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Zebras and Blue Devils set to renew pleasantries

Zebras and Blue Devils set to renew pleasantries

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Zebras and Blue Devils set to renew pleasantries

Non- conference clashes set the scene for Friday night

WM School District Ironically, there's not a lot of history linking West Memphis and Pine Bluff in football, or many other sports, for that matter.

But on Friday night at 7 Hamilton-Shultz Field the two schools get it on in a game that will in all likelihood determine the champion of the 6A-East Conference.

Both teams come in at 4-1 in league play, and the Blue Devils (6-2 overall) come in with plenty of momentum, having won their last three games.

Historically, the two teams hadn't met on the gridiron in the last 30 years prior to a 2008 regular- season game at Pine Bluff.

But there were a few instances in which Blue Devil fans caught a glimpse of Zebra talent.

To wit: — West Memphis senior Anthony Hampton outracing the all-world Basil Shabazz, a sophomore at the time, on the track.

— Shabazz getting razzed by an overflowing Devil Dome crowd at the 1991 state basketball tournament.

— West Memphis righthander Mark Rose shutting out the Zebras 2-0 in a first-round game in the 1990 state baseball tournament.

The two schools finally met up in football early in the 2008 season with a Lanny Dauksch-coached team that was primed to be a Class 6A state contender.

Senior quarterback Quinton Smith was too fast for the Zebra defenders, cornerback Greg Westbrooks played havoc with the Pine Bluff receivers and laser-legged placekicker Paulo Henriques boomed field goals in warm-ups and then added a 40-plusyarder during the game.

Dauksch's club finished the regular-season 9-0-1 and the Zebras won the 6A-South after going 8-2 in the regular season.

'Coach (Grafton) Moore told me before that game that even he couldn't remember Pine Bluff playing West Memphis in football,' Dauksch recalled.

'It's amazing that two schools with great history hadn't crossed paths in so long.

'As far as talent, there wasn't a weakness on our team. And it was really neat going to Pine Bluff, with all the history there. It was almost like walking into (Little Rock's) Quigley Stadium for the first time. You could feel the history there.'

Westbrooks was a small, but fierce and quick cornerback. He forced the Pine Bluff quarterback to misfire on his first nine throws of the game.

'I think that one game earned Greg a college scholarship,' Dauksch stated. 'His timing was superb. They'd throw a hitch pass and he'd come in and knock it down. It was almost like he was in their huddle and anticipating what they were going to do.'

In 2009, the Zebras returned the game at Hamilton-Shultz Field and the Blue Devils returned only three lettermen from '08. The visitors promptly went up 21-0 in a blink.

In fact, Pine Bluff held two 21-point leads in that game before West Memphis came charging back to win 42-34 on a hot, humid night in early September.

'We fumbled on our first three possessions and all of a sudden we're down three touchdowns,' Dauksch said.

Until, that is, fullback Demarius Edwards broke for a 50-yard touchdown that calmed things down quite a bit for the Blue Devils.

'At least it's not going to be a shutout,' Dauksch recalled thinking. 'We get down 21 points again in the third quarter and all of a sudden our defense starts making plays and we come roaring back.'

The Blue Devils tied the game with a punt return for a touchdown by Phaison Boston, and later got the winning points in dramatic fashion.

Pine Bluff came right back to Hamilton-Shultz for the quarterfinals of the state playoffs and pulled out a 24-16 victory.

So, it's time to make some new history with Pine Bluff. A big crowd is expected for Friday night.

Tickets are set for $5.

By Billy Woods

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