FORT SMITH --Let the rematches begin.
Not only in the 7A-West, but the 7A-Central Conference as well.
The semifinals in the Class 7A playoffs will be repeats of teams who faced each other in conference play. Bentonville will play at Fayetteville on Friday after the Tigers eliminated Fort Smith Northside 31-10 in a quarterfinal game in Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
The game is a rematch from Sept. 23 when Bentonville won 24-21 at Fayetteville. Bryant will get another chance at top-ranked North Little Rock after its win over Springdale Har-Ber. North Little Rock won the first meeting 37-8 on Oct. 28 in 7A-Central play.
"All the teams are good at this point," Bentonville coach Jody Grant said. "Fayetteville is very talented. We'll go down there again, hopefully play well, and see how it turns out."
PLAY OF THE GAME
Bentonville receiver Kam'ron Mays-Hunt caught a pass in stride from quarterback Canaan Ross for a 49-yard touchdown touchdown to begin the fourth quarter and give Bentonville a 24-10 lead.
PLAYER OF THE GAME Bentonville quarterback Canaan Ross threw touchdown passes to Mays-Hunt and Tyler Johnson and also ran for a score.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS
There are more mobile quarterbacks than Canaan Ross, but his ability to avoid a sack led to a touchdown to put Bentonville ahead at halftime.
Three Northside defenders had a chance at Ross, but he ducked and ran about 5 yards for a first down to keep the drive alive. Clay Barganier made a diving catch of a Ross pass near the Northside goal line before Ross finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
BACK IN BLACK
The coldest night for high school football this season didn't keep Bentonville's support group away.
Nine Bentonville students, who call themselves the "Men in Black", were on the visitors' sideline helping the cheerleaders rally the team. The group has been at every game dressed in their overalls with black stripes.
There were plenty of big defensive plays Friday, including a touchdown-saving tackle by outside linebacker Bryce Davis of Bentonville.
Derrick Wise broke in the clear and appeared to have a step on the Bentonville defense when Davis hustled toward the sideline and stopped Davis for a 37-yard gain. Bentonville held Northside to a field goal and the Tigers scored on the next series to take a 14-10 lead in the second quarter.
GRIZZLY GREATS
Fort Smith Northside has won eight state championships, beginning in 1961. The Grizzlies last won a title in 1999 by beating Springdale 12-6 in the championship game in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Northside lost three games that season, including 24-15 to Springdale in a conference game in Week 5. The championship game was played in frigid conditions and delayed for more than 30 minutes when thunderstorms rolled through the area.
FAMILIAR FACES
Rematches have long been the norm between teams in Arkansas' largest classification. So, no one should be surprised Friday's semifinals will be between teams who've already faced each other in conference play.
In 1998, Fort Smith Southside won the Class AAAA state championship after losing to rival Northside earlier in the year in conference play. Northside beat Southside badly 30-3 in Week 10 that year to end conference play. Southside recovered with four consecutive wins in the playoffs and took home the championship trophy after a 7-6 victory over the Rebels in War Memorial Stadium. A blocked kick by Southside on an extra-point attempt proved to be the difference.
Sports on 11/19/2016