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AWM-Pine Bluff game puts friendly coaches at odds

AWM-Pine Bluff game puts friendly coaches at odds

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AWM-Pine Bluff game puts friendly coaches at odds

Elmore, Bolding have similar approach to game

WM School District The West Memphis Blue Devils could be looking at a mirror image of themselves when the Pine Bluff Zebras invade Hamilton-Shultz Field Friday night in a crucial 6A-East Conference game.

It won't be so much in terms of talent, but in philosophy and technique as head coach Billy Elmore, of West Memphis, and Bobby Bolding of Pine Bluff, are good friends off the field.

'Coach Bolding and I are good friends,' said Elmore. 'We do some things similar to them. Defensively, they are a four-front and they way they align they look real similar to us. Some of the things they do, techniquewise, we're real familiar with because it's what we do.

'They are going to try and spill things to the outside and make you have to bounce outside. Then they use their speed to run to it. Some folks have been critical of their secondary this year, but it looks really good to me.'

State media weighs in Some of the state sports writers have given assessments and predictions for the big West Memphis-Pine Bluff game on Friday night at 7: Fred Conley, Forrest City 'I'm not surprised both teams are in the position they're in for this game. What with the history and tradition for each school this is nothing unusual.

'It ought to be a heckuva football game. If I had to lean one way it would be toward West Memphis, after having seen them play earlier this season.'

Sonny Elliott, Mt. Home 'The West Memphis win over Jonesboro really impresses me. Not so much that they scored that many points on the Hurricane, but that their defense limited Jonesboro. Mountain Home was in a two-touchdown game with Jonesboro late, before the Hurricane blew it out at the end.'

Bruce Guthrie, Searcy 'The Blue Devils caught lightning in a bottle forcing turnovers against Jonesboro. Lightning will not likely stsrike twice in the same spot. The Zebras were flat in a 68-28 win over Searcy. Pine Bluff head coach Bobby Bolding won't stand for flat in a another big game. Pine Bluff 44, West Memphis 20.'

Chad Hooten 'Pine Bluff has won 24 of its past 26 games. West Memphis' defense records 2.125 sacks weekly with 11 interceptions this season. Senior linebacker Jerry Edwards leads the Blue Devils with 71 tackles this fall, including eight stops for loss.

'West Memphis (6-2) hasn't won more than six games in a season since 2012 when coach Lanny Dauksch guided the Blue Devils to an 8-4 finish. Blue Devils by 1 point.'

By Billy Woods

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