GREENBRIER -- Defending state champion Little Rock Christian scored touchdowns on four consecutive first-half possessions en route to a 42-7 Class 5A nonconference victory over Greenbrier on Friday night at Don Jones Stadium.
The Warriors (3-0) stretched their winning streak to 12 games and gave third-year Coach Eric Cohu his 150th career victory. Little Rock Christian led 28-0 at halftime and increased the lead to 35-0 when junior tailback Corey Platt ran 3 yards for a touchdown with 10:58 remaining in the third quarter.
The first-half scoring flurry began after Greenbrier (2-1) reached its 46 to open the game and Little Rock Christian's first possession ended with a punt.
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"I think the biggest thing for us is I feel like we have to start with a little more energy and a little more focus on both sides of the ball," said Cohu, a 1996 Harding University graduate who is 25-3 at Little Rock Christian. "No, they didn't score on their opening drive, but they got a few first downs. Feel like we've really got to come out of the gate as we head into these conference games. We've got a really tough conference."
Little Rock Christian finished with a 446-230 advantage in total yardage.
Senior tailback Kendel Givens ran 9 times for 68 yards and 3 touchdowns (9, 1 and 31 yards). Givens set up Little Rock Christian's final first-half touchdown with a 68-yard reception to the 25 on a middle screen. Three plays later, senior quarterback Akeem Gilmore ran 20 yards for a touchdown with 1:58 remaining in the second quarter.
The Warriors led 42-0 after Givens ran 31 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter. Junior place-kicker Isaiah Hankins was 6 of 6 on extra-point attempts.
Gilmore and junior Colin Cooper split time at quarterback. Gilmore ran 3 times for 41 yards and completed 5 of 8 passes for 173 yards. Cooper completed 8 of 12 passes for 124 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Chris Hightower for a 7-0 lead with 1:49 remaining in the first quarter.
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The Panthers averted the shutout when senior quarterback Jackson Riddle threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior tailback Peyton Long with 6:22 remaining in the game.
Long finished with 107 rushing yards on 20 carries. Riddle completed 14 of 21 passes for 152 yards. He was sacked 4 times for 45 yards in losses.
Little Rock Christian hasn't lost since last September, 56-14 to 5A-Central rival Pulaski Academy. The Warriors won the rematch in the 5A state championship game (52-38), Cohu's fourth state championship overall.
"We know there's no easy road," Cohu said. "About every team in our conference is a playoff team. If they were in other conferences, they would be in the playoffs."
Cohu was 38-12 in 2002-05 at Jackson (Tenn.) Christian School and 87-12 in 2009-15 at Madison (Ala.) Academy. He also won state championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Sports on 09/21/2019