Coach J.R. Eldridge, Arkadelphia rebound from 0-5 start.
Arkadelphia’s defense of its Class 4A state championship did not get off to a good start.
Instead, the Badgers opened the season 0-5, with losses to Sylvan Hills, Benton and Wynne in nonconference and Nashville and Joe T. Robinson in the 7-4A Conference.
Arkadelphia has rebounded, though, winning seven consecutive games, including a 41-14 rout at Warren last Friday in a rematch of last season’s Class 4A state championship game won by the Badgers.
Badgers Coach J.R. Eldridge complemented his team’s work ethic in overcoming the seasonopening five losses.
“I think the biggest key for us has been our coaching staff and the players just being able to come to work. That was the message to our tough start, keep coming back to work.
“I feel like our players did a good job about that.”
Arkadelphia (7-5), the No. 3 seed from the 7-4A, jumped out to a 41-0 lead and allowed 77 yards in the first half.
Senior running back Zion Hatley rushed for 169 yards and 3 touchdowns on 20 carries. Junior quarterback Cannon Turner had a rushing touchdown and senior kicker Gabe Goodman kicked two field goals.
Eldridge credited his team for having solid practices throughout the week leading up to the Warren game.
“We expected to win the football game,” Eldridge said. “We expected to have a great week of practice. That’s been the real focus for our football team. Our preparation has to be good enough to put us in position to win. The kids took the gameplan serious.”
The Badgers head to 2-4A No. 1 seed Stuttgart (91) on Friday for a Class 4A quarterfinal game. Stuttgart’s only loss was to Warren in a weather-shortened game Sept. 7.
“Stuttgart is a good football team,” Eldridge said. “They’ve got great coaches and great players over there.
“This is what the playoffs are all about — good football teams going up against each other.”
Eldridge believes that the Badgers’ state championship experience has played a role in his team being back in the Class 4A mix.
“We believed in our football team,” Eldridge said. “Being able to play consistently in the playoffs, deep in the playoffs, helps with the mindset and the mentality.
“It has helped our players to to be able to see the bigger picture.”
While the Badgers have five losses on their 2018 record compared to one a year ago when they went 13-1 to win the state championship, Eldridge believes in the team’s chances to get back to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock in December.
“I feel like there’s something special about our football team,” Eldridge said. “I believed that when we were sitting at 0-5. We just have to keep getting better.”
SMACKOVER Back at home
Smackover Coach Brian Brown said Wednesday that Smackover is set to host Osceola in a Class 3A quarterfinal game at Buckaroo Stadium on Friday, one week after it had to play away from home.
The Buckaroos had to move their Class 3A secondround game against Danville to Memorial Stadium in El Dorado because of poor field conditions.
Brown said the field has been worked on throughout the week and the weather has been dry, a sharp contrast to recent rainy weather in south Arkansas.
“The field looks better than it did when we played [Camden] Harmony Grove [on Nov. 1],” Brown said.
Smackover (10-1) won the 5-3A Conference and will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. So, for Brown, playing at home is important for the Buckaroos.
“It’s really important to our people,” Brown said. “It’s a small town. They want to see their Buckaroos. We want to reward them by playing at home.”
The Buckaroos have been led by senior running back Greg Turner, a transfer from Texas.
Turner has rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also has two receiving touchdowns.
“He’s a dynamic player,” Brown said. “His talent level is out there.”
Osceola (11-1) is 22-4 in two seasons under Coach Robert Hooks, a former Bryant, Camden Fairview and Fort Smith Northside assistant coach. Sophomore quarterback Kam Turner has accounted for 26 touchdowns, including 16 scoring passes.
“They’re one of the most talented teams left in the playoffs,” Brown said.
The winner will play McGehee or Prescott on Dec. 1 in the Class 3A semifinals.
DUMAS Sole 8-4A survivor
Dumas is in the Class 4A quarterfinals for the first time since 2007.
The Bobcats (11-1) reached the quarterfinals thanks to a 34-30 home victory over Helena-West Helena.
“It’s a great accomplishment for our school, our community and our staff,” Dumas Coach Max Pennington said. “Our kids kept fighting. They refused to lose.”
Junior quarterback Chris Harris accounted for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Bobcats.
Harris is one of the state’s leading rushers with 1,319 yards and 20 touchdowns. He’s passed for 1,464 yards and 16 scores.
“He’s one of the hardestworking kids I’ve ever coached,” Pennington said. “He’s an obvious talent. All of his success is welldeserved.”
Dumas travels to Rivercrest on Friday in a quarterfinal matchup. The winner faces Joe T. Robinson or Ozark in the semifinals Nov. 30.
The Bobcats are the last team remaining from the 8-4A Conference in this year’s playoffs, with Warren, Helena-West Helena and Hamburg being eliminated Friday.
It’s a source of pride for Pennington and the Bobcats heading into their quarterfinal game.
“We’re [the coaches] all good friends,” Pennington said. “We all pull for each other. We want to carry the torch for our conference.”
EXTRA POINTS
Salem senior running back Jordan Turner finished the 2018 season with 2,885 yards and 38 touchdowns on 231 carries. Turner had 249 yards and 1 touchdown on 31 carries in the Greyhounds’ 36-22 loss to Earle in the Class 2A second round Friday. … Bryant is in the Class 7A semifinals for the third consecutive season, but will host its first semifinal game in program history Friday against Fort Smith Northside. The past two semifinals saw the Hornets lose at North Little Rock in 2016 and at Bentonville last season. Bryant (10-2) defeated Fayetteville 2825 in last week’s Class 7A quarterfinals. … Sylvan Hills is the first No. 6 seed from Class 6A to play in the state semifinals under the current playoff bracket system, which was instituted in 2006. The Bears (5-7) have defeated Russellville and Marion to reach the semifinals, where they’ll face defending Class 6A state champion Greenwood on Friday. … Nashville is looking for its first victory at Shiloh Christian when it visits Springdale on Friday for a Class 4A quarterfinal game. The Scrappers lost to the Saints in the 2009 and 2010 Class 4A quarterfinals.