With the Class 5A state playoffs on the horizon, the Morrilton Devil Dogs have their quarterback back.
Junior Jacolby Criswell made his season debut last Friday at Farmington, two months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a scrimmage at Conway.
Criswell completed 19 of 28 passes for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns in Morrilton's 52-30 victory over the Cardinals. He added 47 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Morrilton Coach Cody McNabb said Criswell was cleared for full contact Oct. 23, but was able to throw several weeks prior.
"He was ready to go," McNabb said. "We played him one series on, one series off in the first half. Then he played the entire second half.
"He's a really good player. He would tell you that he missed some throws that he normally wouldn't miss. We tried not to turn him too loose, but he's been playing that way his whole life."
McNabb wasn't sure whether Criswell would play this season, but once he learned that Criswell's surgery in August was more of a reattachment and not a reconstruction of the ACL in his knee, McNabb believed Criswell had an opportunity to play in 2018.
"He's got a lot riding on it," said McNabb of Criswell, who has received a scholarship offer from the University of Arkansas.
Entering tonight's game at Clarksville, Morrilton (5-4) is in a three-way tie for second place in the 5A-West Conference at 4-2 with Greenbrier and Alma. The top two seeds in the 5A-West will have a home game, so McNabb is hopeful Criswell will get to play at least once at Devil Dog Stadium this season.
"There's no doubt that would be huge for us," McNabb said. "I'd like for our home fans to see Jacolby. That would mean a lot to him, to get a home game in front of these fans."
BRYANT
No. 1 goal a 2 seed
Bryant Coach Buck James hopes his team can get another crack at North Little Rock, preferably in the Class 7A state championship game.
For that to happen, the Hornets will have to defeat Conway tonight in the 7A-Central Conference regular-season finale.
The winner earns the No. 2 seed while the loser is the third seed and would be on the same side of the playoff bracket as North Little Rock.
Bryant lost 34-28 at North Little Rock last Friday despite leading 21-0 in the first quarter. The Hornets allowed a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown run to junior Brandon Thomas with 4:58 remaining, then went three-and-out on their next offensive possession as the Charging Wildcats were able to run out the clock.
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James didn't mince words as far as the importance of getting the No. 2 seed.
"We want to get on the other side of these guys [North Little Rock] and compete and have a chance to play them in the state championship on a neutral field [at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium]," James said. "I like our chances against them. We're closing the gap."
CAMDEN FAIRVIEW
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Camden Fairview Coach Jacob Monden is in his third season with the Cardinals, and tonight's 5A-South Conference regular-season finale against Little Rock McClellan is arguably the most important game in his tenure.
The winner between the Cardinals (6-3, 5-1) and Crimson Lions (8-1, 5-1) will be the 5A-South's No. 2 seed, while the loser drops to the No. 3 seed.
"McClellan is a physical team," Monden said. "For us, we have to match their physicality."
Camden Fairview's offensive line is led by senior tackle Stacey Wilkins, who has orally committed to Oklahoma.
"Stacey has been really good," Monden said. "He's a guy that we do run behind quite a bit."
Senior quarterback Keith Johnson leads the Cardinals offensively, passing for 1,409 yards with 13 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Johnson's top target is senior wide receiver Quaishun Thompson, who has caught 23 passes for 478 yards and 7 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Erik Hall has 436 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Cardinals have won four consecutive since a 27-12 loss at 5A-South No. 1 seed Texarkana on Sept. 28.
"The last four weeks, we've gone back to work," Monden said. "We're being more efficient. We weren't efficient early on."
Monden said having a top two seed would be important for the progression of the Cardinals' program.
"Every year, we've shown improvement," Monden said. "It would be something that would be huge for this community and this program."
Sports on 11/02/2018