PREP FOOTBALL: Today’s Matchups

Josh Ficklin and Bentonville will travel to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday to take on Rockhurst High School in a nonconference matchup. The Tigers own a 5-3 series lead against Rockhurst.
(Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Beach)
Josh Ficklin and Bentonville will travel to Kansas City, Mo., on Friday to take on Rockhurst High School in a nonconference matchup. The Tigers own a 5-3 series lead against Rockhurst. (Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Beach)

Bentonville at Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst

KICKOFF 7 p.m. Central

RECORDS Bentonville 1-1; Rockhurst 1-2

COACHES Bentonville -- Jody Grant; Rockhurst -- Kelly Donohoe.

KEY PLAYERS Bentonville -- RB Josh Ficklin (Sr., 5-11, 210), OL Joey Sua (Sr., 6-5, 322), OL-DL Trevor Martinez (Sr., 6-3, 320), OL Cole Cowgur (Sr., 5-11, 245), QB Carter Nye (Jr., 6-1, 170), WR C.J. Brown (Jr., 6-1, 185), WR-DB J.T. Tomescko (Sr., 6-2, 170), DE Ben Pearson (Jr., 6-2, 180), DB Johnny Pike (Sr., 5-10, 175), PK Logan Tymeson (Sr., 5-10, 145). Rockhurst -- QB Ethan Hansen (Jr., 6-1, 175); WR Myles Carson (Jr., 6-4, 180); WR/DB Colton Wemhoff (Sr., 6-2, 180), OL Andrew Sprague (Jr., 6-8, 255), OL/DL Donor Sexton (Sr., 6-2, 225), OL Trey Gunnoe (Jr., 6-2, 265), LB Micah Oder (Jr., 6-0, 180).

THE SCOOP This is the ninth meeting between the two teams since 2012. Bentonville has a 5-3 series lead, including a 35-7 victory at home last year. ... Bentonville has averaged 45.5 points and 44e.5 yards per game, but the Tigers have allowed an average of 45 points and 616 yards per game. ... Ficklin has 312 yards and 7 TDs rushing and has 5 catches for 64 yards and a score. ... Nye has completed 32 of 50 passes for 480 yards and 6 TDs, with Luke Coon now the leading receiver with 7 catches for 117 yards and a score. ... Wemhoff, who had 59 tackles last season, has made a baseball verbal commitment to Kansas. ... Sprague is considered by some in Missouri as the state's No. 1 offensive lineman prospect for 2024. ... Hansen and Carson combined on a long TD pass for the Hawklets' only score.

OUR TAKE Bentonville 30, KC Rockhurst 21

-- Henry Apple

Pea Ridge at Gentry

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Pea Ridge 2-0; Gentry 2-0.

COACHES Pea Ridge -- Brey Cook; Gentry -- Justin Bigham.

KEY PLAYERS Pea Ridge -- QB Gavin Dixon (Jr., 6-2, 180), WR Kayden Rains (Jr., 6-1, 160), WR Evan Anderson (Sr., 6-2, 180), WR Jonathan Lyons (Sr., 5-9, 145), DL Isaac Whitehill (Sr., 5-10, 175), OL Mason Harling (Sr., 6-2, 280), OL Connor Pierce (Sr., 6-2, 300). Gentry -- QB Chris Bell (Sr., 6-0, 185), RB/WR Ty Hays (Sr., 5-5, 180), WR/LB Jonathon Corter (Sr., 5-8, 185), WR Dillion Jarnagan (Sr., 5-9, 155), OL Logan Heath (Sr., 6-2, 290), OL Dalton Tuttle (Sr., 5-11, 260), DL Dominic Bouyear (Jr., 6-2, 345), DB Tommy Xiong (Sr., 5-7, 140), LB Jared James (Jr., 5-6, 170), LB/QB Bennett Roberts (So., 6-0, 167), DB/WR Dillon Owens (Jr., 6-0, 170).

THE SCOOP This is the 17th meet between the two teams, but the first time since 2019. Pea Ridge leads the series 11-5, including a 43-7 in the last meeting. ... Gentry attempts to go 3-0 for the second straight year. ... Bell has not only thrown for 372 yards and 7 TDs through two games, but he's also the Pioneers' leading rusher with 220 yards and 5 TDs. ... Gentry receiver Braedon Warren has seven catches, but he has scored on four of them. ... Pea Ridge, which already has as many wins as it did in its previous two seasons, sees its first 3-0 start since 2017, when the Blackhawks won their first nine games. ... RB Seth Foster bounced back from a fumble to finish with 151 yards and 4 TDs rushing in last week's win over Huntsville. ... Dixon completed 17 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a TD last week and hit seven different receivers. ...

