Challenge accepted: Beavers ready to take on defending state champs, Harding Academy, in semifinals
It’s been four years since the Glen Rose Beavers have been to the semifinals of the Class 3A State Playoffs but this season they’re back and ready to fight for their chance to play in the state tournament.
“This is big, I mean we haven’t been here since 2016,” Glen Rose head coach Mark Kehner said. “I felt like we had some teams that could get here but for whatever reason couldn’t get here, so finding a way to continue to win, continue to play in December, feels really good.”
Kehner feels that getting to play in the semifinals has been well deserved for the Beavers especially with all the COVID-19 protocols that have been in place. “I think our kids, through everything they been through with having an awkward year, it’s well deserved for their
commitment for what we’ve asked them to do throughout the year.”
The semifinals bring another challenge for the Beavers this week. The Beavers will travel to Searcy to take on the defending 3A State Champions, the Harding Academy Wildcats, Friday at Alumni Field/First Security Stadium. The Wildcats are 10-1 and have stormed through playoff opponents, defeating Jessieville, 45-14, and Booneville, 52-21. “It’ll be a challenge,” Kehner said.
But the Beavers are accepting the challenge and are looking forward to getting to play the Wildcats. “It’s a good football team,” Kehner said. “But we’re a good football team which is why we’re here as well. We fully accept that challenge and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to go up there and try to get the win.”
The Beavers and Wildcats are no strangers to each other
in big games. The last time the two teams met was in 2012 in the 3A State Championship. The Wildcats narrowly edged out the Beavers, 49-45, to get the win in 2012. Being so long ago though, the Beavers players probably don’t remember that day in 2012 according to Kehner. “To me it’s a traditionally good football team and program and they’re playing a traditionally good football team and program, that’s really the only relevance to this game.”
The challenges the Beavers face this week are a big offense line and a championship pedigree. Kehner feels that the biggest challenge for the Beavers will be the experienced quarterback, senior Caden Sipe, the running back, and receivers who were apart of the championship team last season. “We’ve got an exceptional challenge with a team like that, experienced quarterback, running
back, receivers that won it last year,” Kehner said. “So they have that championship pedigree and bringing a lot of those guys back off of that team is probably the biggest challenge. We’ve just got to knock them off that pedestal a little bit.”
Kehner feels that the Beavers’ offense will be able to find success though against a younger Wildcats’ defense. “We feel like we can move the ball on them,” he said. “Actually, looking at their depth chart they’re a little bit younger on the defensive side of the ball than they are on the offensive side, so we feel like we’re going to be able to move the well.”
Last week, the Beavers found success on the ground with junior Dalton Taylor who carried the ball 27 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns against the Centerpoint Knights and helped the Beavers claim victory.
The ground game will be
important Friday as the forecast calls for rain. According to weather.com, there is an 80 percent chance of rain Friday afternoon and a 90 percent chance in the evening. “It looks like it’s going to be raining sideways during the game,” Kehner said. “I think both teams like to throw the ball around a little bit which that’s [rain] going to negate a lot of that.”
Kehner feels that the team that adapts to the elements the best and takes advantage of situations, like a turnover, will be the team that comes out on top. “When an opportunity presents itself you’ve got to take advantage of it, get the other team behind the 8-ball a little bit,” he said. “I don’t think you’re going to be able to just come out and sling the ball around the field or play in a hurry up offense, things like that, that both of us have been doing throughout the year.”
Overall though Kehner
is proud of the team, school, and community for making it’s way back into the semifinals. It’s not an easy feat being one of four teams left in a classification. “That’s a pretty big accomplishment for our kids,” Kehner said. “I hope they realize that, that they embrace the moment they’re in and just get one more and go to Little Rock.”
Kickoff for the Beavers is set for 7 p.m.
Road to the Semifinals Round 1
Glen Rose defeated West Fork 47-14
Harding Academy defeated Smackover 1-0 (Due to forfeit for COVID-19) Round 2
Glen Rose defeated Charleston 21-14
Harding Academy defeated Jessieville 45-14 Round 3
Glen Rose defeated Centerpoint 34-21
Harding Academy defeated Booneville 52-21