Cabot at Bentonville
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Cabot 9-2, Bentonville 10-1
COACHES Cabot — Scott Reed. Benton-ville — Jody Grant.
KEY PLAYERS — Cabot — QB Abe Owen (Sr., 6-2, 210), RB Evion Jimerson (Sr., 5-8, 185), WR Hayes Cox (Jr., 5-9, 165). Bentonville — RB Josh Ficklin (Sr., 5-11, 210), OL Joey Su’a (Sr., 6-5, 322), OLDL Trevor Martinez (Sr., 6-3, 320), QB Carter Nye (Jr., 6-1, 170), WR C.J. Brown (Jr., 6-1, 185), WR-DB J.T. Tomescko (Sr., 6-2, 170), DE Ben Pearson (Jr., 6-2, 180), DB Johnny Pike (Sr., 5-10, 175), PK Logan Tymeson (Sr., 5-10, 145).
THE SCOOP The last time these two teams met was in the 2020 playoff quarterfinals, where Cabot rallied for a 38-34 victory. … Bentonville owns a 3-1 advantage in the series since 2001, including a 39-28 victory in the 2013 Class 7A state championship game. … The teams have three common opponents. Cabot defeated Conway, North Little Rock and Bentonville West twice, while Bentonville lost to Cabot but beat West and North Little Rock. … Jimerson and Owen combined for 310 yards and 4 TDs in Cabot’s rematch victory over West last week. … The Panthers forced West to punt on its first two possessions and had a 14-0 lead in less than 4 minutes. … Bentonville is playing in its first semifinal game since 2019. … The Tigers held North Little Rock to just 9 yards total offense (7 passing, 2 rushing) in last week’s 45-0 rout. … Ficklin had 28 carries for 209 yards and 2 TDs in the 2020 meeting against Cabot. … Nye hit C.J. Brown with four touchdown passes against North Little Rock, and Brown finished with 8 receptions for 209 yards. … Tymeson matched a season high with three field goals last week.
OUR TAKE Bentonville 34, Cabot 28
— Henry Apple
Camden Fairview at Shiloh Christian
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Camden Fairview 10-2; Shiloh Christian 11-1
COACHES Camden Fairview — Nick Vaughn; Shiloh Christian — Jeff Conaway
KEY PLAYERS Camden Fairview — QB Martavious Thomas (Sr., 5-9, 165), WR Jarvis Reed (Sr., 6-0, 180), WR Trent Haygood (So., 5-8, 155), LB Michael Griffith (Sr., 5-10, 170), DE DJ King (Sr., 6-2, 220). Shiloh Christian — QB Eli Wisdom (Sr., 6-0, 175), RB Bo Williams, (Jr., 5-9, 190) WR Bodie Neal (Sr., 6-2, 186), DL Cooper Darr (Dr., 6-4, 250), DL Thomas Reece (Sr., 6-0, 260).
