Though Osceola was young, he was smart and fierce and he began to emerge as leader amongst his people.  Upon reaching Florida, they found sanctuary with the Seminoles.  These Florida Indians were really a part of the Creek Nation and spoke a very similar language.  The Seminoles were first called Seminolies, which is thought to derive from the Spanish word “cimarron,” meaning “wild people” or “runaway.”

Many Creek Indians moved to Florida from Georgia and Alabama in the 1700s to avoid contact with Europeans, as well as other Native groups.  Some relocated because they sought fertile land.  After Peter McQueen, leader of the Red Stick faction of the Creek Nation, attacked Fort Mims and killed 400 white men, women and children, Andrew Jackson initiated a campaign against the Red Sticks.  800 Red stick Creeks were killed in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, and their villages were burnt.  Little Owl was only eleven years old when he and his mother fled Alabama with a group of Red Sticks led by McQueen.

Where Osceola was born, the people were a mix of Native American, English, Scottish, and Irish–and some were black.  Osceola may have been all of these.  His mother, Polly Copinger, was the daughter of a Creek Indian chieftain who married William Powell, a white man.  Like many Native Americans, Osceola, went by many names throughout his life.  When he was young, he was called Little Owl.  This became Billy Powell, after his mother’s marriage, but he considered Powell to be his stepfather and considered himself full blooded.  His Indian name, Asiyahola, roughly translates to “black drink singer.”  It is the cry given by those taking a ceremonial black drink brewed from the leaves of holly bushes, and meant to purify mind and spirit.  “Osceola” is the white man’s distortion of his Indian name.

Week two of the high school football state playoffs included nine games featuring NEA teams in action.  Here’s a look around the playoff gridirons. Compiled by Andrew Wilson.

Harrisburg 56 Jessieville 42 – The Hornets had to wait an extra week to start their championship quest, but their performance wasn’t too rusty Friday night. Harrisburg built up a large lead in the first half and held on in the second to dismiss Jessieville 56-42 in the opening round of the 3A state playoffs. The Hornets will host Harmony Grove next Friday in round two.

Osceola 25 Ashdown 20 - The Seminoles scored first against Ashdown and held a 10-0 lead after a defensive first half. The Panthers put some points on the board in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as Osceola (10-1-1) advanced to the quarterfinals of the 4A state playoffs. The Seminoles will host Heber Springs next week.

Watson Chapel 31 Jonesboro 29 – Watson Chapel scored early in the second half to take their first lead of the game and held on late to win 31-29 and end Jonesboro’s season. The Hurricane put up two touchdowns and a field goal in the first half compared to Watson Chapel’s two touchdowns and two two-point conversions to lead 17-16 at the break. Jonesboro’s season comes to an end at home in the second round of the 6A playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Hurricane finishes the year 9-2 overall.

Monticello 54 GCT 22 – The undefeated Billies kept their perfect season alive, and brought GCT’s stellar season to an end. Monticello led 34-0 at the half while GCT was 0-of-9 passing in the first half with two interceptions as Monticello rolled to a 32-point victory. The Golden Eagles end their season at 9-3 overall following the school’s first playoff appearance since 1991.

Pine Bluff 24 West Memphis 16 – Through 10 weeks of the regular season, West Memphis didn’t lose. In their first playoff game they did. Pine Bluff got revenge from an early-season loss to West Memphis with a 24-16 road victory Friday night. The Blue Devils’ championship dreams came to an end on their home field, as they finish the season with a record of 10-1 overall.

Rison 35 Earle 20 – Rison took a 28-12 lead into the halftime break and held on to advance and eliminate Earle. The Bulldogs’ successful season comes to an end at 7-4 overall after losing their final three games.

Paris 34 Cave City 12 – Paris scored first and led the Cavemen 14-6 at halftime, before pouring on the points in the second half to win 34-12. Cave City’s successful season comes to an end at 8-3 overall.

McCrory 42 Mountain Pine 14 – The Jaguars scored first in an electric atmosphere at home, led 28-14 at the half and added two more scores in the second half to advance. Next up for the Jaguars is a huge showdown with 2A-8 champion Bearden who rolled over Mineral Springs 51-0 Friday.

Danville 37 Cross County 16 – Cross County’s playoff run came to a sudden halt Friday at the hands of Danville. The Little Johns led 37-0 at the half en route to the victory, ending Cross County’s season after a second-consecutive trip to the second round of the 2A playoffs.

Rivercrest was off this week during their first round playoff bye in the 3A playoffs. The Colts will host Bauxite next week.

The opening week of the high school football playoffs turned out to be a difficult one for many NEA teams, with just three teams from the GameFace coverage area winning their contests. (Compiled by Andrew Wilson.)

