Arkansas high school football Week 7 instant analysis: 10 things to know
Here are 10 nuggets (in no particular order) that stuck out from Week 7 of the Arkansas high school football season.
1. Zane Widener wills Clinton to win at CAC
In a game that saw 11 lead changes, Zane Widener made sure Clinton wouldn’t be denied at CAC’s Mustang Mountain. The senior running back, who is also a basketball star, ran for 400 yards with six TDs and added a receiving TD in Clinton’s 53-50 win.
Clinton scored on its eight possessions and was 8-for-8 on fourth down.
CAC had a chance to lock down the 4-4A Conference with the win, but now the league has five teams with two losses and the title is up for grabs.
Greenwood sophomore quarterback Kane Archer accounted for four touchdowns Friday night.
2. Greenwood still looking for competition
Greenwood has played five 6A-West Conference games and has yet to be remotely challenged. The latest victim was Lake Hamilton on Friday night. The Bulldogs invaded Garland County and ran away with a 42-0 road win. Sophomore quarterback Kane Archer was 18-for-20 for 224 yards and 3 touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and another TD in three quarters of action. Braden Skaggs added an interception return and Archer’s brother, Cash, totaled five tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack.
Greenwood will again be heavily favored next week when they host Russellville (3-5, 2-4), but in two weeks the competition stiffens with a road game against power Pulaski Academy and the season finale against Little Rock Christian, who pummeled PA. Those two games will determine the league championship.
3. Bryant’s depth shows in homecoming blowout
Bryant’s depth is legendary. They showed it off Friday night in a 59-33 homecoming victory over Little Rock Southwest. Starting quarterback Jordan Walker left the game after throwing two passes and starting running back James Martin didn’t play for an undisclosed reason and backup Daniel Anderson, a Norte Dame commit, continues to nurse an injury.
Enter backup QB Jeremiah Motes, who passed for 151 yards and two TDs. Third team running back Myron Thrash ran 22 times for 215 yards and 2 scores and caught one pass for a 76-yard score. Fourth teamer Zekariah Kertis-Jones dashed for 122 yards and 4 TDs.
Bryant will play its biggest games the next three weeks. Next week they travel to Cabot and then a home game with North Little Rock and on the road with Conway.
4. Speaking of Southwest ...
The Gryphons were the trendy pick to be a breakout team this year, but after the loss to Bryant they are now 1-6 and 0-3 in league play. Losing by one point to Hot Springs was a tough way to end the nonconference slate.
They have played the toughest part of their league schedule and now host Jonesboro next week, travel to Little Rock Central and host Northside. All are winnable games, and the Gryphons still have a chance at the No. 4 playoff spot.
5. Marion picks up rare win over rival West Memphis
West Memphis entered Friday night’s game with rival Marion with a 16-2 mark in the series. However, the Patriots picked up the road win, 20-14.
Marion running back Ashton Gray ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Marion, who was routed by Benton, could secure the No. 2 spot in the 6A-East behind the Panthers.
6. Fayetteville makes statement with win over Bentonville
Fayetteville all but locked up a 7A-West Conference title with a 42-21 home win over rival Bentonville on Friday night. The Bulldogs can wrap up the league title with wins over the three bottom teams in the league – Springdale, Rogers Heritage and Springdale Har-Ber.
On Friday night, Bulldogs QB Drake Lindsey again starred as he passed for five touchdowns, but the defense made its mark by shutting out Bentonville in the second half. Junior linebacker Rhett Tidwell returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown and the defense picked off two Bentonville passes.
Fayetteville’s defense feasted even more in the second half when BHS starting QB Carter Nye left the game with an ankle injury. The Tigers were forced to play their third team QB because the backup was injured in the JV game this week.
7. Warren escapes DeWitt with a win
DeWitt hadn’t lost a game this season and almost handed Warren its first loss of the year Friday night in a 8-4A Conference showdown. DeWitt led 23-19 midway through the third quarter, but Warren outscored the Dragons 20-0 the rest of the game to take a 39-23 win.
Warren freshman QB Jackson Denton passed for over 200 yards with a couple of TDs and two interceptions and Tre Jackson ran for 221 yards. DeWitt sophomore Corey Graham also ran for over 200 yards.
8. Harrison knocks off Alma
Alma was 3-0 in the 5A-West for the first time since 2018, but they couldn’t keep their perfect record against longtime rival Harrison on Friday night. The Goblins pulled off the upset with an improbable finish.
Harrison converted on a 4th-and-17 play with 27 seconds left to take a 39-35 win.
QB Mason Ketterman found Eli McNutt on the scoring pass. Harrison improved to 2-2 with the road win.
9. Short-handed Pine Bluff pulls out win
Pine Bluff didn’t have 23 players when they traveled just up the road to White Hall for a key 5A-Central game Friday night, but the Zebras escaped with a 20-14 win. Pine Bluff didn’t have its full roster because of suspensions that were handed down by the Arkansas Activities Association following two fights that occurred after an overtime loss to Mills last week.
Pine Bluff beat the Bulldogs by making a goal-line stand late in the game and running out the clock.
10. Harding Academy fills open date with neutral site game win
Harding Academy filled an open date with Louisiana Class 1A Power Ouachita Christian. The Wildcats handed OC its first loss of the season, 31-17. The game was technically a home game for Harding Academy, but the game was actually played at Monticello High School, 66 miles from the HA campus in Searcy.
