SPRINGDALE — Deanadre Murray showed Tuesday why he is so important to the Springdale High offense.
Murray provided two big plays as Springdale defeated Mountain Home 7-0 during a three-team scrimmage at Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium. Murray scored the only touchdown on a 14-yard run after he caught a screen pass and ran about 40 yards into Mountain Home territory.
That was the only pass completed by Springdale during its 25-minute session with the Bombers.
“We’ve got a lot to improve on,” Springdale coach Shane Patrick said. “We’re not anywhere close to being a good football team right now. But you’re not supposed to be this time of year.”
Springdale had only two possessions because Mountain Home controlled the clock with its ground game against the Bulldogs. Junior Dakota Sutterfield (6-foot, 165 pounds) consistently picked up positive yardage, including runs of 17, 18, and 15 yards. But Caylon Wells had a sack to end the Bombers’ first drive and the second ended at the Bulldogs’ 21 following an incomplete pass.
UP NEXT:
Springdale will open the season Sept. 6 at Batesville. Fort Smith Northside will open Sept. 6 at Pine Bluff and Mountain Home will begins its season Sept. 6 at Rogers High.
“I liked the fact our defense bowed its neck on two drives and didn’t give them any points,” Patrick said. “Offensively, even though things didn’t go well early, we were able to come back and put together a good drive on the second series.”
Springdale finished the night with a 14-0 loss to Fort Smith Northside during the final session. Ryan Jones had a 40-yard run for the Grizzlies.
EXTRA POINTS
Mountain Home coach Benji Mahan played for the Razorbacks and was an assistant coach at Fort Smith Northside, Fort Smith Southside, and Bentonville before taking over at Mountain Home in 2010. Fort Smith Northside coach Mike Falleur replaced Darrell Henry, who resigned last year following a 3-7 season. Falleur coached high school football in Georgia the past 21 years.
Tuesday’s scrimmage included the officiating debut of Courtney Orr, a former women’s softball player at Arkansas Tech. Orr is attending Arkansas after spending three years at Arkansas Tech. Orr will officiate junior high games this season.
Fort Smith Northside has had several losing seasons recently, mostly because of a defense that allowed over 40 points per game. But the Grizzlies were mostly crisp tacklers on Tuesday and they even provided a defensive score when Kaden Woodard returned an interception 75 yards against Mountain Home.