LITTLE ROCK — Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding still has a perfect Class 6A playoff bracket.
Before the playoffs began, Bolding said he filled out a bracket for all six classes and, not surprisingly, had a pretty good line on Class 6A.
Bolding said he pegged the four semifinalists - Pine Bluff, El Dorado, Lake Hamilton and Texarkana - all members of the 6A-South.
“That was my pick,” Bolding said. “That’s the way I kind of picked it to come out.”
Since sweeping reclassification following the 2005 season (the state’s 32 largest schools split into two classes), 6A-South schools have captured four state championships and have placed four teams in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Pine Bluff’s home rematch today at Jordan Stadium is against Texarkana (6-6).
The Zebras (10-1) won the regular-season meeting 34-18 on Oct. 15 in Pine Bluff.
Pine Bluff led 20-18 in the third quarter before breaking the game open with two touchdowns later in the quarter.
Senior tailback Jawahn Hunt, who has rushed for approximately 2,000 yards this season, had 303 yards and 4 touchdowns on 39 carries.
But Bolding said the difference in the first meeting was containing senior quarterback Kierra Harris in the second half. A three-year starter, Harris threw touchdown passes of 39 and 30 yards in the firsthalf. He finished 8 of 19 for 141 yards and added 61 rushing yards on 17 carries.
“We kind of kept the quarterback hemmed up after halftime,” Bolding said. “That was important, trying to get him limited to one phase, running or throwing. We were able to keep him hemmed up in the pocket.
“It starts with him, just like any other Spread offense.”
Harris ran for one touchdown and threw for another in a 21-13 upset victory at Jonesboro in last week’s quarterfinals.
The Razorbacks, Class 6A state champions in 2006 and 2007, overcame a 10-0 firsthalf deficit.
Following a first-round playoff bye, Pine Bluff advanced with a 30-6 victory over Jacksonville last week at home.
“We played real well defensively,” Bolding said. “Offensively, it was a little sloppy starting out. As the game went along, it got better and better.”
In addition to Texarkana, Lake Hamilton won the Class 6A state championship in 2008 and El Dorado beat Pine Bluff for the 6A title last fall.
CLASS 6A Texarkana at Pine Bluff WHAT Class 6A semifinals WHEN 7:30 p.m. today WHERE Jordan Stadium, Pine Bluff RECORDS Texarkana 6-6; Pine Bluff 10-1 RANKINGS Texarkana is No. 4 in Class 6A; Pine Bluff is No. 2 in Class 6A and No. 9 overall
Sports, Pages 30 on 11/26/2010