OUR TAKE Pea Ridge 34, Gentry 30

-- Henry Apple

Tulsa Lincoln Christian at Shiloh Christian

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Lincoln Christian 2-0; Shiloh Christian 1-1

COACHES Lincoln Christian -- Jerry Ricke; Shiloh Christian -- Jeff Conaway

KEY PLAYERS Lincoln Christian -- QB Luke Milligan (Jr., 6-0, 135), RB John Washington (Sr., 5-9, 175), WR Cam Dooley (Sr., 6-0, 170), LB Tyler Johnson (Sr., 5-9, 210), LB Zane Thrasher (Sr., 5-9, 185). Shiloh Christian -- QB Eli Wisdom (Sr., 6-0, 165), RB Bo Williams (Jr., 5-9, 178), WR Bodie Neal (Sr., 6-1, 177), DL Thomas Reece (Sr., 6-0, 245), DE Cooper Darr (Sr., 6-4, 250).

THE SCOOP Lincoln Christian brings a perfect start to the season into Friday night's game. The Bulldogs bounced Jones, Okla., 48-12 last week and opened the season with a 56-7 blowout win against Holland Hall. ... Shiloh Christian rebounded from a season-opening loss to crush Victory Christian 72-33 last week. ... Lincoln Christian QB Luke Milligan leads a potent offense and is 44-of-55 passing for 846 yards and 10 TDs. ... Senior RB John Washington leads the Bulldogs' rushing attack with 181 yards and 5 TDs. ... The Saints piled up 735 yards in last week's win. ... Junior RB Bo Williams had a huge game with 18 carries for 167 yards and 3 TDs and 7 catches for 153 yards and 2 scores. ... Shiloh Christian QB Eli Wisdom was 26-of-38 for 458 yards and 5 TDs. ... RB Cameron Arellano had 3 rushing TDs. ... Saints WR Bodie Neal had a career game with 13 catches for 234 yards and 3 TDs.

OUR TAKE Shiloh Christian 49, Lincoln Christian 33

-- Chip Souza

Harding Academy at Booneville

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Harding Academy 2-0; Booneville 2-0

COACHES Harding Academy -- Neil Evans; Booneville -- Doc Crowley

KEY PLAYERS Harding Academy -- QB Owen Miller (So., 6-1, 160), RB Heath Griffin (Sr., 5-9, 185), WR Kyle Hoover (Jr., 5-9, 165), WR Landon Koch (Sr., 6-2, 170), DL Levi Mercer (Sr., 6-3, 245). Booneville -- RB Dax Goff (Sr., 6-1, 215), DL Rylen Ray (Jr., 5-10, 210), OL Mathew O'Bar (Jr., 5-11, 220), QB Peyton Tatum (Sr., 5-10, 170), RB Trace Hall (Sr., 5-10, 150), LB Cody Elliott (Sr., 5-7, 150).

THE SCOOP This game is a rematch of last season's Class 3A state semifinal, won by Harding Academy on the way to its third consecutive state championship. ... The Wildcats were bumped up to Class 4A because of the Competitive Equity Factor. ... The Wildcats have wins against Valley View (51-35) and Harmony Grove (41-14). ... Harding QB Owen Miller leads a potent Wildcats offense. Miller is 53-of-62 for 705 yards and 8 TDs in two games. ... WR Kyle Hoover has 18 catches for 264 yards and 4 TDs for Harding. ... Harding defensive lineman Levi Mercer will be a handful to block. The senior has 17 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks already this season. ... The Bearcats own a pair of impressive wins against Ozark (35-7) and Dollarway (36-6) already. ... Booneville senior Dax Goff is a two-way star for the Bearcats. Goff is the team's top rusher and leads the team in tackles (20) and tackles-for-loss (5.0). Offensively, Goff has rushed for 245 yards on 17 carries and has scored 3 TDs. ... Trace Hall has 185 yards rushing and 3 TDs for the Bearcats.

OUR TAKE Harding Academy 38, Booneville 30

-- Chip Souza

Springdale Har-Ber at Mustang, Okla.

KICKOFF 7 p.m. Central

RECORDS Har-Ber 0-2; Mustang, Okla. 1-1

COACHES Har-Ber -- Chris Wood; Mustang, Okla. -- Lee Blankenship

KEY PLAYERS Har-Ber -- QB Luke Buchanan (Sr., 6-1, 190), RB Hudson Brewer (Sr., 6-2, 190), RB Cole Carlton (Sr., 5-10, 200), DE -- Lattimer Wilmoth (Sr., 6-0, 245), OL Jake Fotenopulos (Sr., 6-4, 230). Mustang, Okla. -- QB Tristen Russell (Sr., 5-11, 185), WR -- Jacobe Johnson (Sr., 6-3, 185), WR -- Keegan Bass (Sr., 5-10, 170), LB -- Hudson Conrad (Sr., 6-0, 210)

