WYNNE GRINDS IT OUT, OUTMUSCLES MCCLELLAN

Wynne beat Little Rock McClellan 36-8 Friday night at Yellowjacket Stadium, advancing to the Class 5A semifinals while ousting last season's 5A finalist in the process. The Yellowjackets (12-0) outgained McClellan 349-99, led by junior fullback Ta'Von Hicks, who rushed 31 times for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wynne senior slot back Devontai Pounds rushed 9 times for 63 yards and 1 touchdown; senior quarterback Luke Chapman rushed 11 times for 52 yards. Wynne didn't complete a pass, but outscored McClellan 22-0 in the second half to blow open the game. "Ta'Von ran the ball really tough and did a good job of protecting it and getting yards after contact," Wynne Coach Chris Hill said. "He's been doing that all year and nothing changed tonight." The two teams combined for 83 yards of total offense in the first quarter, and McClellan (8-4) punted on all three of its possessions. Wynne scored on its second possession, in two plays, when Chapman ran in from the 3 with 3:43 to play in the first quarter. Pounds' 33-yard run set up Chapman's touchdown. Wynne went up 14-0, scoring on Hicks' 39-yard run on the Yellowjackets first possession of the second quarter. Hicks' run came on a fourth-and-2 play with 9:27 to play in the half. McClellan, playing without star senior running back Pierre Strong, scored with 1:45 remaining in the first half when Tommy Crumpton III returned a Hicks fumble 45 yards. The Lions added a two-point conversion when offensive lineman Raoshun Young lined up in the backfield and ran the ball in. Wynne forced McClellan to punt on all five of its first-half possessions and held McClellan to 37 yards, with 8 in the second quarter when the Lions ran six plays. "Our defense played great tonight," Hill said. "Any time you can shut a team like that out offensively it's a good job. We gave up the one touchdown on a fumble but our defense rose to the occasion tonight. McClellan got the ball at midfield after a fourth-and-2 stand, and the Lions moved deep into Wynne territory. But the Lions could not convert on 4th and 11 from the Wynne 18. Wynne scored on its next possession on Hicks' 21-yard rush with 18 seconds left in the third quarter to go up 22-8. Pounds added the conversion run for the Yellowjackets to make the margin 14. "McClellan is a good football team," Hill said. "In the first half they really caused us some trouble. But in that second half we really settled in like we did last week and took control of the game." Wynne scored again with 7:57 to play when Allen Watson ran left for 17 yards on fourth-and-13 to give the Yellowjackets a 29-8 lead. Pounds added a 13-yard scoring run with 3:33 left in the game to put Wynne ahead 36-8.

Little Rock School District Athletics

WYNNE GRINDS IT OUT, OUTMUSCLES MCCLELLAN

Photo Credit: McClellan High School Athletics