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Saturday, December 1, 2007
Road Through The Regular Season
Western Arkansas, AR
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A look back at where HSSTM was each week for our Games of the Week.
We didn’t know what to expect when we began our road through the regular season with our Games of the Week.
But the reception at each venue was unbelievable and we couldn’t have imagined a better inaugural season in Western Arkansas.
The fans, the players, the coaches, and most importantly, the athletic directors did everything in their power to help us with anything we needed whether it was where to park the HSSTM Hummer, where to set up magazine racks or how to convince the Public Address announcer to plug that it was our Game of the Week as many times as possible.
So, we wanted to give a huge THANK YOU to everyone involved who helped make our first season an overwhelming success. We also wanted to take one last look at the season by revisiting our trips with brief recaps and pictures from every game we attended, so here it is:
Week 1
Greenwood at Fort Smith Southside
Picking where to go for the season opener was a no-brainer when considering the 5A and 7A defending state champions were hooking up in Southside Stadium.
Greenwood led 25-21 early in the fourth quarter before the Rebels rallied with two touchdowns to win 34-25 behind the running of tailback Anthony Warren. He became our first HSSTM Impact Player of the Game when he gained more than 100 yards and three touchdowns.
Bulldogs’ tailback Trey Hopkins, who moved from Southside to Greenwood for his senior year, also scored three touchdowns in a losing effort.
Week 2
Shiloh Christian at Gravette
What an atmosphere it was for the opening of Gravette’s new stadium, which is by far one of the classiest venues around and was filled with raucous fans four our trip there on Sept. 14.
While lightning storms postponed play all over the region that night, we were fortunate that the game was not slowed at all even with only a light rain falling during the third quarter.
Unfortunately, the Lions’ Demolition Crew — the team’s nickname that’s painted with an “LDC” at midfield — didn’t do too well against the Saints during a 49-14 loss. Shiloh running back Matt Gerlt scored twice — once on a run and once on a pass play — to earn Impact Player of the Game honors.
Week 3
Springdale Har-Ber at Alma
Speaking of great venues, few facilities rival what goes on in Alma as it’s one of the only stadiums in the state that has in-game replays in the press box to ensure that all the scribes describe the plays accurately.
There also are few hosts better at what they do than Alma athletic director Dr. Mike McSpadden and his wife Malinda McSpadden. They made our trip there one of the best of the year with great food and great company.
However, the pregame festivities turned out to be the highlight of this night as the Airedales were whipped 56-10 by Springdale Har-Ber. The Wildcats’ Aaron Bowen became our first defensive player to be named Impact Player of the Game after he wrapped up 10 tackles, had an interception and forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Week 4
Fort Smith Northside at Fayetteville
We were all set to name Fayetteville’s Gionni Harris as Impact Payer of the Game until the Grizzlies, led by quarterback Dax Dupire, put together the comeback of the year to earn Dupire the award.
With his team trailing 24-9 with nine minutes remaining in regulation, Dupire rallied his team to a 37-24 victory by passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns and running for 60 yards and another score in the win.
Harris, who had two late fumbles, was outstanding up to that point with more than 200 yards of total offense, including nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. The win ended up helping seal a playoff spot for Darrell Henry’s Grizzlies.
Week 5
Prairie Grove at Farmington
One of the biggest rivalries in the area came down to the wire with a Prairie Grove pass play falling short late in the final quarter to give Farmington a 14-6 win.
Cardinals senior tailback Brandon Miller kept his composure after a fourth quarter fumble to pick off a pass on the Tigers’ ensuing possession which helped secure the win. He was named Impact Player of the Game with 12 carries for 24 yards and four receptions for 79 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown, that gave the Red Birds a 7-6 lead late in the first half.
Farmington’s Jairemy Smith, a speedster who moved in from Camden Fariview, took a direct snap out the Wildcat formation and danced 24 yards into the end zone for the final score of the game early in the fourth quarter.
Week 6
Bentonville at Springdale Har-Ber
Our weekly Coaches’ Polls helped make this match up our first battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, but the top-ranked Tigers were turnover prone in the game as Har-Ber came out on top 24-21.
Several players could have earned the nod for Impact Player of the Game honors, but it was senior quarterback Patrick Calcagni who played mistake free while passing for more than 150 yards and a touchdown while also converting several key third downs by running the ball.
The win turned out to be of great importance for Har-Ber as it secured the No. 1seed from the 7A West for the state playoffs and the conference title in what was only the program’s second year of playing football.
Week 7
Green Forest at Shiloh Christian
Long known as an offensive team, it was the Saints’ defense that smothered the Tigers’ powerful running attack in a convincing 35-7 win.
Shiloh Christian quarterback Blake Roberts was brilliant as he was responsible for all five of his team’s touchdowns — three passing and two running — to be named HSSTM’s Impact Player of the Game.
Roberts, who is playing his first year of high school football, accumulated 290 yards of total offense while also averaging 39 yards on each of his three punts. The win helped the Saints win the 3A-1 conference title and earn a first round bye in the playoffs.
Week 8
Fort Smith Northside at Rogers
Hands down this had to be the most exciting ball game we witnessed all season as Rogers gambled by going for a two-point conversion in the final minute to upend the Grizzlies 29-28.
It was senior night, but sophomore quarterback Andy Couture was the Impact Player of the Game by rallying his team from a 14-point deficit. Couture passed for 218 yards and three fourth quarter touchdowns.
Couture’s last touchdown pass was a seven-yarder that he threw off of his heals as he was hit into the back corner of the end zone for senior tight end Jake Byrne, who’s verbally committed to Wisconsin. Then, Michael Tibbs scored on the two-point conversion to give Rogers the victory.
Week 9
Springdale at Fort Smith Northside
We loved watching Northside play so much that we caught the Grizzlies for a third time — more than any other team — during 14-7 win against Springdale at historic Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
Northside junior Semaj Edwards proved why he’s considered among the top running backs in the state when he gained 110 hard-fought yards on 27 carries and scored a touchdown in his ninth straight game to be named Impact Player of the Game.
On a sad side note, Edwards tore his ACL the following game and missed the rest of the season.
Week 10
Rogers at Bentonville
By far the best and largest crowd of the season showed up for the Tigers 28-0 drilling of their cross-town rivals. The win gave Bentonville a share of the conference title and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs..
We didn’t have to debate long about who to give the Impact Player of the Game honors to as senior tailback Anthony Blackmon raced for 239 yards and all four of his team’s touchdowns on 33 carries.
Blackmon, who became our first lone player featured on a cover in November’s issue, set a school record with 31 touchdowns and is now the all-time rushing leader for a single season with 2,258 yards.
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