PINE BLUFF -- Defending Class 6A state champion Pine Bluff scored on its first four possessions in a 28-7 season-opening victory over Fort Smith Northside on Friday night at Jordan Stadium.
The Zebras, stocked with three-year starters on both sides of the ball, were nearly flawless in the opening 12 minutes, racing to a 28-0 lead against the Class 7A Grizzlies.
Pine Bluff outgained Northside 255-28 in total yardage and had a 15-1 advantage in first downs in the opening quarter.
"We were ready to play," Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding said. "We executed. I was real disappointed after that. They made some adjustments and their kids didn't quit. We just kind of stood around the rest of the game. I was really disappointed in that."
Senior quarterback LaDarius Skelton ran 15 times for 130 yards and 1 touchdown and completed 5 of 13 passes for 101 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Senior tailback Romar Reades rushed 15 times for 126 yards.
Senior wide receiver/cornerback David Beasley caught 3 passes for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns (60 and 13 yards) and had an interception.
Skelton, Reades and Beasley, who has orally committed to Louisiana Tech, are all three-year starters.
"They're grown men," Northside Coach Mike Falleur said. "They're what we were last year."
The Grizzlies played without standout senior utility back/cornerback Kiondre Thomas because of an indefinite suspension for violating team rules, according to Falleur. Thomas has orally committed to Louisiana Tech.
Northside averted the shutout on a 13-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Hunter Pendleton with 1:09 remaining in the game.
Pine Bluff opened the game with a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Skelton's 14-yard pass to senior wide receiver Kacy Higgins. Skelton scrambled for two points and an 8-0 lead with 9:20 left in the first quarter.
Skelton then threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Beasley at the 6:37 mark, a 13-yard touchdown pass to Beasley at 2:26 and ran 26 yards for another touchdown with 2.8 seconds left in the first quarter.
"We knew what kind of team they had coming in," Falleur said. "We had a lot of young guys on defense, a new quarterback on offense. We knew it was going to be tough. We didn't know it was going to be that bad. But it was."
Senior Davin Chitwood ran 24 times for 85 yards and completed 7 of 16 passes for 47 yards in his first career start at quarterback.
"Our guys didn't quit," Falleur said.
Sports on 09/05/2015