is a good feeling, and the Zebras are especially happy they’ve gotten to play at home throughout the playoffs.
“It feel real good knowing that we fought hard enough in the regular season to have our home playoff games, all three games here,” Holcomb said. “So, knowing that we won the conference championship, it’s always a chip on our shoulder to go ahead and keep on going.”
This is the deepest playoff run the Zebras have made since falling to Greenwood in the 2017 6A state championship. Pine Bluff lost in the second round each of the next two seasons, lost in the first round in 2020, and missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons.
The Zebras have historically been comfortable this far into the playoffs, but the Saints have recent experience with four-straight semifinal wins. Their last semifinal loss came to Arkadelphia in the 2018 4A semifinals.
Pine Bluff coach Micheal Williams said the coaches have reminded the Zebras all year of Pine Bluff’s winning history to give them confidence for games such as this.
“It’s still in their genes,” Williams said. “Since it’s still in your genes, you have been here before, so play it like you have been here before.”
Pine Bluff showed recently it can win in different way. After winning low-scoring games in the back half of the regular season, the Zebras have scored 41 points in each of their first two playoff games. They ran for 215 yards in the first round, then passed for 469 in the second. In both games, the defense held the opposition to 7 points through three quarters before the backups gave up some late offense.
Williams said it is important to have the versatility Pine Bluff has shown.
“You don’t want to be one dimensional,” Williams said. “If something’s not working, you want to have a backup plan, and this team’s versatile enough to be able to have that backup plan. If the pass is not working this week, we know we can run the ball. If the run is not working, we know we can pass the ball. If the pass or run isn’t working, we know we got good special teams.”
The Saints are led by senior running back Bo Williams and play two quarterbacks. Freshman Cole Creighton threw two touchdown passes in last week’s win at Valley View, but they also use sophomore Evan Baker, who is more of a runner. Wide receiver Carter Holman is another player to watch, as is offensive lineman Jonas Nantze, an Oklahoma State commit.
Shiloh Christian is averaging 47.75 points per game. The Saints’ two losses came in the only games they scored fewer than 40 points. The 30 points Valley View scored last week was the most the Saints have allowed defensively this season.