7-4A

Robinson wins showdown with Nashville

Nashville quarterback Tyler Hanson (14) threw for 187 yards and five interceptions in the Scrappers’ 34-10 loss to Joe T. Robinson on Friday night.
Nashville quarterback Tyler Hanson (14) threw for 187 yards and five interceptions in the Scrappers’ 34-10 loss to Joe T. Robinson on Friday night.

Behind 211 rushing yards and three touchdowns by senior running back Ceazar Warren, Joe T. Robinson broke down Nashville in a 34-10 victory Friday night at Charlie George Stadium in Little Rock.

The Senators (6-0, 3-0 7-4A Conference) had a 7-0 lead and just 51 total yards of offense midway through the second quarter, when Coach Todd Eskola elected to spend the majority of the game calling direct snap runs for Warren.

"The game plan going in was to move to that in the second half when their defense started wearing down a little bit," Eskola said. "We felt really good about it, but we wanted to try and save it for the second half for us much as we could. But we felt like that package and having them tackle him would really wear on their defense, and we thought it did."

Warren had produced 259 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing out of the same offensive package in last week's 21-17 victory over Arkadelphia, and Nashville Coach Mike Volarvich was unable to stop it, even when he implemented a five-man front with defenders coming off the edge.

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Warren had eight runs that totaled 10 or more yards -- including a 41-yard touchdown run -- and he essentially ended the game on a two-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal, which set Robinson up 20-10 with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

A two-score lead was enough cushion for a Robinson defense that forced 7 turnovers (5 interceptions, 2 fumbles).

Robinson senior defensive back Nathan Page had three interceptions, repeatedly denying Nashville's constant effort to throw the ball downfield.

Nashville senior quarterback Tyler Hanson entered the game as the state's third-leading passer, but finished the game 22 of 38 passing with 187 yards and 5 interceptions.

Hanson was constantly under pressure. He was sacked twice, and he threw two interceptions while getting hit by a Robinson defender.

"I think they kind of handled the line of scrimmage with their defensive line," Nashville's Volarvich said.

Nashville's only touchdown of the game came in the second quarter, when a Robinson defender was called for a facemask after a 20-yard completion to Levester Gillard, which set Nashville (3-2, 1-1) at the Robinson 30. Three plays later, sophomore Carmillias Morrison scored on a five-yard run to make the score 14-7 with 5:51 left in the first half.

Sophomore kicker Jhonny Pioquinto made a 36-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Robinson won the turnover margin 7-0, and scored its first touchdown after Nashville's Hanson was stopped on a fourth-down quarterback draw at his own 41. Robinson junior Mekel Kentle ran 35 yards on a jet sweep, and senior Andre Bradley scored virtually untouched on an eight-yard run to give the Senators a 7-0 lead with 7:11 left in the first quarter.

Next week, Nashville will host Ashdown and Robinson will play at Malvern.

With two consecutive 200-yard games, while also playing linebacker for a turnover-frenzied defense, Robinson's Warren can sense where this season is going.

"We're headed for the championship," he said.

Sports on 10/07/2017

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