FORT SMITH -- Now talk officially can begin about the two top-ranked teams in Arkansas facing off next week.
North Little Rock, No. 2 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette overall Top 10, took advantage of six Fort Smith Northside turnovers to remain unbeaten with a 45-7 victory Friday at Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
North Little Rock (7-0, 4-0 7A-Central) now can set its sights on No. 1 Bryant, the two-time defending Class 7A champion, which defeated Cabot 42-14 on Friday. The Hornets have won the past three meetings, including wins in the 2018 and 2019 state title games.
Friday's game will be in North Little Rock.
"We've talked to our team all the time that the next game is the biggest game," first-year North Little Rock Coach J.R. Eldridge said. "The opponent in front of us is who we concentrate on. This week it will be Bryant.
"We are going to have to do a great job in practice because that is where football games are won."
The Charging Wildcats converted six turnovers into 35 points to dominate the Grizzlies, who have lost eight straight to North Little Rock.
"It doesn't matter who you are playing when you turn it over that many times," Northside Coach Mike Falleur said. "They are a good football team. We know you have to play really well to beat them."
Eldridge said the defense was key for his squad.
"Our defensive team played hard and fast out there tonight. They did an excellent job," he said. "You don't get turnovers without a bunch of guys running to the football. We ask three things from our players: energy, effort and focus. I thought they brought the energy tonight, they gave the effort, and they were focused on their job."
North Little Rock built a 20-0 lead thanks in part to converting three Northside fumbles into 13 points.
After Kareame Cotton scored on a 4-yard keeper for a 7-0 North Little Rock lead midway through the first quarter, the defense began to create turnovers.
Two plays after the touchdown, Davian Vayson stripped the ball from Northside receiver Tyheen Prosise and went 45 yards for the touchdown and a 14-0 Charging Wildcats' lead with 5:31 left in the opening quarter.
On the Grizzlies' next play from scrimmage, a bad snap led to a mishandled exchange recovered by North Little Rock's Tavion Akins at the Northside 36. Liam Selhorst booted the first of three field goals with a 33-yard kick for a 17-0 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
Northside (4-3, 1-3) did get on the board with six seconds left in the first half on Dreyden Norwood's 2-yard touchdown pass to Walker Catsavis.
But the Grizzlies' turnovers were too much to overcome.
"I thought we played good at times on defense, but we put them in tough situations after those turnovers and we didn't have a chance," Falleur added.
Three turnovers in the second half led to three North Little Rock touchdowns. The last touchdown was a 46-yard pass from Cotton to Jiquori Stewart with 11:42 to play. Cotton then hit Felix Wade for the two-point conversion and a 42-7 advantage with 11:42 left.