THE SCOOP Camden Fairview knocked off Valley View 26-21 last week. … Shiloh Christian, in its first season in Class 5A after being bumped up because of the Competitive Equity Factor, blitzed Mills 69-32 last week. … Camden Fairview QB Martavious Thomas is a dual-threat with his arm and legs. Thomas is 125-of-227 passing for 2,077 yards and 21 TDs, and has a team-leading 684 rushing yards and 12 TDs. Thomas passed for 304 yards and 2 TDs in the win against Valley View. … Cardinals defensive end DJ King has 10.0 sacks. … Shiloh Christian ran for 411 yards against Mills last week with junior RB Bo Williams leading the way with 200 yards and 5 TDs. Williams has rushed for 1,234 yards and 25 TDs. … Saints QB Eli Wisdom is 173-of-263 passing for 2,808 yards and 34 TDs, and has rushed for 1,179 yards and 16 TDs. … The Saints have three receivers with 400 or more yards, led by Bodie Neal who has 80 catches for 1,429 yards and 17 TDs. … Saints linebackers Noah Dejarnatt and Cole Glenn have 119 and 116 tackles respectively. … Sophomore defensive lineman Owen Baublits has 7.0 sacks, 13.0 tackles for loss and 71 total tackles. OUR TAKE Shiloh Christian 41, Camden Fairview 28
— Chip Souza
Newport at Charleston
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Newport 9-3; Charleston 11-1
COACHES Newport — Brian Reardon; Charleston — Ricky May
KEY PLAYERS Newport — QB Dejai Marshall (Sr., 5-11, 175), RB Chris Young (Sr., 5-9,175), WR Isaiah Kendall (Sr., 6-5, 178), OL/DL Aabel Robinson (Sr., 6-3, 325). Charleston — QB Brandon Scott (Sr., 5-11, 180), RB Brevyn Ketter (Sr., 5-9, 175), WR Bryton Ketter (Sr., 5-8, 155), WR Reese Merechka (Jr., 5-8, 175), DB Sebastian Gaona (Sr., 6-1, 175).
THE SCOOP Newport rolled to a 52-22 romp against Quitman last week to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight season. … Charleston shut out Centerpoint 42-0, avenging a playoff loss from a year ago, to advance to the quarterfinals. … Newport QB Dejai Marshall directs the Greyhounds’ offense. Against Quitman, the senior was 15-of-26 passing for 216 yards and 3 TDs, all to big target WR Isahai Kendall, who caught 4 passes for 128 yards. … Kendall, who missed a lot of last season with varying injuries, is a college prospect at 6-foot-5. Kendall also had an interception in the win against Quitman. … Charleston’s only loss is to Class 4A quarterfinalist Nashville 27-19 on Sept. 16. The Tigers have won nine straight games since that loss. … Charleston QB Brandon Scott is a three-year starter and leads the way for the Tigers. In the win against Centerpoint, Scott was 9-of-12 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown and ran for 103 yards and two scores. … Charleston has plenty of weapons on offense, but the defense has played exceptionally. Since the loss to Nashville, the Tigers have allowed more than one touchdown in a game just once, and have allowed just 13 points combined in their past four games.
OUR TAKE Charleston 34, Newport 27
— Chip Souza
Benton at Greenwood
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Benton 9-2; Greenwood 10-1
COACHES Benton – Brad Harris; Greenwood – Chris Young
KEY PLAYERS Benton — RB Braylon Harris (Jr., 6-2, 230), OL Walker Davis (Sr., 6-4, 285), DL Hunter Goodwin (Sr., 6-2, 240), OL Karter Sanders (Sr., 6-1, 265), LB Jake Jones (Sr., 5-11, 230). Greenwood — QB Hunter Houston (Sr., 6-1, 205), RB Jake Glover (Sr., 5-5, 155), DL Tanner McKusker (Sr., 6-0, 230), WR Aiden Kennon (Sr., 6-1, 215), DB Storm Scherrey (Sr., 6-0, 190), LB Evan Williams (Sr., 6-1, 210), OL Brandon Webb (Sr., 6-0, 300).
THE SCOOP Greenwood is the top seed from the 6A-West while Benton is the second seed from the 6A-East behind conference champion Little Rock Catholic. … Greenwood and Benton were members of the 6A-West the past six years with Greenwood winning four of the six meetings. … The two teams also met in the playoffs twice with Greenwood winning 45-14 in the 2018 championship game and winning 61-23 in the semifinals in 2015. … Greenwood has won 56 straight games at home. … Greenwood has won 16 of its last 17 playoff games in the month of November. … Russell moved to Benton from Hot Springs Lakeside after his transfer to Little Rock Christian was denied by the Arkansas Activities Association in May. … Russell has rushed 203 times for 1,400 yards and 25 touchdowns. … Benton has started three different quarterbacks this season but Cline Hooten has started the last six games, is 6-0 and has thrown for 1,135 and 10 touchdowns. … Greenwood QB Hunter Houston has thrown for 3,055 yards and 28 touchdowns, and is the first Greenwood QB to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season twice since Tyler Wilson in 2006 and 2007. … Greenwood is 15-6 in the semifinals. … Benton is 4-3 in the semifinals.
