PREP FOOTBALL

RIVER VALLEY REPORT: Collie grows into key role for Grizzlies

FORT SMITH -- Fort Smith Northside offensive lineman James Collie transformed himself from a chubby junior high benchwarmer to a chiseled starting 7A-Central offensive lineman.

The 5-8, 255-pound senior received his first opportunity early in his sophomore year.

"I had lost a lot of weight and put on some muscle," Collie said. "I was working my butt off in practice, and coach told me I was going to start the next game."

That next game that week was against defending state champion Bryant in the 7A-Central opener.

"I was panicking," Collie said. "It was the No.1 team in the state, the defending state champs, and they had a really good defensive tackle. It was terrifying. He bullied me all night."

It was really the first playing time of any significance for Collie. At Chaffin Junior High, Collie played only late in the game with the scrubs.

"Not at all," Collie said. "I played in the fourth quarter when we were leading by 30 points."

At Northside, Collie started transforming his body and worked his way into the starting lineup at center first as an injury replacement.

"He came in as a sophomore and wasn't expecting a whole lot from him," offensive line coach David Little said. "He was thrust into action and hasn't been off the field since. He's a very dependable guy and a hard worker."

He started the remaining seven games of 2019 at center and all 11 games last year. Friday, Collie will make his 30th start against the same opponent he started his career against.

"James came from Chaffin," Falleur said. "He was on the team and never really played. He started for us as a 10th grader. All of a sudden, he's our center."

This year, he moved to left tackle next to the only other senior on the line, Brandon Bailey.

"They're leaders in the weight room, they're leaders on the practice field," Little said. "Brandon is kind of quiet, but he's the elder statesman of the linemen. He's very mature for his age."

Junior Adrian Falcon missed last year due to an injury but stepped in at center this season with juniors Jamoni Benton at right guard and Jamoni Benton at right tackle.

They're coming off perhaps their best game, collectively, with the Grizzlies rushing for 433 yards in a 47-21 win over Bentonville West in the opening round of the Class 7A playoffs.

"Our offensive line, they're pushing five yards back before our backs are even thinking about getting touched," Falleur said. "They've done a good job against good people."

They've cleared the way for both Sundquist Church and Ty Massey to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark rushing. That's a rarity in the state's largest classification with only Cabot in 2003 and 1996 to have two running backs go over the 1,000-yard rushing plateau.

"Offensive linemen don't get interviewed," Little said. "They have a little different motivation. When the backs do well, they know it's because they're doing their job. Those backs do a good job of telling those linemen that they appreciate what they do. We have two 1,000-yard rushers. That's a big source of pride for our offensive linemen."

FS NORTHSIDE

Defense, too

Friday, the defense was also dominant in the win over Bentonville West.

Northside forced five turnovers, including four in the first half on consecutive possessions.

"It went our way real fast," Falleur said. "It happened so fast. We scored and then they fumbled after two plays, and we were right back out there."

Julius Thomas recovered a fumble on the next-to-last play of the first quarter that led to Northside taking a 20-7 lead.

With West driving on its next series, defensive end Aaron Carter had a sack and forced another fumble when Thomas also recovered.

"The guard blocked out at me," Carter said. "They run the ball a lot, but I had my eyes in the backfield. The quarterback faked the handoff, and I just went after him and made the play."

That halted the drive at Northside's 38, and the Grizzlies went up 27-7.

McCade Moody recovered a fumble in the air on the next drive, and R.J. Lester made the first of his two interceptions on the next series and Northside took a 40-7 lead at the half.

BOONEVILLE

Face Mirror Image

The Bearcats added something new to their offensive arsenal on Friday night with Randon Ray throwing his second touchdown pass of the season.

Ray's 32-yard pass to Rayce Blansett with 2:16 left in the first half had Booneville well on the way to a 49-21 win over Salem in the first round on Friday night.

Booneville had its usual productive night on the ground, rushing 30 times for 389 yards with Ray notching three touchdown runs.

The attention now turns to Manila, which travels to Bearcat Stadium on Friday for the second round of the playoffs. Manila will still be on an emotional high after winning its first playoff game in school history.

Manila is almost a mirror image of Booneville, rushing for 591 yards in a 49-25 win over Danville in the first round.

Manila even duplicated an earlier Booneville effort with four backs over 100 yards; Kurt Overton with 12 carries for 232 yards and four scores, Dustin Clark with 11 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns, Coby Taylor with 122 yards and Peyton McQueen with 103 yards and a touchdown.

PARIS

Defense Holds

Paris, the second seed from the 3A-1, needed just four plays to score to open the game, and the Eagles looked to be on their way to the usual big offensive night.

The Eagles, though, didn't score another touchdown until the fourth quarter and needed a goal-line stand to hang on to a 17-14 win over Riverview in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.

"We took the opening kickoff and scored in four plays," Paris coach Jeff Weaver said. "Then we had all kinds of breakdowns up front, we'd get a sack, then we'd have a bad snap, and the third and 20s were more than we could overcome. They kept gaining confidence and had us where they wanted us."

James Yang booted a 24-yard field goal for Paris to trim Riverview's lead to 14-10 in the third quarter and Chase Watts scored on a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter for a 17-14 lead.

"They scored to start the third quarter to go up, 14-7, and we went three and out," Weaver said. "Thank goodness, they got a 15-yard penalty for taunting. That gave us a first down, and got a little momentum and went down and kicked the field goal. That sort of slowed them down a little bit."

Then Paris' defense stiffened on four straight runs at the 5 to hold on.

"They have first and goal at the 5, and held them on four straight plays," Weaver said. "They had second and goal from the 2, third and goal from the 4, and fourth and goal from the 4. We ran one first down and ran out the clock."

Paris now travels to Newport on Friday for the second round. Newport beat Lincoln, 41-7, returning the opening kickoff, an on-side kick, 48 yards for a touchdown and returned two interceptions for scores.

CEDARVILLE

Pirates on historic path

Cedarville rolled past Atkins on Friday, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns and adding two-point conversion after each in a 40-12 win over Atkins.

The Pirates set a single-season school record with their ninth win on Friday night, won their first playoff game since 2008 and their first home playoff win since 1999.

Darryl Kattich had 32 carries for 230 yards and two touchdowns, and Colton Arnold had 17 carries for 123 yards and two more scores playing in place of Hayden Partain.

Quarterback Cody Dickens had a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion in the first quarter in leading Cedarville to 16 points in the opening quarter.

Cedarville now travels to Hoxie.

CHARLESTON

Tigers rested

Charleston rested up on Friday night with a first-round bye in the Class 3A playoffs.

They needed the rest in preparation for Centerpoint quarterback Josh Lawson.

"He's tall and elusive," Charleston coach Ricky May said. "Their line is good, and their skill guys can play."

The Tigers spent Friday night at their fieldhouse, had a team cookout and a watch party and watched Centerpoint's 29-14 win over Osceola in the first round.

"Their front controlled Osceola," May said. "They have two three-year starters. They're as good as we've seen all year."

Centerpoint led Prescott, 35-12, during the regular season before Lawson left the game with an injury. Prescott rallied and won, 50-41.

The Knights then finished fourth in the rugged 3A-5 conference.

"They are tough," Ricky May. "They're not a four seed. They had Prescott down at one point, and their quarterback went out. He's back full strength and they look good."

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