Three local high school football teams – Nashville, Dierks and Murfreesboro – will continue their seasons this Friday night as the Arkansas football playoffs begin.
All playoff games begin at 7 p.m., and gate receipts go to the Arkansas Activities Association. Season passes bought by patrons are not in effect.
The Nashville Scrappers finished a perfect 10-0 season last Friday night with a 42-21 win over Bauxite. The District 7-4A champs will host the Crossett Eagles, fifth place finishers in District 8-4A.
The Eagles finished the regular season with a 6-4 record. Crossett wins have came over Magnolia (23-20), Fordyce (49-36), McGehee (41-40), Dumas (35-6), DeWitt (28-16) and Monticello (41-27). The Eagles lost the season’s last three games to Hambugr (40-27), Pine Bluff-Dollarway (16-14) and Star City (28-7). The other loss was to Warren (62-36).
In addition to settling their ancient rivalry in a Thursday night game, Dierks and Murfreesboro battled for fourth and fifth place seeding from District 7-2A. Dierks (6-4) won the game 14-7, and the Outlaws will travel to Conway Christian, where the Eagles were second place in District 5-2A.
Conway Christian finished the season with a 7-3 record. Wins came over Rose Bud )69-13), Poyen (50-8), Mountain Pine (63-0), Quitman (54-18), Cutter Morning Stoar (54-8), Magnet Cove (27-14) and Bigelow (41-22). Losses were to Little Rock Episcopal (32-24), Haskell Harmony Grove (51-21) and England (27-20).
The Murfreesboro Rattlers (4-6) travel to play the Cross County Thunderbirds, winners of District 3-2A.
The Thunderbirds were 9-1 on the season with their sole loss against Walnut Ridge, 37-21. T-bird wins included Harrisburg (42-6), Baptist Prep (32-28), Jonesboro Westside (36-7), Marked Tree (37-21), Salem (27-0), East Pinsett County (35-12), Rector (36-0), Midland (42-6) and Earle (38-18).
Other teams from 7-4A in the playoffs include Ashdown hosting Stuttgart; Fountain Lake hosting Pine Bluff Dollarway; Arkadelphia at Helena-West Helena; and Malvern at Central Arkansas Christian.
If Nashville wins its opening round game, the Scrappers will advance to play the winner of this week’s Dover-Shiloh Christian game Nov. 20 at Scrapper Stadium.
Other teams from 7-2A in the playoffs include Gurdon hosting Quitman; Mount Ida hosting Salem; and Lafayette County hosting Strong.
In the class 5A playoffs, Hope hosts Blytheville and Hot Springs Lakeside hosts Forrest City.
