BUNKIE, La. (KALB) - Bunkie sophomore Ketron Watson rushed for 240 yards and seven touchdowns Thursday night in a win over parish rival Avoyelles, breaking Zion Lee’s six-touchdown record set last season.
“Everybody had doubted us. Everybody thought Bunkie was over, but we still put in the work out here every day,” Watson said.
Junior Kayden Dobbins said the performance was significant given Watson’s class year.
“A big accomplishment for him, especially like he’s a sophomore, you know. He’s very electric, scoring touchdowns, giving us the juice that we need to get back on pace, get back to our standard of winning,” Dobbins said.
Senior Graham Newton said the team knew what Watson was capable of.
“Everybody here knows how good he is. Not everybody else has got to see it yet. We all knew he was capable of it. It was just really nice because we really needed this win and we really needed to come show that we’re still here and we can still dominate teams,” Newton said.
Watson broke the Panthers’ single-game rushing touchdown record, surpassing former teammate Zion Lee’s mark of six touchdowns, set last season. Lee was previously named ACA Athlete of the Week.
“I didn’t realize until like touchdown four actually. Touchdown four in my mind, I was like, like I gotta go break Zion’s record, I gotta go break Zion’s record, and I did it,” Watson said. “It’s an honor to be next in the record books. Zion reached out to me, congratulated me for breaking this record. He was happy. I learned a lot from Zion last year. He taught me a lot. He taught me my steps. He taught me how to cut..he taught me everything.”
Coach Jimmie Hillman said Watson learned from Lee as a freshman.
“It’s great to see because last year, as a freshman learning under Zion, it really was like most freshman in high school, just trying to survive, trying to figure out his role, where he was going to be. Zion’s such an incredible leader and such an incredible teammate. He really kind of took him under his wing, taught him a lot of things, and Ketron was eager to learn from him. Now we’re seeing Ketron not only make the plays that Zion obviously was able to make him, but some of the leadership qualities that have kind of been passed on, we’re starting to see that from him too,” Hillman said.
Watson credited his offensive line and receivers for the record-setting night.
“When I had tied the record, my coach was like, ‘you want to go break it?’ And I was like, ‘yes, sir.’ I thanked them so much of that night because they had some good blocks. I even think my receivers, they had some good blocks too, and they led me to all my touchdowns. So, I thanked them. But they chose me running the ball because they know they’re going to do their job and I’m going to do my job,” Watson said.
Newton described Watson as humble.
“He’s quiet. He goes to work. He’s humble. Thanks to everybody. He doesn’t want the spotlight. It just makes us want to play for him so much more. Play so hard for him to have the success,” Newton said.
Watson returned to practice after the record-setting game, according to teammates.
“Very important, just to see that he can have a good game and still come back to practice and work. You know, some people, they have a good game, then they get the big head. They go to practice, they don’t work no more. But he come back to practice working hard. Everybody just cheering him on still, but he’s still just working hard no matter what,” Dobbins said.
Watson said he expects more from himself this season.
“If you don’t practice well, you ain’t going to play well. I still got two more years of this. It’s been amazing for being in the record book, but I still got some more to prove, and I think I can go break my seven touchdowns. I think I can get 10 in the game,” Watson said.
For shattering records and leading Bunkie to a rivalry victory, sophomore Ketron Watson is this week’s ACA Athlete of the Week.
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