MANSFIELD
Red Tigers ready for long trek
Mansfield coach Craig Bentley is excited for his team's second-round playoff game on Friday, but he's got plenty of things other than football on his mind early in the week.
Bentley is putting together a travel plan to see that his Red Tigers (8-3), who edged Melbourne 27-20 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs, can make the five-plus hour trip across the state to Osceola and be ready to face another outstanding opponent.
The 10-1 Seminoles present quite a challenge by themselves, but the long trip to Northeast Arkansas is another issue.
"I've got phone calls in trying to charter buses," Bentley said. "We'll leave early, grab lunch and maybe do a walk-through somewhere. We want to try to make it as comfortable as possible and make it a fun day for them, too."
The speedy Seminoles are a different problem.
"Overall, it will be the best team speed and athleticism we've seen all year," Bentley said. "It will definitely be a challenge to keep them in front of us. We have to do a good job of getting lots of people to the football. We'll have to make adjustments to what they are doing, and we can't wait until halftime to adjust again."
Mansfield shut down Melbourne in the second half, holding the Bearkatz to no points and just 63 yards in the final two quarters.
Junior safety Jaicy Griffin finished with 11 tackles, including a crushing tackle to separate a Melbourne receiver from the ball on a key fourth down play in the second half. Junior Tyler Holmes also picked off two passes in addition to catching six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
"For the last four weeks, we've faced teams that are downhill, running teams like the wing-T, flexbone, and we went to a team that likes to spread you out and uses the entire field. That's hard to replicate in practice. But I was proud of how the kids performed."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulb
SHILOH CHRISTIAN
Saints get set for another challenge
Shiloh Christian coach Jeff Conaway will face a familiar opponent this week in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
The Saints (10-1) will play host to Mena (8-3), and Bearcats defensive coordinator Greg Tibbitt knows Conaway and the Saints quite well since he was on staff for two years at Shiloh Christian. He's in his third season at Mena and served as defensive coordinator for one year and offensive line coach another season at Shiloh Christian.
"I hired him when I was still at Greene County Tech and brought him with us when we came over here," Conaway said. "He's a great guy and a great coach. What we've seen on film, they don't make a lot of mistakes."
Conaway said Mena is similar to 4A-1 Conference foe Pea Ridge.
"They run the ball well and are well-coached," Conaway said. "They play hard and play fast."
Shiloh Christian rolled over Star City 49-6 in round one as quarterback Eli Reece threw five touchdown passes and led 35-0 at halftime.
"I was proud of the way we played," Conaway said. "The defense played great, tackled well. Really, I was pleased with all three phases of the game and how our guys responded."
The Saints, who have now won 10 straight games, get to host a playoff game for the second consecutive week, which is always exciting, but winter weather early in the week could present a challenge in preparation, Conaway said.
"We don't have an indoor (facility)," Conaway said. "But we'll figure it out."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulb
BENTONVILLE HIGH
Tigers prepare for athletic Grizzlies
Bentonville coach Jody Grant said one exciting thing about the playoffs is it gives his team the opportunity to see different teams.
The Tigers (7-3), however, will see a familiar face this week as they host Fort Smith Northside, which advanced with a win over Van Buren last week. The two teams were 7A-West Conference members through the 2015 season, then Bentonville claimed a 31-1o win over Northside in a 2016 playoff game.
"Things have changed a little over there," Grant said. "But here's the deal -- they're still athletic. They're well-coached, and their kids play hard.
"But I'm glad to see a new team. Anytime you're in the playoffs you want to see teams from the Central, so it's good to see a new opponent."
Grant gave accolades to several Northside players, especially quarterback Derrick Wise, who ran for 195 yards and a touchdown and threw for another score last week against Van Buren.
"I'm very impressed with them," Grant said of the Grizzlies. "They do things the right way, and they play very fast. I'm very impressed with their quarterback, and their right tackle is as good as we've seen all year. Their backs run hard, and defensively they fly to the football and tackle well. We'll have our work cut out for us."
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
FAYETTEVILLE
Fayetteville, Bryant to meet again
Fayetteville cleared a major obstacle Sept. 14 when the Bulldogs won 36-35 at Bryant.
The victory was significant, particularly in how Fayetteville won. Fayetteville outscored Bryant 14-0 in the fourth quarter after Bryant scored 28 points in the third quarter to take the lead. The final outcome showed Fayetteville could close out a victory after losing a handful of games in the fourth quarter the previous year.
Fayetteville (9-2) must display similar resolve Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Bryant (8-2) for a second-round game in the Class 7A state playoffs. The teams have met three times in the past two years, and each game has been decided by one point.
"They ambushed us with 28 points in seven minutes in that first game, and they did the same thing to us the year before in the playoffs," Fayetteville coach Billy Dawson said. "They have the tendency to do that, and we've got to be able to withstand it."
