RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week: Week 7

A few huge matchups this week.

Shocker at Alumni Field, an average of 50 points in the first 5 games only 7 points on Friday. If our readers were surprised about the Hackett comeback against Lavaca. Charleston winning over Mansfield for sure sent shockwaves. But! this sets up a very interesting next few weeks. Lets dive right in as conference titles and playoff seeding is right around the corner.

RNN Sport Stone Cold Lock Of The Week

Booneville @ Mansfield

After the first few games, I circled this game on the schedule. It’s what has started this column and it is what Friday Night Football was made of. Does the loss last week affect how I feel about this game… Nope. Two of the best teams in 3A doing battle in Mansfield, it’s a Heavyweight match with still two potent offenses and very tough defenses. Dax Goff went over 4000 Career Yards on his first run against Greenland last week. If Mansfield does what they did last week and keep it on the ground, the Bearcat defense will keep them grounded. If they throw…. it will make it a very interesting game. With former teammates of my son on both squads I wish I could watch this one in person, but we’re in Lake Hamilton tonight so I will have to settle for checking in on the Arkansas Sports Network Live Stream. Mansfield could play the spoiler in this one, but I feel Booneville has the upper hand in this one. Hope I’m wrong.

The Rest

Charleston @ Hackett

Could Hackett do it again? Could they surprise Charleston? After the Tigers big win last week against Mansfield, they have absolutely turned a corner on the season. A win this week and a Booneville win means next week could be decider for the 3A Region 1 Conference Championship when the Bearcats and Tigers tangle at Alumni Field in Charleston. BUT! That’s next week! This week Hackett could throw a wrench into the Conference with a win. Charleston pulls this one out and rides an undefeated Conference record into next weeks showdown.

Lavaca @ Greenland

The Pirates of Greenland have been getting beat up this season and it will not slow down this week. Lavaca still has a lot to play for in the 3A Region 1 Conference with Mansfield, Booneville, and Charleston left on the schedule. It’s a tough onslaught of games to go for the Golden Arrows and this might be a trap game if they are looking to far ahead in the schedule. I still think they bring home the W in this one and we will see if they corrected what ailed them in the Hackett game over the next three weeks.

Cedarville @ West Fork

Well, I have a very strong feeling that West Fork gets into the conference win column this week. Cedarville is struggling defensively this season, and West Fork has a few offensive weapons waiting to be unleashed after being throttled the past three conference games. I expect there to be some fireworks from the Tiger offense.

Bigelow @ Magazine

Bigelow is really good and has been leaving a swath of teams in it’s wake. Magazine is looking to finish out the rest of their schedule. Short summary, Bigelow will do what they have done the past 6 games.

Two Rivers @ Paris

While the uniforms look like the Florida Gators, the Two Rivers Gators do not have the record to go with the shared team name. The Eagles just like West Fork will get their first conference win against Two Rivers. The rest of the schedule may bounce Paris’ way. A win tonight will be a confidence builder down the stretch. The conference out look for the 3A Region 4 could get very interesting. Paris looks to have already played the toughest part of the conference schedule and could very well win out on paper. Currently they are sitting in last in conference but could get the 4th or 5th spot out of Region 4 in the 3A playoff race with how the schedule is. For example, Centerpoint is in 2nd with a 3-0 record but still has to play Jessieville, Paris, and conference heavyweights Glen Rose and Bismarck.

Ozark @ Gentry

So last week I thought Ozark and Lincoln was going to be a game, sorry about that. My son even told me “Make Charleston vs Mansfield the Lock”. Next time the 16 yr old gives me advice I might take it. In the Lock Of The Week, Ozark shut down Lincoln, down to 7 points kind of like how Charleston did to Mansfield. Oof. This week Ozark has Gentry and their Sophomore QB Talan Williams. The Pioneer QB has 1077 yards with 10 TD’s while completing 71% of his passes. The Hillbilliy defense will get tested this week. Adam and I are split on this, I’m saying Gentry he’s saying Ozark. We’ll see who is right later tonight.

Greenwood @ Lake Hamilton

When I was leaving the GMAC at Greenwood two Fridays ago, I saw Head Coach Chris Young just outside the Locker Room and said “Did you see Van Buren beat Lake Hamilton?” I was shocked. Lake Hamilton has been a perennial contender in the 6A and the 6A West. Three seasons ago they had Greenwood on the ropes with a punishing clock control running offense, then made it to the State Championship game jumping out to a 10-0 lead on Greenwood in the first few minutes. The game would end 49-24 with Greenwood getting their 10th State Championship in Football. That would also be the last points they would score on the Bulldogs. In the 2021 and the 2022 seasons the would get shutout both of those being at Greenwood. This year the Wolves are sitting at 3-4 on the season and trying to get through the last few games of the season. Greenwood is coming off a bye week and gearing up for 4 games that could make a difference on the season. It’s a slightly long drive through the Ouachitas to play at one of my favorite stadiums.

Arkadelphia @ Waldron

Arkadelphia took on a tough non-conference schedule and is undefeated in conference. Waldron is still tracking to find traction. The Badgers take this one.

The Others

Conway @ Fort Smith Northside

The Buck James led Wampus Cats stroll into Fort Smith to take on the Grizzlies. Northside dropped a close one against Jonesboro that looked to go back and forth. The Wampus Cats are rolling this year and are the top team in the state. A few more games until the showdown between Conway and Bryant, pretty sure that’s the one everyone has circled as the must-see matchup of 2023.

Fort Smith Southside @ Rogers Heritage

Oh my gosh I could not wait to bring this up. Rogers Heritage last Friday took on Bentonville, the Tigers beat Rogers 84-0. Yes…. Eighty-Four to Zero. It left me speechless Friday Night. New week, new opponent. Granted the Mavericks probably will not put up 84 points but this will not be good for the War Eagles. Southside is playing really well right now even with previous 3 losses. But those losses will dictate playoff seeding and who they will meet out of the 7A Central.

For Funsies

Bentonville @ Fayetteville

Bentonville played a tough non-conference schedule that included Broken Arrow, OK, Kansas City Rockhurst, and Conway. They took two losses doing so, but they are on pace to meet Conway again in December. Fayetteville is bringing in a undefeated record into the game. They are putting up points but not in the north of 70 fashion that Bentonville has. I’d say keep an eye out for this score but every news outlet in NWA will have this as their lead in.