THE SCOOP Springdale Har-Ber searches for its first win in its final nonconference game. ... Wildcats opened with 48-26 loss to Little Rock Parkview, followed by a 59-0 defeat to powerful Bixby, Okla. ... Mustang, Okla. is coached by Lee Blankenship, who grew up in Spiro, Okla., and is a cousin to Bill Blankenship, a Hall of Fame coach in Oklahoma who led Fayetteville to a state championship in his one season with the Bulldogs. ... Lee Blankenship begins his fourth season at Mustang after leading the Broncos to the state semifinals last year in Class 6A-1. ... Mustang quarterback Tristen Russell set a school record when he passed for seven touchdowns in a 57-26 win over Southmoore, Okla. to start the season. ... The Mustangs lost 24-21 last week to Deer Creek, Okla. ..... WR Jacobe Johnson is an Oklahoma commit who caught 7 passes for 177 yards and returned kickoff 95 yards for a TD in the win over Southmoore.

OUR TAKE Mustang, Okla. 45, Springdale Har-Ber 21

-- Rick Fires

Greenwood at Siloam Springs

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Greenwood 2-1, 1-0 6A-West; Siloam Springs 0-3, 0-1 6A-West.

COACHES Greenwood -- Chris Young; Siloam Springs -- Brandon Craig.

KEY PLAYERS Greenwood -- QB Hunter Houston (Sr., 6-1, 205), K Steven Duran (Sr., 5-8, 165), DB Storm Scherrey (Sr., 6-0, 190), RB Javon Williamson (Sr., 5-11, 180), CB Brett Wood (Sr., 5-7, 150). Siloam Springs -- QB Jackson Still (Soph., 5-10, 158), RB Jed Derwin (Jr., 5-8, 195), WR Jonathon Graves (Sr., 6-5, 172), WR/CB Nick Driscoll (Sr., 5-11, 147), LB Stone Stephens (Sr., 6-0, 193), DL Justin Burton (Jr., 5-7, 248).

THE SCOOP Greenwood has won two straight since dropping its season opener at Stillwater (Okla.). ... The Bulldogs rallied from 18 points down to beat Fort Smith Northside 56-53 on Sept. 2 on a 39-yard Hail Mary from freshman Kane Archer to Grant Karnes. ... The Bulldogs blanked Mountain Home 49-0 to open 6A-West Conference play last week. ... Siloam Springs had dropped its first three games, losing to Rogers Heritage (16-14), Alma (38-7) and Greenbrier (48-18). ... Siloam Springs' last victory over Greenwood came in 2010 at Glenn W. Black Stadium. Greenwood went on to win 50 straight games following that loss.

OUR TAKE Greenwood 45, Siloam Springs 7

-- Graham Thomas

Nashville at Charleston

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Nashville, 2-1; Charleston, 2-0.

COACHES Nashville -- Mike Volarvich; Charleston -- Ricky May.

KEY PLAYERS Nashville -- QB Sloan Perrin (Sr., 5-11, 185), RB Tre Hopkins (Jr., 5-9, 185), WR Alex Sullivan (Sr., 5-7, 150), WR Alex Mendiola (Sr., 5-11, 165), LB Kelvin Flowers (Sr., 5-11, 180). Charleston -- QB Brandon Scott (Sr., 5-11, 180), RB Brevyn Ketter (Sr., 5-9, 175), WR Bryton Ketter (Sr., 5-8, 155), OL Roy Hudson (Sr., 6-2, 265), DL Brady Clayton (Sr., 6-2, 220).

THE SCOOP Volarvich, a California native, is in his 8th year as the head coach of the Scrappers and is the author of 'Scorched Earth Offense.' ... May is a Booneville native and is in his 4th year as head coach at Charleston. ... A small senior class of just 12 contributed to just four wins last year, the fewest in a season for Nashville since winning just three games in 1984. ... Nashville has already scored 151 points in three games, including a 50-21 win over DeQueen last week and a 74-42 win over rival Hope the week before. ... Nashville is led offensively by RB Tre Hopkins and QB Sloan Perrin, who has thrown for 458 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 414 yards and six scores. ... Nashville rolled up 656 yards against Hope and rushed for nine touchdowns, including four by Perrin. ... Charleston is paced by senior QB Brandon Scott, who has thrown for 367 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 266 yards and three scores.

OUR TAKE Nashville 35, Charleston 34

-- Leland Barclay

Greenbrier at Van Buren

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Greenbrier, 2-1; Van Buren, 0-2.

COACHES Greenbrier -- Randy Tribble; Van Buren -- Moe Henry.

KEY PLAYERS Greenbrier -- QB Kane Griffin (Jr., 5-9, 165), WR Carter McElhany (Sr., 5-8, 155) OL Eli Ruple (Sr., 6-1, 265), DE Jacob Hardgrave (Sr., 5-10, 185). Van Buren -- DB Tobey Sayaxomphou (Sr., 6-1, 175), DB Thurman Cooley (Sr., 6-2, 180), DL Alan Sandoval (Sr., 5-7, 209), OL Ivan Martinez (Sr., 5-10, 253).

