Nashville did not lose a conference game in Mike Volarvich's first two seasons.
In 2017, the Scrappers (4-3, 2-2) have lost twice in the 7-4A Conference, but after a 35-28 victory over previously undefeated Ashdown (6-1, 3-1), Volarvich hopes his team has turned the corner.
Perryville’s Tindall
player of the week
Perryville sophomore running back Hunter Tindall is the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Week for Week Seven.
Tindall rushed for 207 yards and 4 touchdowns on 11 carries in the Mustangs’ 42-34 victory Friday over Paris at home. He averaged 18.8 yards per carry and had scoring runs of 11, 21, 22 and 45 yards.
It was Tindall’s first game above 100 yards this season.
In seven games, Tindall has rushed for 475 yards and 6 touchdowns on 41 carries.
Tindall will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday. Arkansas State University football coach Blake Anderson will be the special guest.
Perryville (6-1, 4-0 4-3A Conference) travels to Mansfield (2-5, 1-3) on Friday.
— Jeremy Muck
"We've been up and down," he said. "We went through a brutal stretch. Arkadelphia, Ashdown, [Joe T.] Robinson, they're all talented. Hopefully we're clicking."
The Scrappers trailed Ashdown 21-6 at halftime and 28-20 at the end of the third quarter, but the fourth quarter belonged to Nashville.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
Senior running back Trent Harris scored from 18 yards out and senior quarterback Tyler Hanson threw a two-point conversion pass to Ty Pettway, also a senior, to tie the game at 28-28. Hanson scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:07 remaining from 1 yard out.
Hanson completed 17 of 32 passes for 198 yards and 1 touchdown while rushing for 106 yards and 1 touchdown on 14 carries.
"I thought Tyler had an exceptional game," Volarvich said. "He took care of the football. He's been solid all year. He's a great competitor."
Harris rushed for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns on 14 carries.
In seven games, Hanson is 133-of-228 passing for 2,012 yards with 17 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He's also rushed for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns on 45 carries. Harris has rushed for 595 yards and 13 touchdowns on 106 carries.
Volarvich said the Scrappers played better in the second half against the Panthers.
"We just stopped shooting ourselves in the foot," Volarvich said. "In the first half, we did some things that were really good and we had some opportunities, but we didn't capitalize.
"We executed those things in the second half."
Nashville's defense forced five turnovers and limited Ashdown to below 100 yards rushing.
"That was big for us," Volarvich said.
Nashville finishes the regular season with two of its final three regular-season games at home, with Mena coming to Scrapper Stadium on Friday. The Scrappers travel to Malvern on Oct. 27 before closing the season against Bauxite on Nov. 3.
MAGNET COVE
Ground and pound
Caleb Carmikle wanted to run the Spread offense in his first season at Magnet Cove. After first seeing his players in the offseason, Carmikle knew he had to adjust his plans.
The Panthers (4-3), who are running the Flexbone offense, lead the 5-2A Conference at 4-0 after defeating previous league leader Hector 10-8 on Friday.
Carmikle admitted the new offensive scheme was an adjustment for the Panthers.
"It's hard to get into an offense where you throw it two or three times a game," Carmikle said. "But they love the smash-mouth mentality of it."
Sophomore Alex Ordonez hit a 36-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to get the Panthers past the Wildcats.
Senior running back James Butler scored the Panthers' only touchdown, a 7-yard run, in the second quarter. Butler has rushed for 710 yards and 7 touchdowns on 98 carries this season.
By controlling the clock, Magnet Cove handed Hector its first conference loss of the season and its first setback since a 36-28 overtime loss at Bearden on Sept. 8.
"We had the football most of the game," Carmikle said. "There were four possessions between the two of us in the second half.
"Our goal was to shorten the game."
Magnet Cove's offense has been keyed by Butler and juniors Grant Eskola and Eli Dawson.
Eskola, Magnet Cove's starting quarterback, has scored 10 touchdowns, all on the ground, and has accounted for 379 yards (237 passing, 142 rushing).
Dawson has totaled 716 yards and 4 touchdowns on 88 carries.
All 24 of Magnet Cove's touchdowns this season have been on the ground.
"We try to string together six-, seven-, eight-minute drives," Carmikle said. "When a hot quarterback is on the sidelines, it's tough for him to get into any rhythm."
Magnet Cove travels to Bigelow on Friday. Carmikle has attempted to guard his players against being complacent against a Bigelow team that has won one game this season.
"Anytime you get a big win, you worry about high school kids getting the big head," Carmikle said. "But we've got a really good group of seniors. It's been pretty focused this week."
LR McCLELLAN
Home game on road
Little Rock McClellan's 5A-Central Conference home game Friday night against Little Rock Christian has been moved to Quigley-Cox Stadium on the Little Rock Central campus.
The Little Rock School District announced the change Wednesday on its website.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Quigley-Cox Stadium was available because Little Rock Central is at Conway on Friday.
The game's location has switched because of ongoing renovations at Lion Stadium on the McClellan campus. The natural grass surface at McClellan, which was replaced during the summer, has not grown in as expected, leaving some patches and holes in the field. The school district announced earlier this month that use of McClellan's field was being suspended because of continuing work at the stadium.
It is McClellan's third home game to be moved this season. The Lions' previous two home games, against Sylvan Hills and Little Rock Fair, were moved to Fair's War Eagle Stadium and Little Rock Hall's Scott Field, respectively.
McClellan (6-1) is tied for first place in the 5A-Central with Pulaski Academy (7-0, 4-0) while Little Rock Christian (6-1, 3-1) is in a tie for second place with Little Rock Parkview (4-3, 3-1).
EXTRA POINTS
Woodlawn has canceled the remainder of its season because of low numbers. The Bears (1-6, 1-3 8-2A) are the third team in Class 2A to not complete its season. Augusta did not field a team this season, and Hermitage forfeited its final six games after Week Four. Woodlawn is the second 8-2A Conference team to not complete its season, joining Hermitage. Strong, Bearden and Rison will receive 13 tiebreaker points in the standings by virtue of Woodlawn's forfeits and will earn 2-0 victories. The Bears were scheduled to travel to Strong on Friday. ... Helena-West Helena's 6-0 victory over Lonoke on Friday was the Cougars' first shutout since Week 2 of the 2012 season when they defeated Marianna 42-0. The Cougars host Stuttgart on Friday. ... Alma has scored at least 35 points in its first four 5A-West Conference games. Senior quarterback Garrison Jensen has passed for 1,573 yards with 16 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, and he has rushed for 634 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Airedales travel to Harrison on Friday. ... Dardanelle travels to Booneville in a game that could determine the 4-4A Conference champion. The Sand Lizards have won three consecutive in the series. Booneville leads the all-time series 37-17. ... Booneville won its 700th game Friday, winning 35-0 at Waldron. The Bearcats have won state championships in 1986, 2000 and 2013.
Sports on 10/19/2017