Many fans enjoy the wide-open, pass-pass style of football while others prefer the ground-and-pound approach that emphasizes the running game.
Fans attending tonight's game at Booneville will see quite a contrast in offensive philosophy when the Bearcats (2-0) host Harding Academy (2-0) in the final nonconference game for both teams.
Harding Academy won its third consecutive state championship in Class 3A before being bumped to Class 4A this year because of the new Competitive Equity Factor for private schools. Booneville remains in Class 3A, but the Bearcats aren't 'Fraidy Cats' like some schools who back away after a team moves up in classification.
Any time, any place, anywhere has long been Booneville's philosophy with scheduling games.
Booneville knows what its up against in Harding Academy, which beat Prescott 47-25 in the championship game in Little Rock after eliminating Booneville 56-27 in the semifinals last fall. Harding Academy graduated all-state quarterback Kade Smith but the Wildcats haven't slowed down much with sophomore Owen Miller directing the offense.
Miller has already thrown for 705 yards and 8 touchdowns while leading the Wildcats to wins over Valley View (51-35) and Harmony Grove (41-14). Miller's favorite target is Kyle Hoover, a junior who has 18 catches for 264 yards and 4 scores in two games.
Booneville will counter with standout players like Rylen Ray and Dax Goff, who leads the team in rushing (17-245-3 TDs) and tackles (20). The Bearcats have made it look easy so far with wins over Pine Bluff Dollarway (36-6) and Ozark (35-7) but Harding Academy is on another level, figuratively and literally.
Perhaps Booneville can keep the game close if the Bearcats can control the football and keep the Harding Academy offense off the field. Sounds simple but it's something few teams have been able to achieve against the Wildcats, who've won nine state championships.
RICK'S PICK Harding Academy
(Here are some other games involving teams from our coverage area. The picks are capitalized).
CLASS 7A
BENTONVILLE at Kansas City Rockhurst
Springdale Har-Ber at MUSTANG, OKLA.
CLASS 6A
GREENWOOD at Siloam Springs
CLASS 5A
GREENBRIER at Van Buren
Lincoln (Okla.) Christian at SHILOH CHRISTIAN
PEA RIDGE at Gentry
CLASS 4A
WALDRON at Mansfield
CLASS 3A
Nashville at CHARLESTON
CEDARVILLE at Green Forest
Mount Ida at LAVACA
CLASS 2A
Decatur at BERRYVILLE
MOUNTAINBURG at Yellville-Summit
LAST WEEK 17-8 (68%)
OVERALL 50-18 (73%)