Sports

ZEBRAS BATTLE LAKE HAMILTON FOR FIRST PLACE IN 6A SOUTH

By Josh Tinker/Commercial Sports Editor
Friday, October 10, 2008 10:21 AM CDT

Though the high school playoffs don’t start for several weeks, Pine Bluff coach Bobby Bolding says his team will play a playoff type game tonight.

“(All games) are big this time of year,” Bolding said. “You’ve got three or four playoff games at the end of the season and conference games are like playoff games. We’ve got to find a way to win as many conference games as possible.”

But tonight’s game will have even more meaning. In a clash between 6A South Conference heavyweights, the winner will gain first place in the conference.

It will also feature two of the state’s top quarterbacks. Lake Hamilton’s Phillip Butterfield has verbally committed to play for Tulsa next season, and is ranked as the No. 21 pro-style quarterback in the country by the recruiting Web site rivals.com.

Pine Bluff counters with Claude Johnson. Only a junior, Johnson has already been offered a scholarship from Ole Miss and has many of the nation’s top collegiate programs interested in him. Johnson has thrown for 13 touchdowns in five games this season, and has already passed for more yards that he did in all of 2007.

But, while this game will feature two strong-armed quarterbacks, Bolding thinks the game will be determined by who can win the line of scrimmage.

“I really think the matchp is going to be at the line of scrimmage,” Bolding said. “I think it’s going to be our defensive line versus their offensive line and vice versa. I think that’s where the game is going to we won or lost.”

Enter Theodis Shavers, Kameron Westmoreland, Martin Montgomery and Joseph Treadwell, four defense linemen that Bolding said will play a big role in stopping Lake Hamilton’s high-powered offense.

“Theodis Shavers is having a great year,” Bolding said. “He’s one that gets over looked a lot. Kameron Westmoreland has improved tremendously at nose.”

But still, Bolding know his offense will have to score points to win. To do so, Bolding said his offense would have to be patient and correct the mistakes made when the teams met in a non-conference game a year ago.

“We’re going to have to be patient offensively,” Bolding said. “Last year, we were pretty impatient early in the game, and they got some picks because of it. When we settled down, and quit being impatient we moved the ball some. We’re going to have to be patient, and we’re going to have to find ways to score.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lake Hamilton’s Wolf Stadium.

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