LITTLE ROCK — Asked if his players know where Salem is, Junction City Coach David Carpenter laughed and said, “They do now.”
That’s because Junction City, which straddles the Arkansas-Louisiana border south of El Dorado, makes a 280-mile journey to Salem on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs.
Salem, east of Mountain Home, is about 10 miles from the Missouri border.
“We’ve been to Shiloh and Charleston before in the playoffs,” Carpenter said. “This ranks with the best of them.”
Carpenter, who led Dragons to state championships in 2003, 2008 and 2009, said breaking up the 8 1/2-hour trip will be best for his players. The Dragons will leave at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Carpenter said, hold a 45-minute walkthrough practice around 11:30 a.m. at Beebe, eat lunch around 1:30 p.m. in Searcy and arrive in Salem between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Kickoff at Greyhound Stadium is 7 p.m.
Carpenter said he hopes Junction City is back in Union County at 4 a.m. Saturday.
“We’re going to load up and hit the road,” Carpenter said.
Home or away, Junction City (11-1) has been dominant this fall.
Junction City, top-ranked in Class 2A all season, has had four consecutive shutouts and seven in its past eight games. The Dragons have outscored two playoff opponents, Marked Tree and Dierks, by a combined 98-0.
“We’re playing pretty good right now,” Carpenter said. “I hope we can keep it up for another week.”
Salem (11-0) figures to provide Junction City with its biggest challenge since it beat Bearden, No. 2 in Class 2A, 20-14 in an 8-2A game Sept. 14.
The Greyhounds, No. 3 Class 2A, have already claimed their first conference championship in school history and are in the playoff quarterfinals for the first time.
Salem beat Marked Tree 48-6 in the 3-2A opener on Sept. 21 and also owns victories over Class 3A Yellville-Summit (8-7), Class 3A Mayflower (34-28) and conference power East Poinsett County (30-6).
“Our kids know what kind of program Junction City is,” said Greyhounds Coach Cody Curtis, a 2002 Salem graduate. “Obviously, we’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game to be in it.”
Salem averages 423 total yards per game, including 310.5 rushing.
Junior J.J. Gray has a teamhigh 1,098 rushing yards this season, but he is questionable Friday because of a pulled hamstring muscle sustained in last week’s 46-13 secondround victory over Bigelow, Curtis said.
But three other Greyhounds have at least 500 rushing yards.
“That’s one of the deepest spots on the team,” Curtis said.
Junction City counters with a defense that is allowing only 126 total yards per game.
The Dragons have 22 interceptions, and sophomore defensive end Jamario Bell, 6-6, 225 pounds, has a team-high four sacks.
The offensive headliners are senior quarterback Shaquille Hunter, who has thrown for 1,198 yards and 21 touchdowns, and sophomore halfback Jaqwis Dancy, who has carried 116 times for 1,367 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Curtis said Junction City is a “mixture of Mayflower and EPC” and “has a lot of speed.”
“I’m just glad we’re at home,” Curtis said.
Junction City vs. Salem
WHAT Class 2A quarterfinals WHEN 7 p.m. Friday WHERE Greyhound Stadium, Salem RECORDS Junction City 11-1; Salem 11-0 RANKINGS Junction City is No. 1 in Class 2A; Salem is No. 3 in Class 2A SEEDS Junction City is No. 1 from the 8-2A; Salem is No. 1 from the 3-2A
Sports, Pages 22 on 11/21/2012