Regardless of who is coaching, Pine Bluff High School has an important road game on Friday.
The Zebras will travel north to play Beebe at 7 p.m. at A.S. “Bro” Erwin Stadium.
Pine Bluff (1-4, 1-1 in 5A-Central) will be led by assistant head coach Tyrone Jones after Pine Bluff School District announced Wednesday head coach Micheal Williams had been “removed from leadership responsibilities,” though the statement also said “no final decision” had been made regarding his position.
The statement did not specify a reason for the move but mentioned it was investigating concerns related to “academic integrity.” The district said it would have no further comment, and Jones did not respond to multiple interview requests in time for this story.
This comes with the Zebras trying to make their way back to the playoffs after missing them last year. After splitting their first two conference games, this game at Beebe (3-2, 1-1) becomes a critical one for the Zebras’ postseason hopes with undefeated Searcy awaiting Pine Bluff next week.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pine Bluff excelled in run defense in its first two conference games. The Zebras have allowed an average of 32.5 rushing yards per game and have tallied eight tackles for loss in each contest. The Pine Bluff defense also made five total sacks between the two games, a win against Jacksonville and a loss at Maumelle.
Senior defensive lineman Emmanuel Hudson is coming off a 2.5-sack performance last week against the Hornets. After that game, Williams said he believes Hudson to be the best defensive lineman in Arkansas.
“I keep telling everybody that,” Williams said. “They don’t understand how good this kid actually is. This kid should be playing at LSU or Arkansas somewhere. I understand he’s a little undersized, but somebody gotta give him a chance.”
That defensive front should serve the Zebras well against a run-heavy Badgers team which has run the ball 174 times compared to 64 passing attempts so far this season.
Beebe, led by senior running back Curtis Goodrich, averages 199.6 rushing yards per game and has scored 10 rushing touchdowns. Goodrich has six touchdowns and has exceeded 100 yards in three games. Senior quarterback Ty McCormick has thrown three touchdown passes and rushed for three touchdowns. He is the team’s second-leading rusher.
The Badgers rushed for 340 yards and four touchdowns last week in their conference win against White Hall.
On the other side of the ball, the Zebras will need to get back to how they had been playing on offense. Pine Bluff was averaging 23.3 points per game during the three-game stretch prior to last week’s loss to Maumelle before the Hornets held the Zebras to 7 points, which were scored in the fourth quarter.
Maumelle at Watson Chapel
If Watson Chapel (0-5, 0-2 in 5A-Central) is to pick up its first win of the season, it will have to solve all that has allowed Maumelle (3-2, 2-0) to turn the corner in its season.
It would also be an early homecoming present for the Wildcats, who have not won since the 2024 season finale at home against Jacksonville.
The Wildcats ended a two-game scoring drought in a 56-12 loss at Searcy last Friday, but they have yet to hold a team to fewer than 42 points.
Maumelle started with a narrow loss to Sylvan Hills and was defeated by Little Rock Parkview in the first two weeks, but a two-touchdown win over Vilonia seemed to help the Hornets right the ship. The Hornets have defeated Beebe and Pine Bluff by an average of 13.5 points per game in 5A-Central play.
Maumelle’s defense is coming off its stiffest performance in last Friday’s 21-7 home win over Pine Bluff, which didn’t score until with 2:09 remaining in the game.
Joe T. Robinson at White Hall
Just up the road, White Hall will host Joe T. Robinson at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.
White Hall (0-5, 0-2) is returning home after playing its past three games on the road. Four of the Bulldogs’ remaining five games will be played within Jefferson County.
The Bulldogs are still searching for their first win after last week’s loss at Beebe. White Hall led 14-7 after the first quarter, but the Badgers outscored the Bulldogs 25-0 the rest of the way.
Robinson (5-0, 2-0) enters this game as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s top-ranked team in Class 5A. The Senators are ranked eighth overall in the state.
Robinson junior quarterback Reece Simpson is averaging 186.8 passing yards per game and has thrown 14 touchdowns compared to four interceptions. He is supported by senior running back Kevin Williams’ 102.8 rushing yards per game.
The Senators will be another tough challenge for White Hall, having outscored their first two conference opponents by an average of 46.5 points.
High School Week 6
Friday
(All games kick off at 7 p.m.)
Pine Bluff at Beebe
Maumelle at Watson Chapel
Robinson at White Hall
Friendship-Southeast at Brinkley
Sheridan at Benton
Crossett at Helena-West Helena Central
DeWitt at Stuttgart
Warren at Hamburg
Monticello at Star City
Drew Central at Lake Village Lakeside
Dumas at Barton
Palestine-Wheatley at Fordyce
McGehee at Rison
Blevins at Dermott
Woodlawn at Hermitage
College Week 7
Saturday
Westgate Christian at UAPB (homecoming), 2 p.m.
UA-Monticello at Oklahoma Baptist, 2 p.m.
CORRECTION: The Watson Chapel game represents senior night. Watson Chapel’s homecoming game is Oct. 17 vs. White Hall.