In the first week of the high school football playoffs the zebras made it look easy when they put up 40 unanswered points by halftime. Senior quarterback Claude Johnson threw for four touchdowns and had 320 yards. When the second half began, the mercy rule was in play, and Mountain Home managed to put up six points. In the end, the bombers were no match for the zebras, losing 40-6. Now the zebras will take on West Memphis for the second time this season, after losing to the blue devils in week two of regular play 42-34.(By Brittany Chappell, FNT Staff Writer)
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.