Friday's Prep Football Matchups

FILE -- Greenwood head coach Chris Young looks on, Friday, September 18, 2020 during a football game at Greenwood High School in Greenwood. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
FILE -- Greenwood head coach Chris Young looks on, Friday, September 18, 2020 during a football game at Greenwood High School in Greenwood. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Greenwood vs. Lake Hamilton

War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

KICKOFF 12:10 p.m. Saturday

RECORDS Greenwood 13-0; Lake Hamilton 11-1.

ON THE AIR AETN

BETWEEN THE LINES It's the rematch of the regular-season finale for both teams, as Greenwood earned a 38-28 victory and won the 6A-West Conference championship. ... RB Hunter Wilkinson gave the Bulldogs a 31-28 lead on a 63-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, but Lake Hamilton drove to the Greenwood 20 before it fumbled on a third-down play with under 3 minutes remaining. ... Greenwood has won all five meetings since the two schools became conference opponents ... The Bulldogs are back in the championship game after a year hiatus and have played in the title game five of the last six years. ... Greenwood QB L.D. Richmond returned last week to throw for 184 yards and three TDs and run for three more scores. ... Lake Hamilton's ground-oriented attack is led by RBs Tevin Woodley and Owen Miller, who have combined for almost 3,600 yards rushing and 42 TDs. Miller also has 10 receptions for 267 yards and 3 TDs. ... Izaiah Clenney spearheads the Wolves' defense with 144 tackles and 15 tackles for loss this season, while Trent Singleton and Justin Crutchmer are tied for second with 116 apiece.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Greenwood, QB L.D. Richmond (Sr., 6-1, 165), RB Hunter Wilkinson (Sr., 5-11, 190), WR Caden Brown (Sr., 5-5, 145), WR Peyton Carter (Sr., 6-4, 205), DE Jordan Hanna (Sr., 6-2, 205), DB Jayden Jasna (Sr., 5-10, 160). Lake Hamilton, RB Tevin Woodley (Jr., 5-8, 190), RB Owen Miller (Jr., 5-11, 200), WR/LB Izaiah Clenney (Sr., 5-11, 190), DB Trent Singleton (Sr., 5-10, 165), DB Justin Crutchmer (So., 5-10, 170).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Greenwood is No. 1 in Class 6A. Lake Hamilton is No. 2.

HOOTEN'S LINE Greenwood by 7

OUR TAKE Greenwood 34, Lake Hamilton 31

-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry

CLASS 5A

Little Rock Christian at Harrison

F.S. Garrison Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m. Friday

RECORDS LR Christian 8-2; Harrison 11-1

ON THE AIR Live stream available at www.harrisongoblins.com

BETWEEN THE LINES It's the seventh meeting between the two teams, but the first since LR Christian earned a wild 48-41 nonconference victory in 2017. The series is currently tied at 3-3. ... The two were 5A-West Conference foes in 2014-15 and split their two games. ... LR Christian seeks to reach the championship game for the third straight year. ... The Warriors have averaged 46 points per game this season and have scored at least 48 points in their last three games. ... LR Christian QB Colin Cooper has thrown for 1,586 yards and 21 TDs, with WR Corey Platt Jr. being the main target with 13 TDs out of his 38 receptions. ... Harrison's season began, interestingly, with a win over Magnolia on LR Christian's field. ... The Goblins have reached the semifinal after last-minute wins over Camden Fairview and White Hall. ... Harrison QB Cole Keylon has almost 3,500 combined yards running and passing. ... Cy Madden not only had the game-winning TD catch against White Hall, but it was his key third-down tackle that forced White Hall to punt and give the Goblins their chance to win the game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH LR Christian, QB Colin Cooper (Sr., 6-3, 185), RB Jayvean Dyer-Jones (Jr., 5-9, 184), WR/LB Corey Platt Jr. (Sr., 6-2, 195), LB Slate Wilkerson (Jr., 6-3, 200), DE Anthony Pugh (Sr., 6-4, 225). Harrison, QB Cole Keylon (Sr., 6-0, 194), RB/LB Jordin Welch (Sr., 5-9, 175), WR/PK Noah Moix (Sr., 5-9, 130), FS/QB Beck Jones (So., 5-9, 175), LB Brody Gilliam (Jr., 5-10, 175).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS LR Christian is No. 3 in Class 5A; Harrison is No. 4.

HOOTEN'S LINE LR Christian by 10.

OUR TAKE Harrison 34, LR Christian 30

-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry

CLASS 4A

Dumas at Shiloh Christian

Champions Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Dumas 9-3; Shiloh Christian 11-1

ON THE AIR The game will be live-streamed at shilohsaints.org.

BETWEEN THE LINES Shiloh Christian's offense gets a lot of notoriety, but the Saints also have a stout defense as they proved in a 28-0 shutout of Malvern last week. Shiloh Christian forced a pair of turnovers, including a pick-six from linebacker Kaden Henley. ... Dumas got 5 touchdowns last week from Kylin James in a 36-30 win against Gosnell. James has rushed for 2,281 yards and 26 TDs this season. ... Saints' QB Eli Wisdom is nearing a rare milestone. The sophomore is closing on on a 2,000-yard passing, 1,000-yard rushing season. ... Saints RB Cam Wiedemann showed his versatility last week, returning a kickoff for a touchdown and playing a key role in both the passing and running game. ... Dumas senior LB Cole Palsa is having an outstanding season with 54 tackles and 10.5 sacks.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Dumas, QB Kennon Jones (Sr., 6-2, 180), RB Kylin James (Sr., 6-0, 215), WR Tamarja Parker (Sr., 6-4,185), DL Jon Stanley Hill (Sr., 6-5, 235), LB Cole Palsa (Sr., 6-1, 190).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Dumas is No. 7 in Class 4A; Shiloh Christian is No. 1

