Lonoke sophomore steps in

LONOKE — The last time Lonoke won an outright conference championship, Jacob Taylor was in grade school.

Thanks to his play Friday, he has the Jackrabbits in position for their first title since 2000.

Lonoke's 24-19 home victory over Stuttgart gives the Jackrabbits (7-2, 6-0 2-4A) a chance to win the conference with a victory at Newport next week.

Taylor, a sophomore making his first varsity start, completed 9 of 16 passes for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns.

"That's just his laid-back nature," Lonoke Coach Jeff Jones said. "He did outstanding."

Lonoke led 18-13 at halftime, thanks to two touchdown passes from Taylor and one from Clarence Harris.

Taylor didn't start but took the rest of the snaps after Harris handled the Jackrabbits' first two offensive series.

Jones said starting Harris, a wide receiver, was an attempt to keep Taylor's pregame nerves under control. Taylor was handed the reins of the offense this week after starting quarterback Rollins Elamsustained a broken leg last Friday against Marianna.

"It's different, going from being on the scout team to being a starter," Taylor said.

After Lonoke scored the first touchdown of the game on a 24-yard pass from Harris to Daniel Smith, Taylor had two second-quarter strikes, a 9-yard pass to Smith and a 53-yard pass to Michael Howard in the final minute of the first half.

Stuttgart (7-2, 4-2) stayed within a touchdown, thanks first to a 43-yard touchdown run by Tim Reams and later a 19-yard run by quarterback Seth Allison.

Allison was the focal point of Stuttgart's first drive of the second half, running the ball five times before hitting Nick Konecny on a 16-yard touchdown pass.

The Ricebirds got the ball back when Allison intercepted Taylor on Lonoke's next drive. Stuttgart drove to the Lonoke 1-yard line, only to have a sneak by Allison turned away by the Jackrabbits' defense.

"We knew all week long the defense was going to have to step up and be the difference in the football game," Jones said.