One for the ages as Panthers, Scrappers face off tonight
NASHVILLE, Ark.—The lights at Scrapper Stadium will brightly shine when the Panthers and Scrappers tangle at 7 p.m.
Ashdown (6-0, 3-0) travels to Nashville (3-3, 1-2) for a Conference 7-4A showdown in Scrapper Country.
“We have another big challenge ahead of us in Ashdown,” Nashville head football coach Mike Volarvich said. “This is our third undefeated opponent in the past four weeks. It’s been a tough stretch but we’re excited for the opportunity.”
The Scrappers have given up 195 points, while producing 252 points on offense.
The unblemished Panthers have outscored opponents 26248 through six games this season.
“This is just regular ball game,” Ashdown head football coach Matt Richardson. “I understand there’s a lot of people in this town that say that this is a rivalry but when it comes down to it, it’s just the next game on the schedule. As of Saturday, this week will be over, so how big of a game could it be?
“We’ve told the kids to stop thinking it’s any bigger than what it is. We told them to go out and keep doing what their doing.”
Ashdown boasts two of
the state’s top defenders in Mississippi State commit Ladarrius Bishop and Arkansas State commit Tre Green.
“They’re obviously very athletic,” Volarvich said. “They have several Division 1 players on their team. Anytime you have a player like Ladarrius Bishop, who can score six touchdowns defensively or on special teams, you have something there. They have several others as well.
“I told our guys today that we haven’t scored a touchdown on defense or special teams and they have one guy who has scored six. Anytime you go against great athletes like that, you have to do a great job. Last week, I believe they scored a touchdown on a onside kick. They’re very dynamic in their return game, so we have to be careful of who we kick it to and tackle well.”
Nashville is no slouch by any means offensively.
Scrapper senior Tyler Hanson has thrown for 1,814 yards and 16 touchdowns in six games. Senior Trent Harris has rushed for 489 yards for Nashville, collecting 10 rushing touchdowns.
“We have to play hard and sound defensively,” Richardson said. “Our kids have done a great job of keeping their assignment for us this season, so hopefully we can make some pre-snap reads and fill the gaps.
The big thing that’s going on around here is the kids are playing for each other. Our guys are playing great without the ball. Our kids are being really unselfish and playing for each other. Tre and Ladarrius are making plays because they are playing hard without the ball in their hands. That’s how our big plays happen.”
Junior Jordon White leads the Scrappers in tackles with 78 and Tre Green has 13 total touchdowns this season for Ashdown.
The Panthers have only given up one sack all season.
Southwest Arkansas Schedule
Hope at Hot Springs Lakeside, 7 p.m. Camden Fairview at De Queen, 7 p.m. Hot Springs at Magnolia, 7 p.m. Prescott at Glen Rose, 7 p.m. Bismarck at Horatio, 7 p.m. McGehee at Fouke, 7 p.m. Drew Central at Genoa Central, 7 p.m. Spring Hill at Mountain Pine, 7 p.m. Foreman at Mount Ida, 7 p.m. Murfreesboro at Mineral Springs, 7 p.m. Lafayette County at Dierks, 7 p.m.