Lonoke at Pea Ridge
KICKOFF 7 p.m.
SEEDS
Lonoke is the No. 4 seed from the 4A-2 Conference
Pea Ridge is the No. 2 seed from the 4A-1 Conference.
COACHES
Lonoke -- Harry Wright
Pea Ridge -- Stephen Neal
RECORD
Lonoke 6-4, 5-2 4A-2 Conference
Pea Ridge 6-4, 6-1 4A-1 Conference
POSTSEASON RECORD
Lonoke 20-27
Pea Ridge 15-19
LAST PLAYOFF RESULT
Lonoke lost in the second round of the 2018 playoffs to Ozark.
Pea Ridge lost to Helena in the first-round of the 2018 playoffs in overtime.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Lonoke -- QB Spencer Pepper (So., 5-8, 175), RB Anthony Parks (Jr., 5-9, 180), WR Chris Lucas (Jr., 5-10, 170)LD Dayton Smith (Jr., 5-11, 175), LB Brayden Coble (Jr., 5-8, 180)
Pea Ridge -- QB Tate Busey (Sr., 6-2, 170), RB Samuel Beard (Sr., 5-11, 185), WR Hunter Rains (Sr., 5-8, 150), OL Phillip Brown (Sr., 6-1, 275), OL Hagen Schader (Sr., 6-3, 250), LB Lance Nunley (Sr., 5-10, 180).
BETWEEN THE LINES
Lonoke has won three of its last four games including a forfeit win against Little Rock Mills. The Jackrabbits knocked off Riverview 26-14 in the season finale last week. Lonoke sophomore quarterback Spencer Pepper emerged this season and took over the reins, passing for more than 1,000 yards. The Jackrabbits have a solid run game with Pepper leading the way along with junior RB Anthony Parks, who has more than 500 rushing yards.
Pea Ridge's record is deceiving. The Blackhawks have lost four games. Three of those came against 5A teams in nonconference, and Pea Ridge lost to Shiloh Christian 28-26 in a game that went down to the wire in the regular-season finale. Tate Busey, in his second year as the starter, elevated his game this season. Busey has passed for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for more than 500 with 24 total touchdowns. Senior RB Samuel Beard is explosive and has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Blackhawks. Pea Ridge will make its final 4A playoff run as the Blackhawks are headed to Class 5A next season. Five times in the past eight seasons the Blackhawks won 10 or more games and advanced to the state final in 2016. Stephen Neal is 38-12 in his fifth season as the Pea Ridge head coach.
UP NEXT The winner of this game will take on the winner of the Southside Batesville vs. Star City game in the second round.
Sports on 11/13/2019