By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
BALD KNOB — A great defensive effort led the way to Lonoke’s second-straight 2-4A Conference win of the season. The Jackrabbit defense pulled down five interceptions on the way to a 35-6 mercy-ruled win over Bald Knob at Heverling Stadium on Friday.
The ’Rabbits went up 28-0 at the half before a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rollins Elam to Brandon Harris with 10:13 left in the third quarter sent the clock rolling continually.
“We were really pleased with our defense tonight,” Lonoke coach Jeff Jones said. “They gave a tremendous effort. We had guys flying all over the field – they got in there and were really physical.”
Elam put the first score up at the 8:56 mark of the first quarter with a 20-yard toss to Michael Howard. Sam King added the extra-point to put the Jackrabbits up 7-0, and the rout was on from there.
Howard added six more for Lonoke with 9:44 left in the first half on a 10-yard run, and the ’Rabbits struck again just over a minute later on a 22-yard pass from Elam to Harris.
Smith ran it in from six yards out with at the 4:24 mark of the second quarter to set the margin at halftime.
The Bulldogs’ strategy of putting ace quarterback Chad Cates in the offensive backfield at halfback and junior receiver Nick Glaze under center didn’t work out as planned. Glaze was picked off repeatedly.
Eric Graydon and junior Todd Hobson each came away with two picks for Lonoke, with Lance Jackson pulling down another one. Elam’s only mishap of the night through the air in the first half gave Bald Knob great field position at the ’Rabbits 17-yard line, but the defense stood its ground to prevent the score.
The Bulldogs avoided the shutout late in the third quarter on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Glaze to Hunter Mason for the only Bald Knob score of the night.
“Our offense did what it had to do to win the game – we were a little sluggish at times,” Jones said. “Our receivers did an outstanding job of hauling in the tough catches. All in all, it was a good game for us, and we got our second conference win.”
The Jackrabbits are now 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the 2-4A Conference. They will host Southside Batesville next Friday. The Southerners are 1-4 on the season after dropping their second-straight conference game to Clinton on Friday, 20-56.
