High School Football Report

Double dose for Gurdon

— Let’s play two?

Gurdon is at Bearden in a nonconference matchup Friday night, but it likely won’t be the last meeting this fall between the Class 2A heavyweights.

The Class 2A playoff bracket, released earlier this year by the Arkansas Activities Association, pits the No. 1 seed from the 7-2A in a second-round game against either the No. 2 seed from the 8-2A or the No. 5 seed from the 7-2A.

Gurdon (8-0, 5-0 7-2A) is already assured a No. 1 seed, a first-round playoff bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Barring any upsets, Gurdon’s first postseason game will be against Bearden (6-2, 6-1 8-2A).

“It’s a strange deal,” Go-Devils Coach John Pace said.

It’s a strange period for the Go-Devils, who are ranked No. in Class 2A.

Gurdon clinched a share of the 7-2A title, and a No. 1 playoff seed, without playing last week after its scheduled opponent, Lafayette County, announced Sept. 24 it was canceling the remainder of its games because of insufficient numbers.

“We were lucky to have found a nonconference game in Week 9, especially after what happened with Lafayette County,” Pace said.

Pace said the Go-Devils are in good shape physically following the open date and motivated to finish the regular season with a perfect record.

To do that, Gurdon will have to beat Bearden, No.

4 in Class 2A, and muchimproved Foreman in Week 10.

“We’re not going to hold anything back,” Pace said of Bearden. “We’re going over there to win the game.”

The Go-Devils finished 10-3 last fall and reached the quarterfinals of the Class 2A playoffs.

ENGLAND Lions roaring

The Terry Farmer coaching era at England began with a thud when Hackett defeated the Lions 45-14 to open the season.

Farmer had a simple explanation.

“Five fumbles and two interceptions is what happened,” he said. “The kids were out of shape and didn’t know the system, and Hackett is good.”

Times have changed in Lonoke County.

England (7-1, 5-0 6-2A) seeks its eighth consecutive victory Friday night at home against Hazen (6-2, 5-0).

A victory would assure the Lions their first conference championship since 1987 and a shot at their first outright title since 1981, when they advanced to the Class AA final.

“The kids are learning, but we’re not there by any stretch,” Farmer said.

Farmer led Palestine-Wheatley to conference championships and Class 2A quarterfinal playoff berths in 2003 and 2004, and was offensive coordinator on Pine Bluff Dollarway’s Class4A state runner-up team in 2008.

Farmer had spent the previous three seasons as head coach at South Lafourche High School in Galliano, La.

He returned to Arkansas after Brandon Barbaree, England’s coach in 2008-2011, left in the offseason to become defensive coordinator at 6-2A rival Carlisle.

England relied heavily on the run under Barbaree, using the same Double-Wing attack as Carlisle, but is much more multiple this fall.

Farmer said the Lions run the Spread, I-formation and Wishbone, and throw much more often with sophomore quarterback Tyrik Harris.

Harris threw a 20-yard touchdown pass on the game’s final play in a 12-7 victory at Yellville-Summit on Sept. 15.

“If you’ve got a good quarterback and some kids that catch it, you can have a lot of fun,” Farmer said.

England closes the regular season against defending Class 2A state runner-up Carlisle (6-1, 4-1).

Farmer said he’s tried not to put any pressure on his players as the school chases its first conference championship in 25 years.

“It’s not going to be the end of the world if we lose,” Farmer said. “We’ve still got the playoffs. I think if we throw it well that we can compete with anybody.”

England finished 5-6 last fall.

GREENWOOD Youth is served

Greenwood started three sophomore offensive linemen in Friday’s 45-21 victory over Fort Smith Southside, the Bulldogs’32nd consecutive victory.

Korban Waldemar and Colton Sims started at left guard and center, respectively, while Nick Houston, 6-5, 273 pounds, made his first career start at right tackle. The three helped the Bulldogs amass 469 total yards, including 323 rushing.

Senior utility back Drew Morgan ran 17 times for a career-high 214 yards and 6 touchdowns.

“The line blocked really well,” Coach Rick Jones said. “We played basically the same five guys in the line all night long and they just did really well. Very, very pleased with those guys.”

Sims is the son of new Greenwood offensive line coach Brian Sims, a Benton native who coached Gosnell in 2004-2011.

Coaches

Please call the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with football game reports before 10:30 p.m. each Friday night this fall.

Call 1-800-272-4650 or (501) 378-3411. We need records, score by quarters, scoring plays and top rushing, passing, receiving and defensive performances.

The Democrat-Gazette also will publish statistics each Friday throughout the regular season.

E-mail statistics to: [email protected]

Sports, Pages 20 on 10/25/2012

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