Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Wolverines set up title showdown
ROGERS — The battle for Bentonville is set.
Bentonville West will play for the 7A-West Conference championship after defeating Rogers High 35-13 on Friday at Whitey Smith Stadium.
The Wolverines (9-0, 6-0 7A-West) will face Bentonville High (7-2, 6-0), which advanced with a 70-0 victory over Rogers Heritage on Friday.
West remains undefeated while Bentonville High has won six consecutive since losing 35-16 to Conway in Week 3. Friday’s win at Rogers continues an impressive turnaround for the Wolverines, a second-year program that went 3-8 last season, including a 48-8 defeat to Bentonville.
“The wait is over and it feels great,” West coach Bryant Pratt said of the showdown with rival Bentonville. “This is the kind of game you want to be in and we’re thrilled to be here in the second year of our program.”
West should be well-rested for the rematch next week at Tiger Stadium. The Wolverines grabbed a 35-0 lead at halftime at Rogers on the strength of three touchdown catches and a short touchdown run by Jadon Jackson. Substitutes took the field for West in the second half when the game was played with a running clock because of the mercy rule.
“We came into this game wanting to be focused enough to get a win,” Pratt said. “We’re proud of the way our kids played and controlled themselves in this game.”
Colin McWhorter scored on a 1-yard run in the third quarter following a fumble by West near its own end zone. The Mounties added a second touchdown late in the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Loyd to Garrett Dake.
Jackson was again the dominant player on the field Friday and his three touchdown catches came in various fashion. He reached high in the end zone for a 19-yard
touchdown pass from Jarrett for the game’s second score. He moved to the backfield and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run before adding another 19-yard touchdown catch that included some fancy football to elude three Rogers defenders.
But the junior standout was not done.
Jarrett threw long to Jonas Higson to set up a 25-yard touchdown catch by Jackson, who again outmaneuvered Rogers defenders to put the Wolverines ahead 35-0 with five minutes, 14 seconds left in the second quarter.
Rogers recovered two fumbles in the first half but could not take advantage of the turnovers. The Mounties took over at their own 1 after Jarrett fumbled on a scramble. Rogers then fumbled the ball right back and Jackson scored on a short run.
Rogers also recovered a fumble at their own 39 after West sent in the substitutes with 3:41 left in the second quarter but the Mounties again failed to move offensively.
Both teams came out throwing the ball downfield with little success to begin the game. West then went to its ground game and scored on a 55-yard run by Tyrese Smallwood. That play followed a 26-yard run by Jarrett into Rogers territory.