THE SCOOP Tribble is in his 15th season as head coach at Greenbrier, which is making the jump to the 6A-West from the 5A-West due to increased enrollment. ... Junior QB Kane Griffin guides the Panther offense and has 40-of-73 passes for 723 yards and nine touchdowns, including four in last week's 48-18 win over Siloam Springs in the 6A-West opener. ... Senior WR Carter McElhany is one of the fastest players in the state, winning the 5A-West 100- and 200-meter dashes in the spring, and finishing fourth at the Meet of Champs in the 200. ... Eli Ruple and his younger brother Asher are avid fishermen. ... Greenbrier won 12-straight games last year, winning the 5A-West, before losing to Pulaski Academy in the Class 5A playoff semifinals. ... Van Buren was open last week as 6A-West began conference play among the other eight teams after losing to Alma and Southside in its two nonconference games. ... This is the first meeting between Van Buren and Greenbrier, which began its football program in 1969.

OUR TAKE Greenbrier 28, Van Buren 24

-- Leland Barclay

More News

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Following are the Overall Top 10 high school football teams in Arkansas, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the two 8-man divisions, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending September 10. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last year’s final poll:

OVERALL

Record Pts Prv

1. Bryant (20) 2-0 200 1

2. Conway 2-0 176 2

3. Cabot 2-0 146 3

4. Bentonville 1-1 122 5

5. Pulaski Academy 3-0 121 4

6. Fayetteville 2-1 91 7

7. Greenwood 2-1 67 6

8. LR Parkview 1-1 58 8

9. Lake Hamilton 3-0 51 –

10. Bentonville West 2-1 28 10

Others receiving votes Benton 23, Little Rock Christian 10, Little Rock Catholic 3, Wynne 3, Rogers 1.

CLASS 7A

Record Pts Prv

1. Bryant (20) 2-0 100 1

2. Conway 2-0 75 2

3. Cabot 2-0 56 3

4. Bentonville 1-1 45 4

5. Fayetteville 2-1 20 5

Others receiving votes Bentonville West 3, Rogers 1.

CLASS 6A

Record Pts Prv

1. Pulaski Academy (15) 3-0 93 1

2. Greenwood (1) 2-1 65 2

3. Lake Hamilton (2) 3-0 63 5

4. Benton (2) 1-1 44 4

5. LR Christian 2-1 23 3

Others receiving votes Little Rock Catholic 7, West Memphis 3, Marion 2.

CLASS 5A

Record Pts Prv

1. LR Parkview (16) 1-1 94 1

2. Joe T. Robinson (1) 1-1 73 2

3. Wynne (3) 2-0 56 3

4. Shiloh Christian 1-1 31 5

5. Camden Fairview 2-1 15 –

Others receiving votes Little Rock Mills 11, Farmington 10, Magnolia 6, Maumelle 2, Alma 1, Nettleton 1.

CLASS 4A

Record Pts Prv

1. Arkadelphia (18) 3-0 98 1

2. Ashdown (1) 3-0 63 2

3. Malvern 3-0 42 5

4. Harding Academy (1) 2-0 40 4

5. Warren 1-1 24 3

(tie) Star City 3-0 24 –

Others receiving votes Stuttgart 7, McGehee 2.

CLASS 3A

Record Pts Prv

1. Prescott (17) 2-0 96 1

2. Booneville (3) 2-0 83 2

3. Charleston 2-0 57 3

4. Rison 3-0 30 4

5. Melbourne 3-0 16 5

Others receiving votes Gurdon 10, Glen Rose 4, Camden Harmony Grove 1, Fordyce 1, Hoxie 1, Lavaca 1.

CLASS 2A

Record Pts Prv

1. Hazen (20) 2-0 100 1

2. Mount Ida 2-0 54 2

3. Bigelow 3-0 53 3

4, Marked Tree 2-0 24 5t

5. Carlisle 2-0 19 5t

Others receiving votes Des Arc 16, Clarendon 10, East Poinsett County 10, Poyen 8, Dierks 2, Hector 2, Little Rock Episcopal 2.

8-MAN (4A-3A)

Record Pts Prv

1. Mountain View (17) 2-0 54 1

2. Fountain Lake (2) 1-1 30 3

3. Genoa Central (1) 2-0 28 2

Others receiving votes Marshall 4, Subiaco Academy 3, Cedar Ridge 1.

8-MAN (2A-1A)

Record Pts Prv

1. Mountain Pine (19) 2-0 59 1

2. Brinkley (1) 2-0 30 2

3. Spring Hill 3-0 17 –

Others receiving votes Rector 9, Woodlawn 3, Strong-Huttig 2.

 


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