Bentonville coach Jody Grant said his only recollection of Kansas high school football before this season started was when his team played Derby in a 7-on-7 tournament.
Now the Tigers (2-0) will travel Friday to Shawnee for their impromptu nonconference game against Mill Valley. Bentonville and Mill Valley arranged the game after the Tigers' season opener was called off by Liberty (Mo.) North, whose conference voted to not have games against out-of-state competition this fall.
It didn't take much from the Jaguars (2-0), the defending Class 5A champion in that state, to catch Grant's attention. Mill Valley is currently ranked 34th nationally by MaxPreps.
"They are a very established program," Grant said. "I think their coaches do a great job, and they're very well-coached. They have really good football players across the board that know what they are doing.
"This year they have played two games and won both of them very handily against good programs. They played Derby in week one and Derby is a Kansas powerhouse, from what I know about Kansas football. I'm impressed with them and heard great things about them from a number of people."
Meanwhile, Grant likes what he has seen from his team following victories over Conway and Kansas City Rockhurst in the past two weeks. However, this now becomes Bentonville's final tuneup game before starting 7A-West Conference play next week against Springdale Har-Ber.
"I think we have a chance to be a really good football team," Grant said. "I think we have to clean some stuff up. I think we need to be more consistent offensively and be able to run the football effectively.
"We have to tackle better on defense, but you're talking about a group that flies to the football and makes plays then they get there. They're fast; they're sudden. We also need to make improvements in the kicking game, which we will."
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
VAN BUREN
Pointers struggle with QB injuries
Depth at quarterback was already an issue when Van Buren starting quarterback Gary Phillips was a last-minute scratch from the lineup last week at Choctaw, Okla.
With backup quarterback Connor Brady already out after an injury against Springdale, Phillips' injury meant the Pointers were down to third-string quarterback Jaiden Henry, who normally plays all over the field.
"That was a tough thing for Jaiden, and sort of unfair for him to be thrown in there like we had to do," said Van Buren coach Crosby Tuck. "We just kind of had to plug him in there. He's taken some reps at quarterback, but not a lot then all of a sudden he's asked to play there."
The Pointers fell 28-10 to Choctaw in their final nonconference game of the season. It was Van Buren's first loss.
Tuck is hopeful Phillips can return next week against Siloam Springs for the 6A-West Conference opener.
"Having a bye this week really helps," Tuck said. "We don't think this is going to be a lingering thing, but you can never tell for sure."
After three games, Tuck said one of the areas he was most concerned with coming into the season was the defensive box at defensive line and linebacker. The Pointers graduated a number of players who filled those spots last season. But Tuck said he has been please with how those units have performed so far.
On the injury front, besides Phillips and Brady, who is a starter at strong safety, a couple of other players are also nursing injuries including starting offensive lineman Sam Shepherd.
"He's a little banged up from the Choctaw game," Tuck said. "He's knee is banged up, but we're not sure if it's just sore or there is more to is. He's supposed to see a doctor about it today."
-- Chip Souza • NWAChip
ROGERS HERITAGE
Hookfin pleased with War Eagles' mindset
Coach Steve Hookfin said his War Eagles continued to make progress even on the practice field last week.
Heritage (1-1) snapped a 25-game losing streak with a 55-12 win over Springfield (Mo.) Central, but the open week last week was good, too, Hookfin said.
"We did a good job understanding the expectation in practice," Hookfin said. "We did a great job of focusing on us and what we've got to do to be successful. There's a major shift in our mindset from before."
Hookfin said his players have often been too focused on what the opponent is doing and therefore reacting too slowly. But he also said experiencing the big win was huge for his players, too.
"They had been so win deprived, it was big not just to win but win in convincing fashion and get some young guys some good minutes, too," Hookfin said. "I feel like we're headed in the right direction."
The War Eagles will get a chance to start 2-1 for the first time since 2013 when they defeated Harrison 52-35 on Sept. 20. Heritage went on to finish 5-6, losing at North Little Rock in the first round of the playoffs.
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
WALDRON
Bulldogs look to continue strong start
Doug Powell has dealt with plenty of adversity in his first season as the head coach at Waldron.
He didn't get to see his players until April because of the coronavirus pandemic, despite being hired in February. The pandemic also kept the Bulldogs, like teams across the state, from holding spring workouts and 7-on-7 events in the summer. But they are still off to a 2-0 start.
Powell, who is Waldron's third head coach in four years, credits players and coaches alike for the success.
"I really relied upon my coaching staff," Powell said. "I didn't change any schemes. My approach has just been details. My focus has been with this senior group and they've responded. They've tried to do what I've asked.
"We've got a good sophomore bunch. So far, they've been gelling together. They want to win."
It sure looks like it since the Bulldogs have already equaled the two-win total of each of the last two seasons.
Senior Braden Williams is a three-year starter at quarterback who's complete 22 of 29 passes for 360 yards and nine touchdowns in two games as a senior. He opened the season by throwing for four touchdowns in a 44-29 win over Gentry. He was just as active on defense, where he made six tackles with two sacks and also added two interceptions in the season-opening win over Mansfield.
Waldron has a chance to win more games than it did in each of the last two seasons with a win Friday against 2-0 Atkins. But Powell said that won't be easy.
