LITTLE ROCK — It’s not often a team with a 13-0 record gets blown out in the state semifinals, but that is what can happen to visitors at Champions Stadium in Springdale.
Shiloh Christian defeated Bald Knob 48-7 on Friday night to advance to the state championship game for a fourth consecutive season. Neither team played its best on a frigid night with temperatures in the 20s, and Bald Knob trailed only 27-7 going into halftime.
That relatively close score brought words of encouragement from Bald Knob fans, who made the four-hour drive and filled up the visitors’ side of the stadium.
“Hey Shiloh, you ever heard of a comeback?” shouted one Bald Knob supporter. “Here it comes. Go, Bulldogs. Wooooooo.”
Actually, Shiloh Christian has heard of a comeback. It happened last week when Nashville jumped out to a 35-0 lead only to lose 51-49 to the Saints.
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Shiloh Christian spent so much energy and emotion on that comeback that the Saints were due for a letdown against Bald Knob. Shiloh still won handily, but the cold temperatures contributed to a sloppy game that included four lost fumbles and four interceptions.
“Offensively, we were really sloppy,” said Jake Scott, who scored two touchdowns for the Saints. “Our defense played well and kept us on top.”
Shiloh Christian outscored Bald Knob 21-0 in the second half, and it should be noted the Saints had reserves in when sophomore David Tyler bounced off a tackler and scored the game’s final touchdown with 3:34 to play.
Shiloh Christian (12-1) now turns its attention to Saturday’s championship game with Lonoke (11-3) at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Jackrabbits defeated Osceola28-7 behind four touchdowns and 348 yards passing by senior quarterback Michael Nelson.
Shiloh Christian is growing accustomed to playing in War Memorial Stadium, where the Saints beat Pine Bluff Dollarway 42-18 to win the Class 4A state title last season.
“Lonoke could give Shiloh fits,” Bald Knob Coach Paul Johnston said. “They’re playing well right now, and the game will be at Little Rock where neither team will have the home-field advantage.”
When you’re Shiloh Christian, a loss can garner just as much attention as when the Saints win a state championship. That’s what happened earlier this season when Shiloh Christian lost 54-51 in a shootout at Class 5A Greenwood. That game had football fans talking for weeks after the teams combined for 105 points and 1,207 yards in total offense.
Still, Shiloh Christian was able to recover and persevere while carrying the added burden of being ranked No. 1 overall to start the season.
“There’s a little added pressure with all of the expectations on this team,” Shiloh Christian Coach Josh Floyd said. “Sometimes I have to tell the kids just to go out and have fun. It’s a blessing to get to go to Little Rock again because a lot of teams work hard to get there.”
Those Jackrabbits from Lonoke are awfully fast, but Shiloh Christian should have a lot of fun Saturday tracking them down.
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Sports, Pages 30 on 12/06/2009