BENTONVILLE — After 12 weeks of preparations for Friday night games, Bentonville’s football team will have to adjust its schedule a little for the next contest.
With their 31-7 victory Friday over North Little Rock, the Tigers earned the right to travel to Little Rock and play in the Class 7A State Championship for a second consecutive year.
However, unlike last year’s tilt, this year’s title game will be played at noon Saturday instead of on Friday night. The Arkansas Activities Association rotates the championship games for Class 5A, 6A and 7A between Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night.
While the time change that could bother some high school coaches, Bentonville’s Barry Lunney is fond of the afternoon contests. It was a daytime affair when the Tigers won the 2008 Class 7A championship with a 32-20 victory over Fort Smith Southside.
“This will be my fourth afternoon game,” he said. “We’ll prepare, and it will be a fun game. I like them. I guess in college I got used to playing in them.
“But it doesn’t matter if we’re playing them on Friday night or 6 o’clock, whatever it is. We’re going to Little Rock, and it’s a great reward for these kids and the coaching staff that has worked so hard. It should be a great championship week.”
PLAY OF THE GAME: Dallas Hardison hit Desmond Smith in stride for a 65-yard touchdown pass to start the second half. It helped extend Bentonville’s lead to a 24-0 margin and deflated North Little Rock’s hopes of a comeback.
INJURY UPDATE: Sophomore tight end Justin Caylor was noticeably limping after the game after he caught a short pass and took a hit to his leg from a North Little Rock defender.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Tearris Wallace carried the early load and finished with 121 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, and Desmond Smith finished with five receptions for 118 yards and two third-quarter scores.
NOTABLE: With his outing Friday, Tearris Wallace became the 7A-West Conference’s leading rusher this season. He has 1,267 yards to 1,203 for Fort Smith Southside’s David Price. ... Dallas Hardison, who threw for 267 yards Friday, needs 185 yards to reach the 3,000-yard passing mark. ... Desmond Smith now needs 24 yards receiving to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive year.
THE LINGO: “It was good football. We had to keep competing and keep trying to do what we do, and that was a hard, hard-fought 31-7 win.” — Bentonville coach Barry Lunney.
UP NEXT: Bentonville returns to Little Rock for a rematch with Fayetteville at noon Saturday for the Class 7A State Championship. Bentonville won last year’s title game 49-28 and took this year’s meeting 41-6 in Fayetteville.