Two seniors have been the primary starting tailbacks for the Roland Rangers this season and both already have turned in 100-yard games.
However, the Rangers have had a problem keeping Teven Thompson and Jeremy Morris healthy and on the field at the same time.
Thompson (5-foot-10, 190 pounds), who is the Rangers’ leading rusher, was forced to leave last Friday’s game against Hugo after suffering a mild concussion. It was Morris who came to the rescue, picking up 166 yards and scoring two touchdowns as Roland got a 26-7 win following a home loss the week before against Idabel.
Following Friday’s round of state playoff games, five of last year’s high school football state champions are still in the hunt to repeat those efforts.
Buzz Bolding, athletic director for Conway Public Schools, is pleased, particularly from a potential revenue standpoint, that a vote by the largest 32 schools in the state placed Bryant, Cabot and North Little Rock back into the 7A/6A Central Conference.
Prior to Friday’s game at Helena-West Helena, Forrest City Coach Rich Trail said one of the keys to a Mustang win would be stopping the big play Cougar offense.
Once Siloam Springs’ quarterback Brian Adair tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass to narrow Greenbrier’s lead to 28-24 late in the third quarter, the Panthers could go only one of two ways.
In the final nonconference game before 5A-West play begins, the Vilonia Eagles put together an evenly balanced attack and a convincing 35-24 win over Beebe on Friday night.
Spencer Harris and Marco Vota batted down Kiehl Frazier's desperation pass to finally end an instant classic as Greenwood outlasted nationally-ranked Shiloh Christian, 54-51.
Northside was able to throw the slant route at will in the second half against Little Rock Catholic but one play kept the Grizzlies from posting a perfect nonconference record.