OPINION

Surprising Mounties face difficult league test

It's surprising Greenwood already has two losses and Bryant one loss after stringing together three state championships and 32 consecutive victories.

You know what's even more surprising?

The only unbeaten team in the 7A-West Conference is Rogers at 3-0.

That's the same Rogers program I was told years ago where coaching careers for high school football go to die. But the Mounties are on the upswing and they'll face their biggest test tonight in a 7A-West matchup with Fayetteville at Harmon Field. Fayetteville is 2-2 overall after opening conference play with a 42-20 win at Bentonville West.

Rogers went on the road and blew out Fort Smith Southside 47-14 last week in a league game. Former Rogers coach Mike Loyd credited Chad Harbison's work as offensive coordinator last year for helping the Mounties to a 6-3 record. The surge has continued with Harbison as coach and the Mounties piled up 463 yards in total offense against the Mavericks.

Rogers displayed a balanced attack with quarterback Noah Goodshield throwing for 171 yards and three touchdowns and Josh Shepherd rushing for 207 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.

Good stuff, for sure, but the Mounties' defense will be challenged by Fayetteville quarterback Bladen Fike throwing to the best set of receivers in the league, including Isaiah Sategna, who caught two of Fike's four touchdown passes for 36 and 49 yards against West. Sategna is the leader of the catch crew but Dylan Kittell, Jalen Blackburn, and Hayes Robinson are also reliable receivers.

Fayetteville added a running game last week in sophomore Omar Murray, who rushed for 129 yards and caught a touchdown out of the backfield. That's the threat Fayetteville was missing in non-conference games.

There's no doubt coach Harbison and the Mounties believe they can go into Harmon Field and come away with a second consecutive road victory to begin 7A-West play. But others are skeptical.

At No. 10, Hootens.com still ranks 3-0 Rogers behind winless Springdale Har-Ber at No. 8 and 2-2 Bentonville West at No. 9 in Class 7A.

Looks about right to me.

Rick's Pick Fayetteville

OTHER GAMES

Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A

Fort Smith Southside at BENTONVILLE

SPRINGDALE HAR-BER at Rogers Heritage

Bentonville West at SPRINGDALE

Little Rock Central at FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE

CLASS 6A

GREENWOOD at Mountain Home

VAN BUREN at Russellville

BENTON at Siloam Springs

CLASS 5A

VILONIA at Farmington

GREENBRIER at Clarksville

Pea Ridge at MORRILTON

HARRISON at Alma

CLASS 4A

Huntsville at ELKINS

Berryville at GENTRY

Gravette at PRAIRIE GROVE

Green Forest at SHILOH CHRISTIAN

LAMAR at Dardanelle

Pottsville at MENA

Dover at OZARK

CLASS 3A

CHARLESTON at Cedarville

Mansfield at GREENLAND

Lavaca at HACKETT

Lincoln at WEST FORK

CLASS 2A

QUITMAN at Johnson Co. Westside

Magazine at MOUNTAINBURG

LAST WEEK 18-6 (66 percent)

OVERALL 79-19 (82 percent)

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