Class 5A's final game of the season features Pulaski Academy and Little Rock Christian for the third consecutive season.
Little Rock Christian won the 2018 Class 5A title, then Pulaski Academy avenged that defeat with a win in last year's championship game.
At 12:10 p.m. today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, the Bruins will attempt to win a second state title in a row and their sixth in seven years under Coach Kevin Kelley.
Pulaski Academy (12-0) is in the state championship game for the seventh year in a row.
"It's always nice to be back in the state championship game," Kelley said. "That's a goal the kids have set at the beginning of the year. Our kids kept finding a way [to win] and kept battling.
"We feel battle-tested."
The Warriors are looking to claim their second title in three years and second in school history.
"Our program is on the rise," Little Rock Christian Coach Eric Cohu said. "In the last two years, we won a state championship, then won a conference championship and were a state runner-up.
"We've got another chance to win a state championship."
Pulaski Academy won the teams' regular-season meeting 60-28 on Oct. 23 at Warrior Field in Little Rock. The Bruins jumped out to a 32-0 lead in the first half.
Kelley added that the Bruins will be ready for the Warriors' best shot as they try to avenge their loss earlier this season.
"What we did well last time was adjust quickly on offense," Kelley said. "What we did really well on defense was shut them down on offense when our offense wasn't doing well. We got a couple of onside kicks in that game. People will go, 'Oh, you beat them by 32.' You can't count on getting two onside kicks. Last year, we got two onside kicks and lost, and in the state championship game didn't get any.
"The only thing I'm worried about is our kids looking at how we beat them by 32 and think this isn't going to be that hard this year. They know better because they respect the heck out of those guys and know they're well-coached. We pound that into their heads."
Cohu said the Warriors (9-2) must play better against the Bruins or risk a similar outcome today.
"We have to come out of the gate well," Cohu said. "We have to eliminate the penalties and sloppy football. We have to start strong and finish strong."
Junior running back Joe Himon is Pulaski Academy's biggest weapon.
Himon has rushed for 2,003 yards and 22 touchdowns on 180 carries. He's also caught 76 passes for 954 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Bruins' quarterback duo of senior Nolen Bruffett and junior Charlie Fiser has been solid this season.
Fiser is 200-of-302 passing for 2,570 yards with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Bruffett has completed 126 of 197 passes for 1,784 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Little Rock Christian's success begins with senior two-way player Corey Platt.
Platt has caught 41 passes for 673 yards and 14 touchdowns and has 43 carries for 412 yards and 10 scores.
Defensively, Platt has 71 tackles, including 3 for a loss, along with 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries.
Pulaski Academy is 3-2 in the teams' past five meetings since 2018.
The magnitude of the Pulaski Academy-Little Rock Christian rivalry is not lost on Cohu.
"It's a big game. It's the state championship," Cohu said. "We're familiar with each other. All of these things make it bigger than a normal game."
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At a glance
LR CHRISTIAN
VS. PULASKI ACADEMY
WHAT Class 5A state championship
WHEN 12:10 p.m. today
WHERE War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
TV Arkansas PBS
RADIO KKPT-FM, 94.1, in Little Rock
RECORDS Little Rock Christian 9-2; Pulaski Academy 12-0
COACHES Little Rock Christian: Eric Cohu; Pulaski Academy: Kevin Kelley
Class 5A capsule
LR CHRISTIAN (9-2)
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Aug. 28 at LR Central W, 57-35
Sept. 4 at Searcy W, 37-28
Sept. 11 Magnolia L, 49-52
Sept. 25 at Maumelle* W, 27-17
Oct. 2 at White Hall* W, 38-14
Oct. 9 Beebe*+
Oct. 16 LR Hall* W, 59-27
Oct. 23 Pulaski Academy* L, 60-28
Oct. 30 at Jacksonville*+
Nov. 5 Watson Chapel* W, 63-28
Nov. 20 Clarksville# W, 48-19
Nov. 27 at HS Lakeside# W, 52-14
Dec. 4 at Harrison# W, 52-28
*5A-Central game
#Playoff game +ccd., covid-19
COACH Eric Cohu (44-6 in fourth season at school)
MASCOT Warriors
CONFERENCE 5A-Central
RECORD 9-2, 4-1 5A-Central, second
RANKING No. 4 in Class 5A (at end of regular season)
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Colin Cooper (Sr., 6-3, 185); RB Jayvean Dyer-Jones (Jr., 5-9, 184); WR/LB Corey Platt, Jr. (Sr., 6-2, 195); DL Titus Colquitt (Jr., 6-2, 185); K Isaiah Hankins (Sr., 6-0, 195)
PULASKI ACADEMY (12-0)
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Aug. 27 Joe T. Robinson W, 48-35
Sept. 11 at Ravenwood^ W, 37-29
Sept. 18 Life Christian (Va.) W, 31-20
Sept. 25 at Watson Chapel* W, 59-24
Oct. 2 at LR Hall* W, 48-13
Oct. 9 White Hall* W, 49-28
Oct. 16 at Tyler Legacy& W, 50-25
Oct. 23 at LR Christian* W, 60-28
Oct. 30 at Beebe* W, 58-21
Nov. 6 Jacksonville*+
Nov. 20 Farmington# W, 51-21
Nov. 27 Magnolia# W, 53-29
Dec. 4 Wynne# W, 52-14
*5A-Central game #Playoff game
+ccd., covid-19 ^at Ravenwood (Tenn.)
&at Tyler (Texas) Legacy
COACH Kevin Kelley
MASCOT Bruins
CONFERENCE 5A-Central
RECORD 12-0, 5-0 5A-Central, first
RANKING No. 1 in Class 5A and No. 5 overall (at end of regular season)
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Nolen Bruffett (Sr., 6-0, 180); QB Charlie Fiser (Jr., 5-10, 157); RB Joe Himon (Jr., 5-9, 175); WR Cooper White (Sr., 6-2, 185); LB Futa Shinkawa (Sr., 5-8, 155)