Fayetteville quarterback Darius Bowers hurt his knee in the September game at Bryant and missed three games. But Bowers is back, and Fayetteville is rolling with six victories in its last seven games. The Bulldogs beat Little Rock Catholic 45-17 last week to advance to the second round against Bryant, which received a first-round bye.
Fayetteville will be challenged by all-state running back Latavion Scott after limiting all-state running back Sammy Johnson in the win over Catholic. But Bryant will be much better this week at the quarterback position, where underrated senior Ren Hefly is hard to contain.
"He's hurt us all three times we've played them," Dawson said of Hefly, a standout student and senior class president at Bryant. "He's really hard to contain. He can throw it, and he can run and make plays.
"That first game at Bryant was a real eye-opening experience, especially for our young guys. But we've matured and gotten better each week. We know we'll have to play well to come away with a win."
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
MOUNTAINBURG
Dragons meet Dragons in Class 2A playoffs
Mountainburg faces two major challenges in its second-round game at Junction City on Friday.
The first is distance. Junction City is located on the Louisiana border, nearly 300 miles from Mountainburg. The Dragons will solve that issue by leaving school at noon Thursday and staying the night at El Dorado before continuing to Junction City.
The second challenge is much more daunting. Junction City is a small-school power that will have a clear edge in speed, size and athleticism over the Dragons.
"They are huge up front on the offensive line," Mountainburg coach Tom Harrell said. "When you look at their backside 'big' is the only way to describe them. Couple that with some guys in the backfield who run fast and physical, and you've got a very good football team."
Both teams are called the Dragons. Junction City beat McCrory 37-8 while Mountainburg eliminated Parkers Chapel 46-28.
Dhante Gibson is the leading rusher for Junction City with 1,065 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. Mountainburg will attempt to counter with a balanced offensive backfield led by Austin Taylor, who has rushed for 1,129 yards and 16 touchdowns.
"Our best chance is to try and confuse them on the offensive line and stop their backs before they get started," Harrell said. "We need to get in the backfield and make plays for losses. We've got our work cut out for us, but stranger things have happened."
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
BENTONVILLE WEST
Wolverines, Wampus Cats meet again
Bentonville West finally gets to experience what it's like to have a playoff game on a regular Friday night.
The Wolverines (6-4) had to play their previous two postseason games on Thursdays because they shared Tiger Stadium with Bentonville, which hosted the Friday games. That won't be the case this year as Conway comes to Wolverine Stadium.
"Our other two playoff games have been played a day short and not in our normal routine," West coach Bryan Pratt said. "This will be a whole lot more fun this week because we know we get to play at our home. And we get to play on Friday night, which is what it should be.
"I thought we looked really good in the bye week after coming out of a very disappointing game we played in Week 10. We were able to work on some fundamentals and focus on ourselves. I think it helped us when we had a bye week between Bryant and Fayetteville, and hopefully, it will help us now."
It's a rematch of last year's playoff quarterfinal game, in which Conway earned a 48-40 victory after West couldn't maintain an early 14-0 lead. Pratt said the Wampus Cats (9-2) still look a lot like last year's team, even though there's a new coach after Keith Fimple took the reins from Clint Ashcraft.
Meanwhile, West has had to spend time during its first-round bye week to find a new receiver after Stephen Dyson suffered a leg injury and had to undergo surgery Tuesday. Pratt said he will look at a combination of Jonas Higson and Tyrese Smallwood to fill the void.
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
HARRISON
Goblins face unfamiliar opponent
None of Harrison's football players was born the last time the Goblins played Wynne, which comes to F.S. Garrison Stadium for a second-round Class 5A playoff game Friday night.
So Harrison coach Joel Wells can see both sides of trying to prepare for the Yellowjackets, a team the Goblins (11-) haven't seen since a 1998 playoff game that Harrison won by a 38-28 margin.
"It makes things difficult when you watch them on film because you're not sure if the other team they are playing is that good," Wells said. "At least when you play teams in your conference, you have a good idea on how good the other team is.
"Then again, it makes it easier because you can have a few surprises for them."
Wynne (7-4), which advanced with a 10-6 victory over Camden Fairview last week, preaches ball control and likes to grind out the clock with its offensive possessions. If the Yellowjackets are successful in slowing the game down, Harrison will have to treat each offensive possession like it is a crucial one.
"They're not similar to any team we have played against," Wells said. "We have played some good defense this season, and we'll need to do it again. Offensively, we can't have turnovers and penalties. We've done a good job all season of protecting the football, and we can't be hurting ourselves now.
"We have to find a way to keep their offense off the field, and field position will be critical."
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
LAMAR
Warriors hope home field is enough
The Warriors are hoping the third time is the charm as it hosts playoff nemesis Harding Academy in a second-round Class 3A playoff game on Friday.
