2017 Top Arkansas High School Football Games
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The road to an Arkansas 7A state title always seems to lead through the northwest corner of the state. The Fayetteville Bulldogs and the Bentonville Tigers have battled within the 7A West Conference and in the playoffs for the right to take home the coveted trophy over the last six years. The Bulldogs have claimed championship victories in 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2016 with the Tigers going back-to-back in 2013-14. In 2016, Bentonville got the best of Fayetteville during the regular season winning 24-21, but the Bulldogs got revenge in the semifinal round winning 46-21. The Bulldogs slugged it out with North Little Rock for title bragging rights winning 53-19. As much as the rosters have changed, still, the same usual suspects are picked to be the guardians at the gate when playoff time comes around in November.
The Teams to Watch in 2017
If the MaxPreps’ rankings have any bearings on the final 7A teams standing at the end of October, Fayetteville and North Little Rock will be meeting in the finals again. The No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams head into the season with high expectations. Another team expected to run the gauntlet is 6A powerhouse Greenwood led by Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback commit Connor Noland. The Greenwood Bulldogs and the Russellville Cyclones met in the championship round last season with the Cyclones coming out on top 37-23. Overall state rankings have Greenwood at No. 4 and Russellville at No. 10.
All the hype around the 7A and 6A teams may have to take a backseat to Pulaski Academy. The Bruins have won three consecutive titles meeting Wynne, McClellan, and then Wynne again in the title games. PA holds the top spot in the state entering the season with a loaded roster. The Bruins offensive machine is seemingly impossible to stop led by 2018 quarterback Layne Hatcher with top targets Trajen Johnson and Hudson Henry returning.
When fans last left the Natural State 4A Division, Shiloh Christian, Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, and Warren proved to be the top teams around. Warren steamrolled through the playoffs clipping Prairie Grove 48-28 before winning state with a 54-37 victory over Pea Ridge. The Lumberjacks are still the team to beat with a No. 1 4A ranking, No. 11 overall with Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Nashville, and Ashdown rounding out the Top 5.
Toughest Schedules
The national trend of teams playing out of state competition has taken a stronghold in Arkansas. Har-Ber High School (Springdale) and Pulaski Academy can easily lay claim to one very big opinion that might as well be a fact; toughest non-conference schedule in the state. In addition to playing all the 7A West teams like Bentonville, Springdale, and Fayetteville, the Wildcats open the season on the road against Southside (Fort Smith) and then travel to Jefferson City (MO) before coming home for their first home game to face a highly-ranked Jenks (OK) squad. If at the very minimum, the Wildcats will be well seasoned and grizzled for the playoffs. Pulaski Academy opens on the road against Sandy Springs (OK) and then welcomed Ridgeway (Memphis) and Parkway (LA) before meeting McClellan in late October.
The toughest in-state schedule belongs to Bentonville. Safe to circle every game on the Tigers’ schedule as a “must see.”
Top Players in 2017
Some of the top 2018 players in the state to watch for week after week includes Robinson receiver Nathan Page, PA lineman Luke Jones (Arkansas), Little Rock Catholic tight end Adam Shepherd, Cabot defensive tackle Dayonte Roberts, Har-Ber linebacker Oliver Nasilai (BYU), Springdale defensive end Isaiah Nichols (Arkansas), Star City left tackle Jax Gasaway, Charleston athlete Sean Michael Flanagan (Arkansas), and Earle quarterback Gerry Bohanon.
Wondering where all the meat is in the trenches this season? Look to Jonesboro High School. Class of 2019 offensive/defensive tackle Darius Thomas (6-7, 300) and defensive tackle Kevin Pointer (6-1, 280) along with 2018 defensive end/tight end Jacarvis Anderson (6-5, 260 – Arkansas) and offensive/defensive tackle Noah Gatlin (6-7, 300 – Arkansas) form the biggest, toughest, and most talented trench gang in Arkansas.
The best skillset group in the state outside of what PA will put on display this year is coming out of Ashdown. The Panthers have receiver/corner LaDarius Bishop (Mississippi State), running back/linebacker Detravion Green (Arkansas State), and quarterback Jaden Hill, a LSU baseball commit that could have easily been a highly sought after national Class of 2018 dual-threat recruit had he wanted to go that route.
