LITTLE ROCK — Dancing around midfield at Quigley-Cox Stadium in Little Rock, Jonesboro quarterback D.J. Anderson and linebacker Malcolm Stafford waved their arms at running back Martin Stafford.
“You need to cool off, boy,” Anderson told Stafford on Friday night.
Stafford needed a breather after rushing for 195 yards and two touchdowns for Jonesboro (4-0, 2-0) in the Hurricane’s 35-24 victory against 7A/6AEast Conference foe Little Rock Central.
“He just does that week in and week out,” Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said. “When it comes right down to it, the guy is our bread and butter. We’re going to dance with the date that brought us.”
The 5-9, 195-pound senior carried the ball 32 times for Jonesboro, which gained 377 yards of total offense, including 256 rushing against the Tigers (1-4, 0-2).
With less than two minutes until halftime, the Hurricane covered 81 yards in three plays, with Stafford’s 5-yardtouchdown run with 1:02 left in the second quarter, putting Jonesboro in front for good 21-17.
The touchdown came two possessions after Jonesboro held the Tigers to a 20-yard Wes Whatley field goal and 17-14 lead after Central drove to the Hurricane 3 with 5:07 left until the half.
“That’s probably the turning point in the game,” Central Coach Ellis “Scooter” Register said of the Hurricane touchdown.
Jonesboro built on that turning point early in the second half. Stafford ran 36 yards to the Central 7 then bulled in from the 3 on fourth-and-goal for a 28-17 lead.
Central’s Cooper Westbrook finished with 280 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16-of-31 passing, but threw 4 interceptions.
CABOT 26, MARION 12
MARION - Kyle Edgar scored two touchdowns to lead the Panthers (3-2,1-1) to a 7A/6A-East victory over the Patriots (2-3, 1-1).
Max Carroll and Chris Henry also scored a touchdown apiece for Cabot.
Sports, Pages 26 on 09/29/2012