PINE BLUFF — Bobby Bolding believes the little details could make all the difference for Pine Bluff this season.
The Zebras have lost in the Class 6A state championship game three of the past five seasons, falling to El Dorado in 2009 and 2013 and to Greenwood in 2012, and Bolding said it’s time for a breakthrough.
“We’ve been frustrated to have gone to the finals three times in the last five years and not win it,” said Bolding, whose teams also advanced to the semifinals in 2010 and 2011 but lost to Texarkana and Lake Hamilton, respectively. “It’s not that we’re doing something wrong. There’s some detail we weren’t tending to.
Zebras at a glance
COACH Bobby Bolding
CONFERENCE 6A-South
2013 RECORD 9-4-1, 5-2
KEY RETURNERS QB Ladarius Skelton (Jr., 6-1, 200), RB Romar Reades (Jr., 5-9, 192), TE/DE John Tate (Jr., 6-4, 247), DB David Beasley (Jr., 6-3, 180)
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Sept. 5;at FS Northside
Sept. 12;Watson Chapel
Sept. 18;at North Little Rock
Sept. 26;at Texarkana*
Oct. 3;LR Parkview*
Oct. 10;Lake Hamilton*
Oct. 17;at LR Hall*
Oct. 24;El Dorado*
Oct. 31;at Sheridan*
Nov. 6;Benton*
*6A-South game
“We really tried to stress details to the kids all spring and all summer and out here in practice. They’ve bought into it.”
Pine Bluff, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s preseason No. 1 team in Class 6A, certainly appears talented enough to make another run at its first state championship since 1995, when it won the last of three consecutive state titles under Marion Glover.
The Zebras have arguably the state’s top junior class, led by quarterback Ladarius Skelton, tight end/defensive end John Tate and safety David Beasley.
“They are an unusual group of kids,” Bolding said. “They’re not just extremely talented. They’re gym rats. They love to be here. They love to lift weights. They love throwing and catching. You have to run them off every day. They’re great kids, great people, and they’re great students. They’re fun to be around.
“There’s classes where you have good linemen or good skill guys. They’re a sum of everything.”
Pine Bluff returns eight offensive starters from last season’s runner-up team that lost 31-24 to El Dorado in the final.
Skelton, 6-1, 200 pounds, rushed 158 times for 974 yards and 8 touchdowns and completed 92 of 178 passes for 1,227 yards with 13 touchdowns in his first season as the Zebras’ quarterback.
“He’s a completely different player than last year,” Bolding said of Skelton, who’ll also play safety. “A year of experience and the work he did during the offseason has made a huge impact for him and for us.”
Tate, 6-4, 247, will replace tight end Will Gragg, one of the nation’s top prospects at the position who transferred to Dumas in the offseason. Tate backed up Gragg at tight end last season and started at defensive end, where he racked up 27 tackles, 8 for loss, and 2 1/2 sacks.
6A Super Six
TEAM;2013;CONF.
- Pine Bluff;9-4-1;6A-South
- Greenwood;12-1;7A/6A-Central
- El Dorado;9-5;6A-South
- Jonesboro;8-5;7A/6A-East
- Lake Hamilton;8-4;6A-South
- Benton;6-6;6A-South
Running back Romar Reades, 5-9, 192, ran for 622 rushing yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. Twin brothers Tyran Simmons and Kyran Simmons are 6-1, 170 pounds, and will lead the Zebras’ receiving corps.
Junior tackle Jordan O’Guinn is one of three offensive linemen who return. O’Guinn, 6-0, 260, right guard Brandon Shepherd, 6-2, 250, and right tackle Terrion Rochelle, 5-10, 255, should lead a strong offensive attack up front.
Pine Bluff returns five starters on defense, including Beasley, 6-3, 180, who had 30 tackles, 2 for loss, 18 pass breakups and 1 interception at safety last season.
“David’s a freak,” Bolding said. “David can do whatever David wants to do, whether it’s on the football field, a basketball court or in a marbles match.
“He’s just extremely talented, and he has an I.Q. in football. He does in basketball as well. He understands what he’s doing out there, instead of kids who are just doing what they’re told.”
Tate will be joined on the defensive line by senior end Cameron Johnson, 6-4, 235, and tackle Ladrius Pugh, 5-10, 235.
Junior Rod Bailey, 5-11, 180, replaces Brandon Lee at middle linebacker. Bolding said he decided to move Bailey to middle linebacker during last season in part because of Lee’s eventual departure.
Pine Bluff lost place-kicker and punter Austin McGehee to graduation, and junior Justin Williams will assume those duties this season.
While most expect Pine Bluff to be in the title hunt again, Bolding cautioned that it will take more than just talent to win the Zebras’ first state title in 19 years.
“We’ll have to get better through the year, and I think we will,” he said. “There’s still a lot of room for improvement.”