JONESBORO -- The past three meetings between Jonesboro and Pine Bluff took place in the playoffs.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
Pine Bluff won each time -- in 2012, 2014 and 2015 -- in the Class 6A semifinals.
But Friday night at Cooksey-John Field, the Golden Hurricane prevailed 41-34 over the defending state champion Zebras.
"When you have the hype that surrounds a game like this with two top-10 teams, to play like we did, it feels good," Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said.
Jonathan Adams led the Golden Hurricane (6-0, 3-0) with 6 receptions for 116 yards and 4 touchdowns, with all three of his second-half receptions going for scores to keep the Zebras (3-2, 2-1) from coming back.
"Two of my touchdowns were sprung by my tackle, Noah Gatlin," said Adams, who is committed to Arkansas State. "He's a good player, and I'm happy to be a part of this team."
Pine Bluff led 20-14 with 8:33 to go in the third quarter when Simeon Blair hit Xavier Smith on a 39-yard touchdown pass.
Xavier Smith caught 7 passes for 103 yards.
Blair added a jump pass to Josh Smith for the two-point conversion. The drive was set up by Jonesboro's lone turnover, an interception by Pine Bluff's Ronald Rockett.
The Hurricane responded on the ensuing kickoff. Keshawn Andrews went 89 yards for a score, and the Hurricane re-establishing a 21-20 advantage.
"We did exactly what we preached to our kids all week in practice not to do," Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding said. "Don't give up big plays on defense and don't turn the ball over. And on top of that, we didn't execute in the red zone, and that just made it worse."
The Zebras didn't go anywhere on their next drive, and Jonesboro countered with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Tyson Williams to Adams.
Williams finished 10 of 15 for 231 yards and 5 TDs. Ji'Marcus Bibbs kept the Hurricane balanced with 27 carries for 143 yards, including 17 for 81 in the second half.
Jonesboro kept the drive alive on third-and 4 on a 25-yard pass play from Williams to Jake Slayton.
The Hurricane then caught Pine Bluff in a blitz and Williams dumped a screen to Adams, who scored from 30 yards out.
That moved the lead to 27-20 after the extra point failed, but the Hurricane got the ball back after another stop.
Williams nearly crossed the line of scrimmage on a scramble before finding Adams, who sprinted 45 yards for the score and a 34-20 lead with 1:35 left in the third.
"That's what we've come to expect from him," Coleman said of Adams. "What I really like about him is that you can line him up all over the place, move him around with motion and even when he's not getting the ball, he dictates where the defense lines up."
Pine Bluff, led by Blair, outgained Jonesboro 609-418.
Blair finished with 474 yards of total offense, scoring on a 14-yard run after a 49-yard run to make it 34-26 at the end of the third.
Blair rushed 25 times for 287 yards and 2 TDs and completed 13 of 28 for 187 yards and 2 more scores.
NO. 4 GREENWOOD 42,
SILOAM SPRINGS 0
SILOAM SPRINGS -- Greenwood wasn't razor-sharp, but the Bulldogs were plenty good against Siloam Springs at Panther Stadium.
Senior quarterback Luke Hales ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and junior Connor Noland threw for two touchdowns as the Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0 6A-West) shut out the Panthers (1-5, 1-2).
Greenwood had 286 yards of offense and a 35-0 lead at the half. The Bulldogs finished with 417 yards of offense.
Noland completed 10 of 18 passes for 176 yards, while Kenny Wood rushed 9 times for 62 yards.
Siloam Springs had 113 yards of offense, including minus-5 yards rushing.
NO. 10 RUSSELLVILLE 47, LAKE HAMILTON 23
RUSSELLVILLE -- Russellville (6-0, 3-0 6A-West) stayed unbeaten with a 47-23 victory over Lake Hamilton (3-3, 2-1) at Cyclone Stadium.
The Cyclones led 31-7 in the first half and went up 39-15 in the third quarter on Cale Fulsom's 2-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Stokes, who also caught the two-point conversion.
Fulsom threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Meador for Russellville's second touchdown, and it was 21-7 after Jason Collins recovered a fumble in the end zone after a bad snap by the Wolves.
Russellville regained possession later when Lake Hamilton mishandled a short squib kick, and Meador's 36-yard reverse made it 28-7. Nate Turner kicked a 38-yard field goal to make it 31-7 still in the first quarter.
Sports on 10/08/2016