GRAMBLING, La. – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Golden Lions continued their impressive run Saturday afternoon, rallying from a third-quarter deficit to defeat Grambling State 35-32 on the road in a crucial Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) matchup.
The victory improved UAPB to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in SWAC play, while Grambling State fell to 4-5 overall and 2-4 in conference action. The win also marked the Golden Lions' sixth victory of the season as they continued their push toward a SWAC Western Division championship.
UAPB head coach Alonzo Hampton praised his team's resilience and continued growth following the hard-fought road victory.
"We ran the ball, we threw the ball, and it was just good to see our guys continue to grow," Hampton said. "We're going to continue to get better. This team knows who we are. We have tremendous receivers and tremendous running backs, but everything starts up front with the offensive and defensive lines."
Quarterback Jack Schierholz delivered another impressive performance, finishing with 208 passing yards and one touchdown without an interception. The dual-threat signal-caller also rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, including a 20-yard scoring run in the first half.
Hampton continued to praise Schierholz's leadership and ability to make plays in critical situations.
"Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over the candlestick. That's what he does," Hampton said. "This kid is special, not just as a football player but as a person. He's one of the best leaders I've ever been around, young or old. He has a gift from God. He can throw the football, he can run it, and he's having a really good season. I'm proud of him."
Running back Za'Marion Webber helped power the Golden Lions' ground attack with 77 rushing yards, averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Jaylen Jennings added a crucial three-yard touchdown run that helped UAPB regain momentum in the second half.
The Golden Lions finished with 198 rushing yards, outgaining Grambling State's 175 yards on the ground.
Hampton credited his offensive line for setting the tone, particularly during the closing stages of the contest.
"The offensive line came over and said, 'Coach, what are we doing throwing the ball? Let us run the ball,'" Hampton said. "That's when you know this team understands its identity. I went over to the coaches and said, 'You heard what they said, didn't you? They want to run the ball.' And that's exactly what we did."
In the passing game, Demetric Whitlock Jr. continued his outstanding season, hauling in five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown. D'Avery Robinson contributed four receptions for 53 yards as the Golden Lions finished with 406 yards of total offense.
Defensively, UAPB delivered several key stops to secure the victory. Du'Wayne Paulhill led the Golden Lions with 11 tackles, while Derek Simon recorded four tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. Javien Blanks added 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
The Golden Lions finished with nine tackles for loss, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
Hampton was especially pleased with Simon's performance after the defensive standout battled through injuries during the week.
"Derek Simon is special," Hampton said. "He was a little banged up during practice this week, but he came out and made some big plays. That kid can really rush the quarterback. We have guys who can make plays at every level. This is a complete football team offense, defense and special teams."
UAPB also capitalized on its scoring opportunities, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 in the red zone, with all three possessions resulting in touchdowns.
The Golden Lions' determination was evident throughout the afternoon as they overcame multiple lead changes and found a way to win in a challenging road environment.
"Because we believe," Hampton said when asked what made the difference. "I told the players that I had never won here. But I told them exactly what was going to happen tonight. I said, 'We're going to walk down that hill together, and we're going to come back up that hill together as winners.' And that's exactly what we did."
How It Happened
Grambling State opened the scoring with a field goal to take an early 3-0 lead before UAPB answered with a touchdown at the 3:08 mark of the first quarter to move ahead 7-3.
The Tigers responded to regain a 10-7 advantage, but Schierholz sparked the Golden Lions with a 20-yard touchdown run to put UAPB back in front 14-10.
UAPB extended its lead to 21-10 with another touchdown at the 7:43 mark of the second quarter.
Grambling State battled back and eventually moved ahead 25-21 in the third quarter before Jennings powered into the end zone from three yards out to give the Golden Lions a 28-25 advantage.
With momentum on their side, the Golden Lions struck again in the fourth quarter, adding another touchdown to extend their advantage to 35-25. Despite a late touchdown by the Tigers, UAPB stood tall down the stretch to secure a thrilling 35-32 road victory.
The win marked another significant step forward for Hampton's program, which has continued to build momentum throughout the season.
"The process is starting to process," Hampton said. "We have six wins now, and that's something this program hasn't accomplished in a while. These guys are working extremely hard. We may not always be the biggest or the fastest team, but these guys work their tails off every single day."
Golden Lions Turn Attention to Prairie View A&M
With the victory, UAPB remains firmly in the SWAC Western Division championship race as the Golden Lions prepare to return home for a pivotal conference matchup against Prairie View A&M.
Hampton issued a passionate call for the Golden Lions faithful to pack the stands and support the program as it continues its pursuit of a championship.
"I want you to print this and put it on the front page: We have a conference championship game at our place next week!" Hampton said. "We're playing Prairie View A&M, and this is a huge opportunity for our program.
This is like having a SWAC championship game at home. What more could you ask for?
"We need everybody to show up. Every seat in that stadium should be filled next week."
Game Notes
- UAPB improved to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in SWAC play.
- The Golden Lions totaled 406 yards of offense, including 208 passing yards and 198 rushing yards.
- Grambling State finished with 408 total yards.
- Jack Schierholz accounted for 288 total yards and two touchdowns.
- Demetric Whitlock Jr. recorded five receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.
- Za'Marion Webber rushed for 77 yards, averaging 7.0 yards per carry.
- Du'Wayne Paulhill led the defense with 11 tackles.
- Derek Simon registered two sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss.
- UAPB finished with nine tackles for loss and three sacks.
- The Golden Lions converted all three red-zone opportunities into touchdowns.
- UAPB converted 4-of-11 third-down attempts and 1-of-2 fourth-down attempts.
- The Golden Lions produced two touchdown drives of at least 90 yards, including a 95-yard drive.
- UAPB scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to secure the road victory.
