Rocking in Little Rock

Rocking in Little Rock

Blue Devils pitch shutout

WM School District LITTLE ROCK — With 9:35 left in the third quarter the shouts went out for ice cream.

And as the final seconds ticked off the cries went out for pizza.

The West Memphis Blue Devils not only won a football game in convincing fashion at Little Rock Hall Friday night by a 51-0 score, they made sure they'll be well fed this week.

A horde of West Memphians trapped Hall's Keshaun Williams in the end zone for a safety in the third quarter to stretch the Blue Devil margin to 30-0.

The Blue Devil defense responded by shouts and dancing.

And per coaching promises, the defense scored, thus ice cream will be delivered one day this week after practice.

'You'd be amazed what a 32-cent ice cream sandwich will do for motivation,' West Memphis head coach Billy Elmore deadpanned.

The pizza comes courtesy of the shutout.

'So I guess we'll feed 'em a meal and dessert,' Elmore added.

It was that kind of night for the Blue Devils (4-2 overall, 2-1 in the 6A-East Conference).

It started with Hall (2-4, 03) completing a 41-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage.

That was the extent of the highlights for the home team, though.

The Warriors ran 11 plays in the second half and they went for a minus-18 yards.

For the game, the West Memphis defense held Hall to a minus-20 yards.

Elmore wasn't joking when he explained Hall's 41-yard pass play on the first snap may have been the best thing to happen to his defense all night.

The reason?

'I think it was exactly what we needed,' Elmore said. 'No question Hall's struggled this season, but we told our kids all week that they're athletic enough to give us trouble. And sure enough, I think that woke our defense up because they were great the rest of the night.'

The Blue Devils went about slicing up the Hall defense patiently and efficiently. They punted only once all night.

Offensively, senior running back Devonte Dean was too tough for the Warriors to tackle as he rushed for all 87 of his yards in the first half.

Dean put the visitors on the board with 1:22 to play in the first quarter when he bulled his way in for a 2yard touchdown.

Then junior quarterback Amaurius Stinnett went to work, rushing for a 9-yard touchdown before giving way to Dean for his second TD of the first half and a 21-0 halftime lead.

Meanwhile, the defense registered two take-aways on interceptions by Rayshaad Hall and John Brown, whose pick was especially dazzling with a one-handed grab.

'When our defense gets the take-aways and our offense is clicking we feel like we're a pretty good ball club,' Elmore stated. Dean gave way in the second half to senior Martavious Thomas, who gained all 53 yards of a touchdown on the opening possession of the second half.

And after the safety for ice cream in the third quarter, reserve running back Quincy Marshall scored three touchdowns to close out the scoring.

The Blue Devils prep this week for a key game at home Friday night against Jonesboro.

By Billy Woods