Senators scorch Rams, 51-28

Robinson coach’s son throws six TD passes in first start

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen B. Thornton OFF AND RUNNING: Nathan Page runs down the sideline past Lakeside defenders for a Pulaski Robinson touchdown in the Senators' 51-28 victory at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen B. Thornton OFF AND RUNNING: Nathan Page runs down the sideline past Lakeside defenders for a Pulaski Robinson touchdown in the Senators' 51-28 victory at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium.

LITTLE ROCK -- Pulaski Robinson showed what it's capable of offensively Monday at War Memorial Stadium.

Lakeside, in Arkansas' first high school football game of the season, has work to do defensively.

"I think we have 78 players who have a lot of work to do," Lakeside coach Jared McBride said after Robinson scored on its first seven possessions and won 51-28.

"We expected to score every time we got the ball," Robinson coach Todd Eskola said. "Things clicked tonight; we threw the ball well. I was really proud of our offensive line. They do a good job of pressuring when we watched a lot of film on them. They sent the house, and for our guys to keep the jersey clean in the backfield with the quarterback was huge tonight."

Eskola was particularly proud of son Hunter Eskola's standout debut, the senior named most valuable player after completing 9 of 13 for 294 yards and six touchdowns, all in the first half.

"He's waited so long to play," Todd Eskola said. "... His offensive line has had a great fall, and the receivers are the best crew in the state. I'd put all four of them up against any group in the state, any classification. I hope we stay healthy and humble the rest of the season."

Save for a kneeldown before the break, the Senators were nigh unstoppable in the first half. On just 22 offensive plays, they led 51-14 to enact the mercy rule at intermission.

The opening drive, 70 yards in five plays, set the tone. Koilan Jackson, making his Senator debut after transferring from Little Rock Parkview, caught a 37-yard touchdown pass with 1:20 off the clock and went over on the two-point conversion.

Lakeside didn't start quarterback Fisher Alexander because he missed several preseason practices for a trip, and backup Taylor Gillham ended the Rams' opening drive with an interception. Robinson made them pay with a Hunter Swoboda 38-yard TD grab, Swoboda also catching Jackson's two-point pass for 16-0 at the 6:09 mark.

"I think everybody played about as well as we could early. It was just unfortunate that we got behind early," McBride said.

The Rams hurt themselves on Robinson's next drive, getting an unsportsmanlike penalty on an incomplete pass. That set up Edmond Robinson's 37-yard blast up the middle, Jackson rushing for two and a 24-0 lead at 3:22.

After Alexander entered, he found Caleb Dean on a 26-yard touchdown pass for 24-7. But Hunter Eskola answered with a five-play drive, throwing a 13-yard strike to Swoboda for a 30-7 advantage that held up the rest of the quarter.

After Myles Fells sacked Alexander for a stop on downs, he was featured on the next two offensive plays, the second one a 51-yard TD strike down the sideline for 37-7. The Rams answered on the next series, Alexander hitting Dean on a nine-yard slant for 37-14 with 4:10 left in the half.

"They're going to have to continue to do that for us to play well, for sure," McBride said.

A big return by Nathan Page set up Jackson's second TD grab, 28 yards on the next play from scrimmage. Jackson, Arkansas commit and son of Oklahoma All-American Keith Jackson, finished with four grabs for 106 yards.

"Nobody has seen him at receiver," Todd Eskola said. "We have in practice, and he's the No. 1 receiver in the state of Arkansas. He's phenomenal. If he keeps his head on straight, he's going to have a phenomenal year."

Page was next up for the big play, cashing in an interception with an 83-yard catch-and-run to set the halftime margin. Lakeside shut out the second-string Senators in the second half while scoring two more times, Jason Redfield breaking a 44-yard run and Gillham scrambling for a 20-yard TD.

"I'm proud of our guys for staying in it and fighting," McBride said. "We were definitely outmatched as far as talent goes, but we will be most Friday nights. We just have to show up ready to compete."

Dupree Swanson led the Rams with 103 yards on 15 carries. Alexander was 14 for 25 for 169 yards, Kelen Bland catching four passes for 67 yards.

Lakeside hosts Sylvan Hills on Sept. 9.

Lakeside;7 7 0 14 -- 28

Robinson;30 21 0 0 -- 51

First quarter

PR -- Koilan Jackson 37 pass from Hunter Eskola (Jackson run), 10:40.

PR -- Hunter Swoboda 38 pas from Eskola (Swoboda pass from Jackson), 6:09.

PR -- Edmond Robinson 37 run (Jackson run), 3:22.

LS -- Caleb Dean 26 pass from Fisher Alexander (Philip Gayle kick), 2:14.

PR -- Swoboda 13 pass from Eskola (pass failed), 1:02.

Second quarter

PR -- Myles Fells 51 pass from Eskola (Eskola kick), 8:19.

LS -- Dean 9 pass from Alexander (Gayle kick), 4:10.

PR -- Jackson 28 pass from Eskola (Eskola kick), 3:52.

PR -- Nathan Page 83 pass from Eskola (Eskola kick), 2:12.

Fourth quarter

LS -- Jason Redfield 44 run (Gayle kick), 10:56.

LS -- Taylor Gillham 20 run (Gayle kick), 2:07.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing--Lakeside, Dupree Swanson 15-103, Jason Redfield 3-46, Michael James 7-24, Taylor Gillham 2-13, Dorecus Ferguson 1-8, Fisher Alexander 2-(-8), Team 1-(-17). Pulaski Robinson, Edmond Robinson 6-72, Myles Fells 2-25, Greyson Tackett 2-12, Lequon Breedlove 2-2, Seth Watson 2-1, Shurmar Blair 2-1, Team 2-0.

Passing--Lakeside, Alexander 14-25-1-169, Gillham 3-6-1-20. Pulaski Robinson, Hunter Eskola 9-13-0-294, Tackett 2-4-0-27.

Receiving--Lakeside, Kelen Bland 4-67, Caleb Dean 3-44, David Regenhardt 2-25, Swanson 3-24, Torin Davis 4-23, Alex Marteny 1-6. Pulaski Robinson, Koilan Jackson 4-106, Nathan Page 1-83, Hunter Swoboda 2-51, Fells 1-51, Courtney Snelling 1-22, Robert Johnson 1-5, Robinson 1-3.

Sports on 08/30/2016

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