For the second year in a row, the Booneville Bearcats head to Searcy where they'll play Harding Academy at Harding University again in the Class 3A playoffs.
This time, the stakes are even higher with a berth in the state championship going to the victor.
Last year, Booneville took the opening kickoff and three plays later Randon Ray cruised 73 yards for a touchdown just 62 seconds into the game.
It was all downhill for the Bearcats from there, though, as Harding Academy scored on its first four possessions and six of seven in the first half in a 52-21 win in the quarterfinals.
Harding Academy went on to win its second-straight state championship. The Wildcats are going for three straight in their final season in Class 3A before being elevated in classification due to the new Arkansas Activities Association's Competitive Equity Factor.
This year, the Wildcats are potent again but have actually broken from their recent offensive ways and have scored more touchdowns rushing the ball than throwing it.
"They're a good football team," Booneville Coach Doc Crowley said. "I think it's going to be a battle."
Andrew Miller leads a ground game that has scored 38 touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Kade Smith has been good in his first year to start, throwing for 2,488 yards and 23 touchdowns. Smith is a Razorback baseball recruit, leading Harding Academy to the Class 3A baseball championship last year as well as playing on the state championship basketball team.
Booneville's ground-pounding offense will need to be at its best and ready to go the distance with Harding Academy's Kyle Ferrie booming 85 of his 94 kickoffs into the end zone.
"We're going to have to go 80 yards every time we touch it from a kickoff," Crowley said. "Hopefully, we're stopping them on defense and getting some punts."
Randon and Rylen Ray, Dax Goff and Rocky Ross have combined for 4,180 yards and 66 touchdowns.
"I think we're quite a bit better than we were last year," Crowley said. "On the defensive side, we've got seven guys back that were up there last year. They know what to expect going up there. I think last year, we were in shock. I think they could have competed for the 4A title with Shiloh Christian last year. They were that good. Our kids know now what to expect. They know it's going to take an unbelievable effort and that's what our kids are ready to go do."
Crowley jumped on the chance to take his team to Texas to play a good team in a hostile environment when Danville forfeited a conference game earlier this season.
"I lot of people were wondering what we were doing scheduling a game with Timpson, Texas, but looking down the road it was to get us ready for a game like this," Crowley said. "They're very similar offensively. They're very dangerous. I feel like we've put our kids in some situations to get them ready for this and play some teams that are very similar to what they do. That's what we wanted to do to get them ready for December, and here we are."
Timpson won that game 57-40, and is undefeated and still playing in the playoffs in Texas.
GREENWOOD
Defense bites down
Greenwood's defense bowed up against Little Rock Parkview's running attack in Friday's 45-35 win in the Class 6A playoffs.
In Parkview's 48-28 win in September over Greenwood, the Patriots ran for 356 yards and six scores.
Friday, Greenwood's defense limited Parkview to 23 runs for 136 yards and two scores.
Defensive linemen Landon Kilgore and Tyler Crossno missed the first meeting and were back and teamed up with Cole Meyers up front to clamp down on Parkview's offense.
"We weren't as confident as we usually are, but once we stopped them and started scoring it was a lot of fun," Meyers said. "The second half was a blast."
Meyers had four assists on Friday.
"I was very determined," Meyers said. "I mentally prepared all week. We were missing two linemen the first time we played them. They got to play this time, and we were hyped and ready to go. It was awesome."
Razorback commit James Jointer had 269 yards and five touchdowns in the first meeting but was held to seven carries for 16 yards on Friday.
"He was pretty much the game plan," Meyers said. "We couldn't let him go crazy again. He's a great player. I talked to him after the game. He's a great dude, but that was our main goal to not let him go crazy."
Meyers is also part of a senior class that finished undefeated at home in their career.
"This whole class had a goal to go undefeated on this field," Meyers said. "We haven't lost here. We didn't want to know what it was like to lose here, and we won't have to."
HOOPS BLITZ
The basketball tournament blitz is underway.
Lavaca's Golden Arrow Classic tipped off the tournament blitz on Monday with eight girls and eight boys teams.
The semifinals are on Thursday with the championship games at 7 and 8:30 p..m. on Saturday.
Also, the eighth Booneville Bearcat Tournament tipped off on Monday, too.
Those championship games are at 4 and 5:30 on Saturday.
Alma's Charles B. Dyer Classic is Friday and Saturday.
The Northside Lady Bears will participate in the Hays City Shootout in Hays, Kansas, beginning Thursday against Great Bend.
Northside's Grizzlies will be in Lewisville, Texas, for a three-day invitational, beginning on Thursday.
Next week, Southside will host the annual Tournament of Champions with girls teams from Southside, Northside and Greenwood playing in the three-day tournament that begins on Dec. 9.
The Greenwood Bulldogs will play in the Battle at the Ridge in Pea Ridge also beginning on Dec. 9.
The Grizzlies will be in Blue Springs, Missouri, for a three-day tournament beginning also on Dec. 9.
The Southside Mavericks will also begin tournament play on Dec. 9 in the Carthage, Missouri, Tournament.
Van Buren's Lady Pointers will play in the Benton Classic, also beginning Dec. 9.
Both Alma teams will travel to Texas to play in the Cushing Invitational on Dec.9-11.