Instant analysis: 10 takeaways from Week 6 of Arkansas high school football (10/7/2023)

Fights mar double-overtime classic between Mills and Pine Bluff

Here are 10 nuggets (in no particular order) that stuck out from Week 6 of the Arkansas high school football season. 

1. Emotions from Mills’ thrilling win over Pine Bluff spill into postgame

Mills won a key 5A-Central showdown over Pine Bluff Friday night, 24-21, in two overtimes. The game had it all with University of Arkansas commits Charlie Collins (Mills) and Pine Bluff’s Courtney Crutchfield (Pine Bluff) making plays all over the field in a see-saw affair. Ultimately, Ricardo Gaytan’s 20-yard field goal won the game. However, a lot of the talk in coming days will center on two fights that occurred following the game.

The scene was bad enough that Mills players were sequestered in the visiting locker room before things cooled down and it was safe to board the bus to return home.

As far as football goes, Mills stays in the hunt for a 5A-Central Championship with one loss to Maumelle. Both teams join Maumelle in chasing Joe T. Robinson, which is undefeated in league play.

2. Bentonville lights up the scoreboard

The Tigers struck quickly in an 84-0 win over Rogers Heritage on Friday night. They scored on 12 possessions and 10 of those 12  scoring drives took five plays or less. The final score came on a late interception return. 

Even with the efficiency, it’s remarkable BHS could score that many times with the clock running continuously in the second half because of the sportsmanship rule.

3. CAC defense comes up big in shootout

In a game the Mustangs won, 44-43, at Pottsville, it was the defense that saved the day. 

Pottsville scored with 2:07 left to cut the Mustangs’ lead to one. The Apaches elected to go for two to take the lead, but CAC stopped the conversion run.

The Mustangs took over on the ensuing kickoff, but then fumbled. Pottsville quickly drove all the way down to the CAC six-yard line. With 15 seconds remaining, Pottsville tried to run the ball in, but CAC stiffened, and time ran out on Pottsville.

With the win, CAC is tied with Pottsville for the 4-4A lead. They host Clinton next Friday night.

4. Charleston struggles to put away Mansfield for a change 

Charleston entered Friday night’s game with Mansfield winning the past three meetings by a combined 130-14. The Tigers continued their winning streak but had to claw their way to a 14-7 win.

Mansfield, which was 5-0 entering the game, was coming off a 65-0 win over Greenland last week where it had rushed for 499 yards.

After dropping three straight games to larger-class teams in the nonconference season, the Tigers have hit their stride with a 3-0 record in 1-3A Conference play.

5. Shiloh Christian star running back returns for win at Harrison

Saints senior Bo Willliams ran for 600 yards in the first two games but has been plagued by an ankle injury. It led him to the sideline for part of a 49-7 win against Dardanelle two weeks ago and last week he did not play in a 53-10 rout of Clarksville. Friday night, he ran 17 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns in a 55-25 victory at Harrison.

The Saints are 3-0 in 5A-West play despite Williams sitting out and starting freshman QB Cole Creighton being sidelined since the season opener.

Shiloh celebrates its homecoming with a game against Pea Ridge next week.

6. Rison’s woes continue 

Rison is one of the more storied prep football programs in Arkansas, but it is off to a historically bad start. The woes continued Friday night with a 56-13 loss to Ouachita County Harmony Grove.

The Wildcats are 0-6 and have been beaten by two touchdowns or more in five of those six games.

Rison is not accustomed to this type of season after legendary coach Clay Totty never had a losing season from 1998 to when he resigned last season to take the Wynne job. Totty won double-digit games 13 times, including six perfect regular seasons, and was the NFHS Arkansas High School Football Coach of the Year in 2000. The Wildcats won two state titles during his tenure.

Caleb Carmikle left Magnet Cove to take the Rison job in the spring. The Wildcats play rival Fordyce next week. 

7. North Little Rock moves to 2-1 in league play after rocky nonconference slate

North Little Rock has been one of the premier programs in Class 7A but dropped off last year, going 6-6 and losing 45-0 to Bentonvile in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. After dropping all three nonconference games and a 36-7 league loss to Conway, NLR improved to 2-1 in the conference with a 44-13 drubbing of Little Rock Southwest.

The Charging Wildcats can continue their climb up the standings when they entertain Jonesboro next week. Jonesboro is 1-2 in 7A-Central play after beating Northside this week. NLR plays Northside in two weeks.

8. Des Arc wins three-overtime marathon over Marked Tree

Des Arc won a big conference road game over Marked Tree in dramatic fashion. Tylen Miller made a tackle on the one-yard line in the third overtime to clinch the 66-64 win.

Daviyon Bell led the Eagles with 14 carries for 241 yards and three TDs. Cashe Flanigan ran for 97 yards and 5 TDs and Walker Harris added 86 yards rushing and a TD.

Des Arc is undefeated in league play.

9. Fayetteville’s defense continues to be opportunistic

Fayetteville’s offense steals the headlines, but the Purple Dogs defense deserves a lot of credit for the team’s undefeated start.

Last week, the defense forced a fumble late in the game to seal a narrow win over Rogers. Friday night, FHS forced three Fort Smith Southside turnovers in a 45-31 win at Fort Smith Southside. The Rebels hung with Fayetteville, but the turnovers helped them pull away. Earlier this season, Fayetteville forced six turnovers and scored on them all.

Fayetteville hosts Bentonville next week in a game that could decide the 7A-West Conference title.

10. Southside (Batesville) racking up points, wins

One of the most surprising teams this season might be the Southerners. They are 6-0 and have outscored opponents 250-76.

Southside’s only semi-close game came against Wynne in Week 5, but they pulled away to win 28-14. On Friday night, Southside drilled Brookland 38-0.

The Southerners' first big test might come next week at Nettleton. Many expected the Raiders to compete with Valley View for the conference title. 

--Nate Olson I @ndosports I nate@scorebooklive.com 

Photo of Fayetteville defensive back Isaiah Taylor by George Mitchell