HOOTEN'S LINE Shiloh Christian by 16

OUR TAKE Shiloh Christian 35, Dumas 21

-- Chip Souza • @NWAChip

Ozark at Stuttgart

Ned Moseley Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Ozark 9-3; Stuttgart 12-0

ON THE AIR None

BETWEEN THE LINES The Ricebirds have had a remarkable turnaround season after going 1-9 in 2019 and taking down defending state champion Joe T. Robinson last week 23-20. ... Ozark lost to Stuttgart in the 2012 state championship game. ... Hillbillies QB Harper Faulkenberry assaulted Pocahontas last week for 275 rushing yards and 4 TDs, and passed for 90 yards and another TD. ... Stuttgart's Cedrick Hawkins ran for 149 yards against Robinson last week. ... The Hillbillies have a college-sized offensive line that averages more than 260 pounds across the front. ... Ozark sophomore RB Eli Massingale has rushed for 873 yards and 11 touchdowns.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Ozark, QB Harper Faulkenberry (Sr., 5-11, 188), RB Eli Massingale (So., 5-11, 180), OL Brock Burns (Jr., 6-4, 285), LB Keystan Durning (Sr., 6-1, 175), LB Ryker Martin (Jr., 5-8, 158), Stuttgart, QB Pate Kleinbeck (Jr., 6-1, 180), RB Cedrick Hawkins (So., 5-6, 160), K Jack Hosman (So., 5-8, 155).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Ozark is No. 6 in Class 4A; Stuttgart is No. 2

HOOTEN'S LINE Stuttgart by 10

OUR TAKE Ozark 24, Stuttgart 20

-- Chip Souza • @NWAChip

CLASS 3A

Paris at Hoxie

Crider Field

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Paris 11-1. Hoxie 12-0

BETWEEN THE LINES Senior RB Ely Fore scored three touchdowns to lead Paris to a 35-12 win last week over Greenland. Junior Duke Walker added a touchdown and two interceptions for the Eagles .... Paris' only loss is 28-20 to Booneville, which plays at Harding Academy in a quarterfinal game. .... Paris' defensive line was dominant against a Greenland team led by Jett Dennis, the state's leading rusher who turned two screen passes into touchdowns for the Pirates' only points. ... Paris seniors played on teams that went 3-7 as juniors and 0-10 as sophomores in the first season for head coach Tyler Clark. . .... Hoxie eliminated Booneville in the playoffs last year before falling 49-19 at Prescott in a third-round game. ....Hoxie averages more than 5o points per game with a senior-dominated team led by QB Daylon Powell and his brother, ShunDerrick Powell, who ran for 346 yards last week in a 48-28 victory over Newport.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Paris, QB Chase Watts (Jr., 5-10, 140), RB/LB Ely Fore (Sr., 5-11, 180), WR/CB Keller Keen (Jr., 5-7, 155), OL/DL Ryan Post (Jr., 6-3, 270), OL/DL Adam Chandler (Sr., 6-3, 255), TE/DL Jude Simmons (Jr., 6-2, 170), RB/DB Duke Walker (Jr., 5-9, 155). Hoxie, QB Daylon Powell (Sr., 6-0, 185), RB ShunDerrick Powell (Sr., 5-7, 165), RB Davie Powell (Jr., 5-7, 162), OL Zayne Alls (Sr., 6-3, 275), LB Sam Turner (Sr., 6-0, 195), LB Jace Benesch (Sr., 5-11, 195).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Paris is No. 8 in Class 3A. Hoxie is No. 3.

HOOTEN'S LINE Hoxie by 8

OUR TAKE Hoxie 35, Paris 28

-- Rick Fires • @NWARick

Booneville at Harding Academy

First Security Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Booneville 10-2. Harding Academy 9-1

BETWEEN THE LINES Harding Academy overwhelmed Jessieville 45-14 last week while Booneville used a goal-line stand to beat Osceola 10-7 in a rematch of the state championship game from 2018. .... Booneville's only losses are to Class 4A Warren and Stigler, Okla., which is 11-1 on the season. ... Booneville has a balanced run-oriented offense directed by quarterback Randon Ray, and Ethan Woolridge, who ran for 130 yards in the win over Osceola. .... Harding went 15-0 last year and won its seventh state title by beating Osceola 51-26 in the Class 3A state championship game. .... The Wildcats are led by senior quarterback Caden Sipe, who threw for 255 yards and four touchdowns last week in the win over Jessieville.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Booneville, QB/LB Randon Ray (Jr., 5-8, 155), RB Ty Goff (Sr., 5-10, 160), RB/LB Ethan Woolridge (Sr., 5-9, 155), RB/LB Colton Ritchie (Sr., 5-10, 154), OL/DL Cole Boersma (Sr., 5-10, 210). Harding Academy, QB Caden Sipe (Sr., 6-2, 195), WR Tyler Dugger (Sr., 6-0, 180), OL Chase Brown (Sr., 5-11, 225), RB Andrew Miller (Jr., 6-0, 185), LB Jeffrey Mercer (Sr., 6-0, 175).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Booneville is No. 5 in Class 3A. Harding Academy is No. 1.

HOOTEN'S LINE Harding Academy by 14

OUR TAKE Harding Academy 35, Booneville 28

-- Rick Fires • @NWARick

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