The 2019 Class
A couple of top Class of 2019 athletes to watch out for is Magnolia running back/defensive back Terry Lambert (5-10, 183) and Warren wide receiver Treylon Burks (6-2, 190). Burks was seemingly unstoppable putting up video game numbers with 57 receptions for 1,354 yards with 17 trips to the end zone. Lambert racked up freshman All-American honors and then helped carry Hampton to the 2A state title game during his sophomore season playing on both sides of the ball, with no stats to share.
Watch for Bryant quarterback Ren Hefley. The 6-2-ish, 190-ish pound, quarterback helped guide Bryant to a 9-3 mark last season passing for 1,770 yard passing with 10 touchdowns. Expect him to grow in his role as starting quarterback with a bigger stat line to go with it.
With all the targets set, every other team in the state knows who the big dogs are and how to create shock and awe with a well-earned victory over the in-state bluebloods. The following is a list of some of the top Arkansas high school football games scheduled for the 2017 season.
Top Arkansas 2017 Games
Friday, Sept. 1
No. 1 Pulaski Academy at Page (Sand Springs, OK)
No. 2 Fayetteville at Blue Springs – No. 4 ranked 6A Missouri team
No. 13 Northside at No. 4 Greenwood
No. 9 Bentonville at Rockhurst (Kansas City) – No. 14 ranked 6A Missouri team
No. 16 Conway at No. 14 Springdale
Saturday, Sept. 2
No. 19 Benton at No. 8 Bryant in the Salt Bowl
Friday, Sept. 8
Ridgeway (TN) at No. 1 Pulaski Academy
No. 8 Bryant at No. 2 Fayetteville
No. 17 McClellan at No. 3 North Little Rock
No. 5 Jonesboro at No. 16 Conway
No. 6 Har-Ber (Springdale) at Jefferson City – No. 19 ranked 6A Missouri team
No. 9 Bentonville at Bixby – No. 4 ranked 6A Oklahoma team
No. 18 Pine Bluff at No. 23 Watson Chapel
Friday, Sept. 15
Parkway – No. 6 ranked Louisiana 5A team at No. 1 Pulaski Academy
Bishop Dunne (Dallas, TX) at No. 2 Fayetteville
Jenks – No. 2 ranked Oklahoma 6A team at No. 6 Har-Ber
Magnolia at No. 15 El Dorado
No. 11 Warren at No. 23 Watson Chapel
No. 13 Northside at No. 18 Pine Bluff
Friday, Sept. 22
No. 2 Fayetteville at No. 9 Bentonville
No. 8 Bryant at No. 13 Northside (Fort Smith)
No. 26 Sylvan Hills at No. 17 McClellan
Friday, Sept. 29
No. 16 Conway at No. 3 North Little Rock
No. 15 El Dorado at No. 4 Greenwood
Friday, Oct. 6
No. 5 Jonesboro at No. 18 Pine Bluff
No. 6 Har-Ber at No. 9 Bentonville
Nashville at Robinson
Friday, Oct. 13
No. 4 Greenwood at No. 10 Russellville
No. 14 Springdale at No. 9 Bentonville
No. 21 Prairie Grove at No. 12 Pea Ridge
No. 16 Conway at No. 13 Northside
Ashdown at Nashville
Friday, Oct. 20
No. 6 Har-Ber at No. 2 Fayetteville
No. 13 Northside at No. 3 North Little Rock
Friday, Oct. 27
No. 17 McClellan at No. 1 Pulaski Academy
No. 14 Springdale at No. 2 Fayetteville
No. 3 North Little Rock at No. 8 Bryant
No. 15 El Dorado at No. 10 Russellville
Friday, Nov. 3
No. 16 Conway at No. 8 Bryant
No. 13 Northside at No. 28 Southside (Fort Smith)
Which Arkansas high school games or players are you excited to see this season?
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Photo credit: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; No. 3 Layne Hatcher finds No. 28 Jaren Watkins (2015)