Zebras top Chapel

By Josh Tinker/Commercial Sports Editor

Watson Chapel contained Claude Johnson. The Wildcats couldn’t stop Martez Glass. Johnson, the Zebras’ junior quarterback, has shredded defenses to the tune of 1,300 passing yards through the teams first four games. But it was Glass that sliced up Watson Chapel, as the Pine Bluff senior rushed for 136 yards on only 10 carries with three touchdowns to lead Pine Bluff to a 48-0 victory against Watson Chapel at Jordan Stadium.

Glass had scoring runs of 25, 13, and 13 yards. He also had a 30 yard run to set up his second touchdown run of the game.

“Martez ran the ball well. He had some really big holes,” Pine Bluff coach Bobby Bolding said. “I thought our offensive line played well. (Martez) also had some big runs where he made the first or second guy miss him then he broke tackles.”

Watson Chapel coach George Shelton said it’s impossible to take away the Zebra’s offensive balance.

“They can throw the football. They can run the football. They spread you out and get some great one-on-one matchups,” Shelton said. “They really make it hard on a defense when they have that kind of ability. You’re not going to prevent them from scoring touchdowns.”

Especially on Friday night. The Zebras scored touchdowns on four consecutive first-half possessions to take a 28-0 lead into the break. Pine Bluff (4-1 overall, 2-0 6A South) showed the ability to score quickly and the ability to sustain long drives.

The Zebras showed their big-play ability on their first touchdown. Johnson (6-of-13 for 154 yards and two touchdowns) found Cameron Collins in the back of the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown strike. Under pressure from the Watson Chapel defense, Johnson faked a scramble right, stopped and heaved the pass to Collins with a shot put like motion for the beautiful touchdown toss.

After stopping the Wildcats’ ensuing possession on fourth down, Pine Bluff proceeded on an eight-play, 90-yard drive that resulted in a Glass 25-yard touchdown run to put the Zebras ahead 14-0 with 1:57 left in the first half.

Shelton said the fourth down play for his team was a big momentum changer.

“We probably should have kicked a field goal there. That came back and hurt us,” the coach said.

But Watson Chapel (1-3-1 overall, 0-2 6A South) still had its chances. The Wildcats had the ball inside the Pine Bluff 30-yard line four times. They turned the ball over on downs three times and had one field goal blocked.

“When we have three drives inside the redzone and don’t score, that’s a lack of composure,” Shelton said. “We’re going to try to do a better job of getting our kids to clear that hurdle.”

Bolding said his team won the game by forcing Watson Chapel out of its base wishbone formation and into a one-back set.

“We thought if we could get them into that, we had a good chance of winning the football game,” Bolding said. “We didn’t want to get beat by the wishbone, by grounding the clock out on us.

“All the formations they run are difficult to prepare for.”

Pine Bluff returns to action next Friday when they travel to Hot Springs for a matchup with Lake Hamilton, a team ranked No. 2 by Hootens.com in class 6A.

Watson Chapel will return to action next Friday as well, hosting J.A. Fair.