Nashville vs. Arkadelphia. It may be the biggest game played in Badger Stadium since Arkadelphia’s on-campus venue opened in 2002.
“There has been quite a bit of buzz around here,” Arkadelphia Athletic Director Chris Babb said Wednesday afternoon.
So much buzz, in fact, that Babb said a capacity crowd of approximately 7,000 could watch Friday’ night’s 7-4A showdown between Class 4A No. 5 Nashville (2-1) and top ranked Arkadelphia (3-0).
“All that being said,” Babb wrote in a text later Wednesday, “the winner is just 1-0 and still has a long way to go this year.”
But a victory in the conference opener could be the the launching point for a memorable season. Arkadelphia rode the momentum of a 56-42 victory last year at Nashville to a 9-1 regular season and a share of the 7-4A title, its first conference championship since 1995.
The Badgers trailed 21-0 after one quarter and 42-21 at halftime before outscoring the Scrappers 35-0 in the final 24 minutes.
“They came in here, survived the storm early, got on a roll and that snowball kept growing in the second half,” Nashville Coach Billy Dawson said. “We couldn’t stop them. They did a good job.”
Arkadelphia’s stirring comeback was led by its dynamic 1-2 punch of quarterback Jakahari Howell and utility back Kris Oliver.
Howell threw touchdown passes of 18 and 7 yards and ran 6 yards for a touchdown. Oliver scored on runs of 4, 10 and 56 yards and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Now seniors, Howell and Oliver have keyed another eye-catching start by the Badgers. Arkadelphia has outscored its opponents 154-48, applying the Arkansas Activities Association’s sportsmanship rule against 6A-South members Benton (56-21) and Sheridan (56-6) and Class 5A Hot Springs (42-21).
Under the sportsmanship rule, the clock runs continuously in the second half when the score differential reaches35 points.
“We’ve played well,” Arkadelphia Coach J.R. Eldridge said.
Howell, who wears No. 1, has completed 43 of 55 passes for 649yards and 5 touchdowns and rushed 30 times for 309 yards and 7 touchdowns. Oliver, who wears No. 2, has rushed 39 times for 493 yards and 8 touchdowns.
The Badgers average 523 total yards per game.
“No. 1 and No. 2 are real good,” Dawson said. “But what nobody talks about is their defense. It’s really good.”
Nashville met three Class 5A opponents in nonconference play. It lost 35-21 to Hope before beating De Queen 35-0 and Watson Chapel, 20-14, on the road.
Dawson said he’s leaning heavily on 12 sophomores.
“We’re so young,” said Dawson, who led Nashville to state championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007. “I think as the year goes on, we’re going to get better.”
Underclassmen figured heavily in last week’s victory over Watson Chapel, No. 3 in Class 5A.
Junior quarterback Lucas Liggin ran 13 times for 61 yards and completed 7 of 13 passes for 100 yards and 1 touchdown. Junior utility back LaMichael Pettway completed 9 of 16 passes for 86 yards and 1 touchdown and caught 5 passes for 87 yards and 1touchdown.
Pettway, 6-3, 195 pounds, was a member of the preseason Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Sophomore team, but missed most of 2012 with a wrist and finger injury, Dawson said. He has been offered a scholarship by Nebraska, Dawson said.
“Really, across the board, you’re looking at a lot of good football players,” Eldridge said. “They play hard and are well-coached.”
Babb said the first game at Badger Stadium in 2002 drew approximately 7,000 fans. Arkadelphia had previously played its home games at nearby Carpenter-Haygood Stadium on Henderson State University’s campus.
“It should be a great atmosphere,” Eldridge said.
Nashville Scrappers vs. Arkadelphia Badgers
WHEN 7 p.m. Friday WHERE Badger Stadium, Arkadelphia COACHES Nashville (Billy Dawson, second season, 12-4); Arkadelphia (J.R.
Eldridge, third season, 16-9) CONFERENCE 7-4A RECORDS Nashville (2-1, 0-0 7-4A); Arkadelphia (3-0, 0-0) RANKINGS Nashville is No. 5 in Class 4A;
Arkadelphia is No. 1 in Class 4A
PLAYERS TO WATCH Nashville (QB/ WR/DB LaMichael Pettway, 6-3, 195, Jr.); Arkadelphia (QB Jakahari Howell, 6-0, 175, Sr.)
NOTEWORTHY Nashville Coach Billy Dawson is 77-8 in two stints with the Scrappers. He was 65-4 in 2005-2009, winning state championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007. … Dawson has 157 career victories. … Dawson said Nashville is seeking a Week 3 game in the next cycle after its scheduled opponent, Dover, decided to go in another direction. Dawson said Nashville will continue to play Hope and De Queen. … Arkadelphia Coach J.R. Eldridge was a standout linebacker at Fayetteville before graduating in 1996.
He was defensive coordinator at Ouachita Baptist, his alma mater, before becoming Arkadelphia’s coach in 2011. … Arkadelphia Athletic Director Chris Babb said of the 16 seniors on the football team, 14 have attended school in Arkadelphia since kindergarten. “It’s a unique group,” Babb said. “They’re tight-knit and have been in Arkadelphia forever.” … Babb said the Badgers will play Stuttgart, Sheridan and Hot Springs in nonconference games in the next cycle. … Stuttgart Coach Billy Elmore coached Arkadelphia in 2008-2010.
Sports, Pages 19 on 09/26/2013