"It should be a good game," Powell said. "We should push each other and get us ready for conference play."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
BOONEVILLE
Booneville expects challenge
Booneville coach Doc Crowley has been around long enough to know an opponent's record is often deceiving.
That's his view on Mena (1-2) following its 39-0 win over De Queen and losses by 44-20 to Harding Academy and 20-13 in overtime to Hot Springs. The Trojans are a Class 5A school and Harding Academy is the defending state champion in Class 3A.
"(Mena) is just a couple of plays from being 3-0," Crowley said.
Mena has standout playmakers in quarterback Max Montgomery, receiver Gaven Hooper, and tight end Mason Brotherton. Montgomery has thrown six touchdown passes, all to Hooper, and Brotherton is a 6-foo-4 target who has verbally committed to Kansas.
Booneville (2-0) rallied to beat Ozark 20-19 two weeks ago after opening the season with a 35-14 victory over Dardanelle. The Bearcats were down 13-0 to Ozark before turning to a formula that's worked well for them through the years; defense and a power running game on offense.
Randon Ray led a 90-yard drive in the fourth quarter and finished with three touchdowns and 145 yards rushing. Jacob Herrera then sealed the victory with a late interception.
"There were about 45 seconds left when Jacob made a good break on the ball and returned the interception to about their 20," Crowley said. "We have good chemistry with our 11 seniors and they refused to lose that game."
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
BERRYVILLE
Bobcats back in action
Berryville returned to the practice field Friday afternoon, the first time the Bobcats had been together after a member of the team tested positive for covid-19 and was forced into a two-week quarantine period.
Then coach Doug Shott said he did something he had never done before -- he scheduled another workout for Saturday.
"It's almost like starting over," Shott said. "But we went full bore. We practiced for a couple of hours, then we came back and did it again Saturday and had a good practice.
"Now it's a matter of getting in reps because we've been off 14 days, and you could tell it Friday. You could tell we weren't as crisp as we should be. Our quarterback had problems with the exchange on three occasions."
The workouts continued this week as Berryville (0-1) prepares for this week's game at home against Greenland, the final nonconference game before the Bobcats begin 4A-1 Conference game against Shiloh Christian. The two teams haven't played each other since the 2006-07 seasons, when they were members of the 4A-1 Conference.
"This team really needs to play," Shott said. "We need the game for just the mentality of this team. It feels good knowing we get to play again."
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
SILOAM SPRINGS
Panthers clicking on offense
Siloam Springs coach Brandon Craig doesn't have much to complain about with the Panthers' offense so far in 2020.
Through three games, the Panthers (2-1) are averaging around 535 yards per game.
The Panthers' goal for each game is 200 yards rushing, 150 yards passing and 12 first downs.
"That's what we're shooting for," Craig said.
Instead, the Panthers are averaging more than 21 first downs, 327 rushing yards and 207 passing yards per game.
"Right now I can't complain about our offensive production the first few weeks," Craig said. "All I can complain about is turnovers. and that's something we have to improve."
Siloam Springs had three turnovers, including a pick six, in a 52-42 loss against Rogers in Week Zero, and one lost fumble against Pea Ridge in Week 1 in a 55-21 victory.
In their 34-14 win against Harrison last week, Siloam Springs did not turn the ball over.
"I think we're going to continue to stress that and make sure we're doing a great job of not turning the ball over," Craig said.
Quarterback Hunter Talley has completed 38 of 53 passes (71.8 percent) for 623 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He's also rushed 47 times for 258 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and six touchdowns.
Seniors Elijah Coffey (10 receptions 215 yards, 2 TDs) and Gavin Henson (11 catches, 206 yards, 1 TD) have been Talley's top targets at wide receiver.
Along with Talley's rushing production, the Panthers have a three-headed rushing attack in seniors Camden Collins (25 carries, 183 yards, 3 TDs), Jeff Phizema (12 carries, 266 yards, 3 TDs) and junior Zach Gunneman (36 carries, 261 yards, 2 TDs).
Siloam Springs is off this week and will return to action Sept. 25 at home against Van Buren to open 6A-West Conference play.
-- Graham Thomas • @NWAGraham
HACKETT
Slavens back at QB for Hornets
Hackett will rely on Ethan Slavens at quarterback for the rest of the season after senior starter Avery Hester suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against Panama, Okla. two weeks ago.
Slavens, a 6-foot-5 junior, stepped in last week and threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns in a 12-7 victory over Panama, Okla. Hester was an all-state player who led Hackett to an 8-3 record last year.
"It was a non-contact injury against Panama, just a freak thing," Hackett coach Michael Meador said. "Ethan started a playoff game last year when Avery tor his ACL and we expect him to step right in and do the job. He's got a really strong arm."
Slavens will make another start at quarterback Friday when the Hornets host Mountainburg, a former 4-2A Conference rival. Hackett won 46-32 last year after losing 48-12 to Mountainburg in 2018. Junior quarterback Noah Johnson leads a run-oriented offense that is often hard to defend for the Dragons, who won nine games in 2017.
"(Mountainburg) uses a lot of shifts and motions on every possession and try to trick your eyes," Meador said. "We've got to be really good with our eyes and get to the ball."
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick