Practices at Pine Bluff High School have not been less intense just because the Zebras won for the first time this season.
“Actually, practices have been even more intense,” Zebras Coach Micheal Williams said. “Now they realize we’re a good team, we’ve got to get a lot better than we are.”
The Zebras (1-3, 1-0 in 5A-Central) not only posted their first win last Friday at Jacksonville, but they shut out the Titans after playing through three scoreless quarters. Lineman Danny Johnson went for 7 solo tackles (8 total), 2 sacks and 2.5 tackles for losses, while cornerback Kayvon Stringer returned an interception for a touchdown to all but put away the Titans.
Johnson’s and Stringer’s play has been emblematic of the defense’s play this season, Williams said.
“Those guys are all-state players returning from last year’s team, so we can definitely hang our hats on defense,” Williams said. Pine Bluff has held two opponents to 14 or fewer points, Oklahoma City Millwood being the other.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
But as a team, Pine Bluff is trying to eliminate mistakes, a focal point of preparations for Friday’s homecoming game against Maumelle (2-2, 0-1). Kickoff at Simmons Bank Field at Golden Lion Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
One of the problems the Zebras have endured, Williams noted, is the inability to score in the red zone. Davonte Wallace’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Quinton Roy was just the second offensive touchdown of the season for the Z’s.
Maumelle is recovering from a 22-0 loss at Beebe last Friday. Junior quarterback Andrew Bjork has been a strong playmaker against Jefferson County teams in recent memory and is second on the Hornets in rushing at 92 yards per game, just behind junior running back Marshaun Wiley’s 98, according to MaxPreps.
“Maumelle is definitely better than 22-0,” Williams remarked. “Their team is a mirror of our team. … I’m actually concerned more about this team than Beebe. When you look at the film, you look, oh, wow.”
That, Williams said, was in reaction to Maumelle’s offensive linemen. At least two of the Hornets are 6-feet-6 and move the pocket well up front, Williams said.
“Their running game plays a big part of that,” Williams said. “Their o-line has to average 270 (pounds) across the board without their offensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 350 pounds. That plays a factor.”
Pine Bluff brings much size to its offensive and defensive lines as well. Williams has been high on senior Blake Clark, a 6-4, 315-pounder who protects the quarterback’s right side.
For most of the snaps, the quarterback has been Wallace, who along with sophomore Antwone Miller have engineered the Zebras’ offense following the footsteps of current University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff backup Landon Holcomb.
Williams is looking for a faster start from the offense to help Wallace, the regular starter.
“Technically, we wouldn’t be using two quarterbacks if the offense started in sync,” he said. “We need to start off the first quarter with our quarterback to get him in sync and give him some easy throws and catches.”