Tigers Advance, Faces Ashdown Friday

Prairie Grove could not have scripted a better start to its first-round playoff game if the Tigers had drawn it up themselves.

Prairie Grove (10-1) scored two touchdowns in the opening minute of the game, intercepted the first three Jonesboro Westside passes, and forced seven total turnovers in its 45-14 win last Friday night.

The Tigers led 26-0 after one quarter, and the reserves got a lot of playing time in the mercy rule home win.

"We had 10 guys carry the ball," Tigers coach Danny Abshier said Monday. "Cole Walker went in for Reed Orr, who will be out for a little while. Cole had 4 carries for 47 yards, and Kyle Sam, who was switching off with him at fullback, had 5 carries for 35 yards."

Prairie Grove needed just 40 seconds to get on the scoreboard as Sol Walker scored on a 13-yard run for a 7-0 lead with 11 minutes, 20 seconds left in the first quarter.

Tigers' senior quarterback Sam Dodd, who was 6 of 9 passing for 100 yards, found Gavin Heltemes on a 20-yard scoring strike just 20 seconds later after the Tigers forced and recovered a Westside fumble.

Prairie Grove senior running back Blake Faulk had just four carries in the rout, but two of those went for touchdowns in runs of 40 and 6 yards helping the Tigers to a 26-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Dodd later added an 8-yard shuffle pass for a touchdown to tight end Dylan Soehner.

Dodd has put together a solid season for the Tigers, as the 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior heads into this week's home playoff game against Ashdown. In 11 games, Dodd is 67-of-121 for 1,567 yards with 23 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions.

Abshier said the Tigers will be without Reed Orr again this week with a leg injury, and Cole McClellan is still nursing a hamstring issue and could also miss Friday's home game against Ashdown.

"We just got (Andrew) Carrillo back, but it doesn't look like Orr will play this week," Abshier said. "McClellan still has a little tweak in his leg and he may not play either."

Ashdown (8-3) comes into the game off a 26-25 win against Stuttgart last week, scoring 14 fourth-quarter points in the comeback win.

The Panthers are a young team, led by sophomore quarterback Jayden Hill. The 6-2, 200 pounder is 75 of 154 passing for 937 yards with 8 touchdowns and 9 interceptions on the year. Against Stuttgart last week, he was 13-of-19 for 200 yards.

Brandon Norcross is Hiil's top receiver with 36 catches for 457 yards, but led the team in rushing against Stuttgart with 15 carries for 66 yards.

"They play some pretty salty defense, and they can get you on offense," Abshier said. "They like to spread it out, but they also go under center some, and in shotgun some. They do a lot of different things."

The Tigers, who earned the No. 1 seed out of the 4A-1 Conference, would have to go on the road next week if Pocahontas defeats Star City on Friday. A Star City win would give the Tigers another home game.

"Playing on your grass, or someone else's grass, the difference is not driving 5 hours," Abshier said. "That's the real advantage of a home game. So it was nice to have to play at home, and Ashdown has to come up here this week. So I think a trip like that has an affect on you because it takes you out of your routine."

Sports on 11/19/2015