Twice in the past six seasons, Harding Academy (7-3) has ousted Lamar (9-2) from the playoffs. This time, however, the Warriors are the host team.
"We're familiar with them," Lamar coach Josh Jones said. "We're hoping we can change that result. We've played them both times on the road, so getting home game in the second round is big."
Lamar knocked off Atkins 38-24 last week, but it wasn't an easy win. The Warriors took a two-touchdown lead at halftime, but Atkins stormed back in the third quarter to take the lead before Lamar sealed the win in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors came off the game without any major injuries and should be in good shape for Friday's clash.
"Hopefully, we can run the ball. That's what we have to do," Jones said. "Offensively, Harding has a back with over 1,100 yards, and they are efficient in the passing game. They have some really big receivers who will have a big size advantage."
-- Chip Souza • @NWAChip
OZARK
Hillbillies use bye week to heal up
The Hillbillies enjoyed a bye week last week for the opening round of the playoffs, and coach Jeremie Burns said the off week was welcomed for players who have been nursing injuries.
"It's good for us because we've had some guys banged up," Burns said. "For us, we used the time to get some of our younger guys more reps because our offensive line has been banged up. This was kind of a blessing for us because it gives these guys a little more time to heal up."
Burns said the Hillbillies (8-2) have had bye weeks twice in recent seasons and lost the game coming out of the bye, so he's hoping that trend changes with Friday night's home second-round playoff game against Lonoke.
Lonoke knocked off Prairie Grove 35-26 last week as quarterback Brandon Bryant rushed for 245 yards and running back Anthony Parks rushed for 143.
"Their quarterback did a great job running the ball," Burns said. "They have some big linemen, but we were really impressed with how physical they played against Prairie Grove."
The Jackrabbits' defense has been solid, led by sophomore linebacker Dayton Smith, who has 108 tackles including 14 last week against Prairie Grove.
-- Chip Souza • @NWAChip
GREENWOOD
Bye week not an off week for 'Dogs
It was a week of just practices for the defending Class 6A state champion Greenwood Bulldogs after earning a first-round bye, but that doesn't mean it was an uneventful week.
The defensive side of the ball has assured most days of practice are never dull with the intensity of play this season, Greenwood coach Rick Jones said. Jones joked the team is lucky it still has offensive players for games after practices.
"This is a fun group to coach," Jones said. "There is something going on all the time. They have what you call the defensive mentality. They fly to the ball. We always have to scream at the defensive guys for going too hard in practice. I love the way they play."
Greenwood (9-1) has been led by Logan Workman and Travis Cox each having a team-best 75 total tackles on defense. Austin Archer has eight sacks and 12 tackles for a loss, while Morgan Hanna has six sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. Leighton Johnson and Gunner Perkins each have a team-high two interceptions.
The Greenwood defense will be tested Friday with Searcy (9-2) traveling to Smith-Robinson Stadium after advancing with a 49-42 victory against Siloam Springs. The Lions have won five of their last six games and have scored 145 points in the past three games.
"I hope they are ready because they will need to be," Jones said of the defense. "They are going to give us a lot of different formations and looks on offense. We'll have to adjust to some things. We'll need to be playing good football."
Senior quarterback Peyton Wright has completed 229 of 400 passes for 3,092 yards with 29 touchdowns to guide the Searcy offense.
Senior wide receiver Tim Williams has been the go-to target throughout the season, catching 63 passes for 1,046 yards with 14 touchdowns. He finished with 12 catches for 201 yards including two touchdowns last week.
The Lions have been led on the ground by senior Tony Young and junior Johnson Guthrie. Young has 832 rushing yards on 157 carries with 13 touchdowns, while Guthrie has 581 yards on 103 touches with eight scores.
"They are playing well right now," Jones said. "We will have our hands full there is no doubt about that. They will provide a lot of challenges. They have some playmakers and a good offensive line. They are 9-2 for a reason."
-- Harold McIlvain II • Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette
BOONEVILLE
Bearcats thrive on opponent mistakes
The Booneville offense found its groove early and often on the ground to make it 65 playoff wins in program history last week with a 49-0 shutout victory against Baptist Prep.
It also helped that the defense forced four first-half turnovers with interceptions to set up some of those scores.
"The kids played well and were ready to go," Booneville coach Scott Hyatt said. "This time of year you come out and play well or you are done. That's the message we have tried to get across to them. Hopefully, we continue to play well."
The Bearcats finished the game with seven rushing touchdowns with Carson Ray and Andrew Robertson leading the way with two scores apiece. Jeremy Elliot, Gabe Fennell and Chance Shigley also found the end zone on the ground for Booneville.
Fennell had two interceptions, while Ray and Cam Brasher each had one to help provide first-half momentum for the Bearcats.