OUR TAKE Greenwood 35, Benton 24
— Leland Barclay
Booneville at Osceola
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Booneville 10-2; Osceola 8-3
COACHES Booneville – Doc Crowley; Osceola – Jamie Carter
KEY PLAYERS Booneville – QB Peyton Tatum (Sr., 5-10, 180), DL Chase Plymale (Sr., 6-1, 270), OL Johnny Barnes (Sr., 6-0, 240), DB Brooks Herrera (Sr., 5-5, 155), DL David Hicks (Sr., 5-10, 220), DB Skyler Shelton (Sr., 5-8, 150). Osceola – QB Torian Bell (Sr., 6-1, 180), RB Skyler Young (Sr., 5-10, 220), LB Terrance Marshall (Sr., 6-1, 230), OL Tyrek Coleman (Sr., 6-1, 230).
THE SCOOP Jamie Carter is in his third season as head coach at Osceola after serving previously for two seasons as defensive coordinator at Marion. … Carter is a Mississippi native and played for Alabama from 1996-1999. … Booneville has scored 478 points this season, marking the 16th season over 400 points. … Osceola lost nonconference games to Newport, Blytheville and Gosnell and has won eight straight games and has given up just nine touchdowns since. … Osceola senior QB Torian Bell has thrown for 1,777 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, his only season to start at the position. … Booneville senior FB Cody Elliott joined the 1,000-yard rushing club on Friday night, rushing for 179 yards and four scores and has 1,135 yards and 17 touchdowns for the season. … WB Dax Goff has run for 1,892 yards and 26 touchdowns after rushing for 208 yards and four scores on Friday. … WB Trace Hall has 1,247 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. … Booneville has rushed 508 times for 4,945 yards and 66 touchdowns.
OUR TAKE Booneville 35, Osceola 28
— Leland Barclay
Nashville at Elkins
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
RECORDS Nashville 9-3; Elkins 10-1
COACHES Nashville — Mike Volarvich; Elkins — Zach Watson
KEY PLAYERS Nashville — RB Tre Hopkins (Jr., 5-9, 185), QB Sloan Perrin (Sr., 5-11, 185), OL Kason Willard (Jr., 6-2, 240), LB Kelvin Flowers (Sr., 5-11, 180). Elkins — RB Da’Shawn Chairs (Jr., 5-8, 175), QB Dizzy Dean (Jr., 6-2, 180), WR/DB Aden Williams (Sr., 5-9, 170), LB Landon Haney (Sr, 5-10, 180), WR Stone Dean (Jr., 6-2, 200).
THE SCOOP Nashville beat Pocahontas 37-7 last week while Elkins advanced by whipping Ashdown 63-21 in Class 4A playoffs. …. Nashville piled up 407 yards in its win over Pocahontas with quarterback Sloan Perrin rushing for 200 yards and passing for 102 yards. Tre Hopkins added 105 yards rushing. …. Nashville has won five state championships in the playoff era. The last came in 2015 when the Scrappers finished 15-0 after beating Prairie Grove 39-20 in the Class 4A state championship game in Little Rock. … Elkins continues to put up impressive statistics with its 63-21 win last week over Ashdown. ….. Da’Shawn Chairs scored six touchdowns while gaining 329 yards on 17 carries. … Quarterback Slade “Dizzy” Dean completed 16 of 22 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown. …. Landon Haney led the defensive effort for the Elks with nine tackles, including a sack. … Elkins has won nine consecutive following a 42-22 loss to 3A-1 Conference champion Charleston in early September.
OUR TAKE Nashville 42, Elkins 35
— Rick Fires