Van Buren has trap set for wounded Wolverines

Anyone who follows football knows the danger of a trap game, where a team gets caught looking ahead instead of focusing on the opponent in front of them.

Bentonville High and Bentonville West each face trap games tonight before meeting next week in a game that could decide the championship in the 7A-West. Bentonville is home facing Springdale, while West travels to Van Buren, a dangerous team that can pile up points.

Just ask Springdale HarBer, which escaped last week with a 34-31 victory over Van Buren. The Wildcats avoided the upset by rallying from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Senior quarterback Gary Phillips leads a Van Buren offense that is ranked fourth in the league with 385.5 yards per game. Phillips is a dual-threat who threw for 163 yards and rushed for 110 yards last week against HarBer. Jaiden Henry is a top receiver with 43 catches for 487 yards and three touchdowns.

Bentonville West will be without Nick Whitlatch and A.J. Smith, and Zach Trammell is slowed by a shoulder injury. The Wolverines are also dealing with illnesses that prevented six starters from playing against Rogers Heritage.

Bentonville West (6-2, 5-0) still won last week over Heritage, but it won’t be so easy against Van Buren (4-4, 2-3), which has yet to secure a playoff spot. That’s a huge incentive, especially at home, in November.

There are factors working against Bentonville West tonight, which enhances the Pointers’ chance of pulling the upset over the co-leader in the 7A-West.

RICK’S PICK Van Buren Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A

Springdale at BENTONVILLE

FAYETTEVILLE at Rogers Heritage

Rogers at SPRINGDALE HAR-BER

CABOT at Fort Smith Northside

Fort Smith Southside at LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL

CLASS 6A

Sheridan at GREENWOOD Little Rock Hall at SILOAM SPRINGS

CLASS 5A

GREENBRIER at Alma VILONIA at Clarksville HARRISON at Huntsville

Farmington at MORRILTON

CLASS 4A

PRAIRIE GROVE at Berryville

SHILOH CHRISTIAN at Gravette

GENTRY at Lincoln Green Forest at PEA RIDGE DARDANELLE at Elkins Waldron at OZARK Subiaco Academy at MENA Dover at POTTSVILLE

CLASS 3A

Lamar at BOONEVILLE Paris at GREENLAND Cedarville at MANSFIELD

CHARLESTON at West Fork

CLASS 2A

Lavaca at HACKETT Mountainburg at MAGAZINE

HECTOR at JC Westside LAST WEEK 26-2 (93 percent)

OVERALL 177-41

(81 percent)