Booneville (12-0) this week will host Walnut Ridge, which improved its record to 9-2 on the season with a 37-22 victory against Lakeside in the Class 3A state tournament.
The Bobcats are led on offense by senior running back Cade Burris, who has 1,192 rushing yards on 185 carries with 17 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Cole Manning also has 877 yards on 112 touches with 13 scores.
"They are big and physical," Hyatt said. "They move the ball pretty good on offense. It's been big for our starting defensive line to go against our starting offensive line all season in practice. It has made us better. We'll be tested this week on the lines."
Booneville didn't often require the arm or running abilities of junior quarterback Evan Schlinker in the first-round victory last week. He didn't have a rushing attempt and threw the ball just once, finding Ian Suttles on a two-point conversion.
Schlinker, who set the school record with 13 touchdown passes in a season earlier this year, will now look to make an even bigger impact as the team's postseason push continues.
"He has stepped in after the injury to Brandon Ulmer and has done a great job and thrown the ball well," Hyatt said. "We have tried not to run him too much because we don't want to get him hurt. But as we get deeper in the playoffs, we'll have to use him more. That's just part of our offense and another dimension of it."
-- Harold McIlvain II • Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette
FS NORTHSIDE
Grizzlies need to clean up 'dumb' penalties
After last week's 35-0 win over Van Buren, there was a lot for Northside coach Mike Falluer to be pleased with.
After the game, though, it was two 15-yard penalties in the second half (a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct) when the game got out of reach that frustrated the Grizzlies coach. Falluer said his team cannot commit those penalties in this week's 7A quarterfinal matchup at Bentonville.
"The only thing I was disappointed in was the dumb penalties in the second half," Falleur said after last week's win. "We have to clean those up against a good team like Bentonville. We will work to correct that this week."
The Grizzlies (7-4) trail in the all-time series against the Tigers 15-9 and have lost 10 straight. The last win by Northside was in 2005. The last meeting between the teams was in the 2016 7A quarterfinals when Bentonville won at Northside 31-10.
Still, the Grizzly defense that allowed just 143 total yards and the Northside running game that had nearly 300 rushing yards were positives for Falleur.
"I think we played great (against Van Buren)," Falleur said. "But we need to play better against a good (Bentonville) team."
-- Walter Woodie • Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette
FS SOUTHSIDE
Mavericks feel no pressure in facing Charging Wildcats
It had been three years since Fort Smith Southside won a playoff game, so the 35-28 comeback win at Springdale last week in a 7A first-round game was a huge boost for the Mavericks.
"Anytime you win a first-round game, you're going to have confidence," Southside coach Jeff Williams said. "The win was big for our program. Defensively we played outstanding."
Now the Mavericks face their biggest challenge of the season in trying to slow down North Little Rock, the defending 7A state champion. The Charging Wildcats have won 23 games in a row and 35 of their last 36 games. North Little Rock won the first meeting 49-27 on Oct. 5 and have averaged 52 points against the Mavericks over the last three seasons.
Southside, though, has faced odds like this in the past and have pulled off miracle wins.
The Mavericks upset three unbeaten teams who were ranked No. 1 in state championship games -- Little Rock Parkview in 1983, Fort Smith Northside in 1988 and Rogers in 2006. To get to the 2006 7A finals, Southside upset in the first round a 10-0 Little Rock Central team that was going for its third championship in four years.
"We are a different team than we were when we played North Little Rock back in Week 6," Williams said. "We are going to throw everything at them, including the kitchen sink, and see what happens."
Williams said getting to the second round is also good for the future as a lot of young players are getting invaluable playing experience.
"At one time, we had seven sophomores on the field playing defense," Williams added. "You see the teams that go deep in the playoffs really get a chance to use that extra practice time. It makes a huge difference, especially since you only get 10 days of practice in the spring."
-- Walter Woodie • Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette
MAGAZINE
Rattlers take on No. 1 Gators
Magazine pulled an upset last week when the Rattlers beat Carlisle 26-6 for their first playoff victory since 2011.
But that challenge pales to the one Magazine faces Friday: a trip to Foreman, the No. 1 team in Class 2A.
Foreman (8-1) averages 35 points per game, and the Gators have allowed only 37 points (4.1) all season. Foreman is also well-rested after earning a first-round bye.
"They've got some big men up front, and some good athletes in the backfield," Magazine coach Doug Powell said. "They're very good. We'll have to play our best game, most likely, and we'll take all the luck we can get."
Magazine (6-4) recovered three fumbles and intercepted two passes in its win over Carlisle, a school with plenty of tradition. The Rattlers must force similar mistakes against Foreman, whose only loss was a one-point, 14-13, decision to Mineral Springs.
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
Sports on 11/14/2018