Arkansas high school football Week 10 instant analysis: 10 things to know
1. Bryant wins fifth straight 7A-Central Conference title with win over former coach
Bryant might have a new coach, but the tradition continues. The Hornets beat Conway on Friday night 52-33 for the third straight season to seal the conference title. The Wampus Cats entered the game undefeated under former Bryant head coach Buck James. Conway hasn’t beaten Bryant since 2014.
First-year Hornets head coach Quad Sanders has a signature win and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Bryant is gunning for its sixth straight state championship.
2. EPC wins wild double-OT affair over Marked Tree
EPC senior running back Dennis Gaines added to his legend with a huge performance in a pivotal 38-32 double-overtime win over Marked Tree on Thursday night. The victory gave EPC the 2-2A title.
Gaines, who was among the top rushers in the country last fall, ran 46 times for 235 yards and 5 touchdowns.
The Warriors forced an incompletion on Marked Tree’s second overtime possession, and then, fittingly, Gaines ended the game with a 13-yard TD scamper.
3. Fayetteville makes history with win in regular-season finale
Fayetteville had little to play for in its regular-season finale against Springdale Har-Ber with a conference title and a No. 1 seed locked up. However, the Bulldogs did have one goal to cross off entering the game. Fayetteville hadn’t won an undefeated conference title since 1957. With a 56-28 win over the Wildcats, FHS finished league play unblemished.
Sensational senior QB Drake Lindsey also etched his named in Bulldogs lore by throwing for seven TDs which ties a school record with Austin Allen and Taylor Powell. Allen eventually played at the University of Arkansas while Powell signed with Missouri and played at Eastern Michigan and Troy. Lindsey is committed to Minnesota. Lindsey finished the regular season with 47 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
4. Greenwood’s home winning streak moves to 61 games
Little Rock Christian was not only trying to win a 6A-West Conference championship at Greenwood on Friday night, but they were also trying to snap a 60-game Bulldogs’ home winning streak. However, the Bulldogs claimed the crown, and pushed the streak to 61 with a 56-39 win. Bulldogs sophomore QB Kane Archer had a combined 7 touchdowns and close to 400 yards of total offense. In the past three weeks, he’s totaled 22 TDs.
5. Arkadelphia clinches conference title with decisive win over Malvern
For the second straight season, Arkadelphia ran past rival Malvern for the 7-4A conference championship. The Badgers, who started the season 0-3, haven’t lost since and broke open a close game in the second half with the defending Class 4A champion Leopards on Friday night to win 55-35. They beat the Leopards in Malvern 49-13 last year.
Badgers quarterback Cade McBride accounted for six touchdowns, but it was his 68-yard TD run after a play fake that was the biggest and gave the Badgers a 42-35 lead that they never relinquished. McBride is a former linebacker who moved under center this season.
Arkadelphia is a No. 1 seed and hopes to advance past the 4A semifinal round, where its season has ended the past two years.
6. A year makes a big difference for Pine Bluff
A year ago, Pine Bluff lost to Joe T. Robinson in its final regular-season game and saw its playoff hopes end. Fast forward a year, and the Zebras are 5A-Central champions thanks to a 20-7 home win over the Senators.
Former Pine Bluff player Micheal Williams returned to his alma mater last year after stints as an assistant coach in the Dallas area. He has made an immediate impact improving from 6-4 overall and 4-4 in league play to 8-2 and 7-1 this year.
7. Murfreesboro wins thriller over rival Mineral Springs to win league title
A defensive stand in overtime gave Mufreesboro a 12-6 win over rival Mineral Springs Thursday night in front of more than 2,000 fans in Murfreesboro.
The win secured a 10-0 record and a 2A-3 Conference title. Mineral Springs, which had been ranked No. 1 in 2A in various statewide polls, fell to 9-1 and 5-1.
The score was tied at 6-6 at the end of regulation, and in overtime, quarterback Cash Lowery hit Brandt Stevens on the right side of the end zone.
The Rattlers’ defense stood tall on Mineral Springs’ second possession as they stuffed Katrevion Thomas on fourth down short of the goal line.
8. Wynne beats adversity to earn playoff berth
A tornado devastated Wynne in late March just as Clay Totty was beginning his tenure as the school’s head coach. The natural disaster destroyed buildings on the school campus and the football field and several players transferred out of the program.
However, with just over 30 players, Totty has led the Yellowjackets through an emotional season with a playoff berth thanks to a 41-39 win over Nettleton on Friday night.
Wynne is on a three-game winning streak and improved to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the 5A-East. The Yellowjackets will travel to Pulaski County to play Mills University Studies in the first round of the 5A playoffs. Mills lost to Vilonia, which did not qualify for the playoffs, Friday night.
9. Bentonville West still searching for first win against Bentonville
Bentonville moved to 8-0 all-time against rival Bentonville West with a win Friday night. The Tigers jumped to an early 28-0 lead and cruised from there.
With the win, Bentonville is the No. 2 seed from the 7A-West on the same side as No. 1 seed Bryant, setting up a potential semifinal matchup between the two perennial powers who met for the Class 7A state championship a year ago.
10. Little Rock Parkview cruises to the playoffs
Little Rock Parkview ended its 5A-South Conference schedule they way they began it – with domination.
The Patriots, who are No. 1 in the SBLive Arkansas Power 25 rankings, have outscored its conference opponents 355-47.
Parkview’s only close game came in a 28-27 win at 7A-Central champion Bryant.
Parkview opens the 5A state playoffs with Alma, which is the No. 4 seed from the West. Alma could have been the No. 1 seed had they not lost at home to Shiloh Christian on Friday night.
--Nate Olson I nate@scorebooklive.com I @ndosports
Photo of Greenwood's Isaiah Arrington by George Mitchell
