Greenwood awaits Class 6A showdown with Benton

Few games are more interesting than No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups, especially when No. 2 beat No. 1 last season.

That’s the showdown tonight when Benton (5-2, 4-0) challenges top-ranked and undefeated Greenwood (6-0, 3-0) at Smith-Robinson Stadium. Benton won the 6A-West Conference championship last year after a 45-38 victory over the Bulldogs.

That doesn’t sit well with Greenwood, had won 12 conference championships and eight state championships the previous 16 seasons.

The Bulldogs appear dominant again under Chris Young, the former offensive coordinator who took over after Rick Jones left to join Eli Drinkwitz at the University of Missouri. Benton beat Mountain Home 35-7 last week while Greenwood defeated Russellville 48-10.

Benton’s only losses have come against Class 7A teams, 48-7 to undefeated Bryant and 35-28 to Little Rock Catholic. Greenwood went 3-0 against 7A-West Conference teams and destroyed Springdale Har-Ber 33-0 in the season game of the season.

Benton beat Mountain Home 35-7 last week behind senior quarterback Garrett Brown, who threw for 410 yards and two touchdowns. Cameron Harris leads the Panthers in receiving with 36 catches for 581 yards and eight touchdowns.

Greenwood has rolled all season behind senior quarterback LD Richmond, who accounted for seven touchdowns last week in a 48-10 victory over Russellville. Luke Brewer, Caden Brown, and Peyton Carter head the receiving corps while Hunter Wilkinson is a power runner who enables Greenwood to continue drives in short-yardage situations.

Benton may be better than the Class 7A schools Greenwood defeated in non-conference play. But that won’t matter against the Bulldogs, who’ve been looking toward this rematch since losing last year to the Panthers.

RICK’S PICK Greenwood

Other selections involving teams from Northwest Arkansas. Some scheduled games may be canceled by tonight because of covid-19 concerns. (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A

Rogers at BENTONVILLE BENTONVILLE WEST at Rogers Heritage

Springdale at FAYETTEVILLE

Fort Smith Southside at SPRINGDALE HAR-BER

NORTH LITTLE ROCK at Fort Smith Northside

CLASS 6A

Mountain Home at SILOAM SPRINGS

Van Buren at LAKE HAMILTON

CLASS 5A

Greenbrier at FARMINGTON

VILONIA at Alma

CLASS 4A

PRAIRIE GROVE at Gentry

SHILOH CHRISTIAN at Elkins

Dover at WALDRON BERRYVILLE at Huntsville

Green Forest at GRAVETTE

Pottsville at OZARK

CLASS 3A CEDARVILLE at Greenland CHARLESTON at Lincoln Mansfield at LAVACA HACKETT at West Fork Atkins at BOONEVILLE Riverview at LAMAR

CLASS 2A MAGAZINE at Yellville-Summit HECTOR at JC Westside Conway Christian at MOUNTAINBURG

LAST WEEK 19-5 (79 percent)

OVERALL 130-28 (82 percent)