GCT 28 Magnolia 24 – GCT is making the most of their first playoff appearance since 1991. The Golden Eagles defeated Magnolia on the road 28-24 Friday night. GCT struck first, but trailed 17-7 at the half. GCT wouldn’t go away quietly in the second half though, scoring two quick touchdowns to retake the lead in the third. The teams exchanged touchdowns after that, and Jeff Conaway’s team held on to advance to the next round. Next up for GCT (9-2) is the 5A-Southeast champion Monticello, who dispatched Vilonia 31-0 on Friday night.

Gravette 12 Valley View 7 - Valley View came up just short in their playoff trip west against Gravette. Both teams played a scoreless first quarter, Gravette added a field goal early in the second period and led 12-0 in the third period. The Blazers finally found the endzone in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get any closer. Valley View’s season ends at 6-5 overall.

LR Christian 29 Forrest City 27 – State standout Michael Dyer led LR Christian past 5A-East champion Forrest City 29-27 Friday night on the road. The game was close throughout, but the Mustangs’ stellar season comes to an end at 8-3 overall.

Pulaski Academy 50 West Helena 39 - In a rematch of last season’s 5A State Championship game, the Cougars led 26-20 at the half, but PA came back in the second half to eliminate the Cougars by 11. West Helena’s season ends at 6-5 overall.

Camden Fairview 47 Blytheville 7 – Blytheville fell behind early, and was dismissed cleanly on the road against Camden Fairview 47-7 Friday night. The Chickasaws end their season at 4-6-1 overall.

Osceola 48 Huntsville 14 – Osceola was the only 4A-3 team to survive on the first Friday night of the state playoffs. The Noles led 27-14 over Huntsville in the third quarter and roared away in the second half. Osceola (9-1-1) will face Ashdown next week at home, after Ashdown knocked off Farmington 42-13.

Stuttgart 28 Newport 27 – The Greyhounds led 21-14 at halftime and held the lead into the third quarter, but the Ricebirds roared back in the final frame to nip Newport and advance in the 4A playoffs. Newport’s up and down season comes to an end on their home field with a record of 5-6 overall.

Dover 41 Trumann 14 – Dover jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the second quarter and stretched the lead to three touchdowns at the half, en route to dismissing Trumann from the 4A playoffs. The Wildcats’ season ends with a record of 4-7 overall.

DeQueen 47 Gosnell 0 – DeQueen routed the Pirates on the road Friday. The Leopards scored first and roared to a 27-0 lead into the third quarter and a 47-point win. The Pirates end a successful season at 7-4 overall.

Cross County 57 Conway Christian 36 – The T-Birds held a 30-24 at halftime, and exploded with the first 20 points of the second half to pull away and advance to round two of the 2A playoffs. The road victory moves Cross County on to face the 2A-5 champion Danville who breezed past Johnson County Westside 41-6 on Friday night.

Strong 37 Augusta 22 – The Red Devils struck with a field goal to open the scoring, but Strong powered out a 23-16 lead into the second half and pulled away after that to end Augusta’s season.

Woodlawn 18 Walnut Ridge 13 – Woodlawn outlasted Walnut Ridge Friday, dismissing the Bobcats 18-13. Walnut Ridge’s season comes to an end with an overall record of 7-4.

All games in the 3A-3 state playoffs have been postponed indefinitely, stemming from a legal dispute regarding Lamar high school and their eligibility.

The first round of the high school football playoffs in Arkansas begin this Friday night, and 20 teams from NEA have made the playoff party. Here’s a look at the playoff outlooks for several local teams.

Four NEA teams get first round playoff byes thanks to their successful regular seasons. They include: West Memphis (10-0), Jonesboro (9-1), Rivercrest (8-2), and McCrory (10-0). The Blue Devils will start playoff action next week against the winner of Pine Bluff and Mountain Home, while the Hurricane will most likely face Watson Chapel in round two at home.

Several NEA teams will get to host first round games on Friday night. The 4A-3 champion Osceola (8-1-1) will host Huntsville from the northwest, Newport (5-5) will play Stuttgart at home, and Gosnell (7-3) will host DeQueen. The other two playoff teams from the 4A-3 will have to go on the road. Valley View (6-4) will travel west to face Gravette and Trumann (4-6) will pay a visit to Dover.

In the 5A-East, conference champion Forrest City (8-2) will get standout Michael Dyer and Little Rock Christian at home, while the conference’s No. 2 seed West Helena (6-4) will host Pulaski Academy. The other two teams in the playoffs from the 5A will have to make long distance trips, with GCT (8-2) traveling to Magnolia and Blytheville (4-5-1) going up against the top seed from the Southwest Division in Camden Fairview.

Three teams from the 3A-3 will be in action this Friday night. Harrisburg (9-1) will host Jessieville, while Cave City (9-1) goes on the road to face Yellville-Summit. The Cavemen already have a non-conference victory to their credit over Yellville-Summit earlier this season. The conference’s fourth seed Earle (7-3) will have a tough draw as they visit Rison.

In the 2A-3, Augusta is the lone local team hosting a playoff game this Friday, as Strong will travel north to take on the Red Devils. Meanwhile, Walnut Ridge (7-3) will travel to Woodlawn, and Cross County will visit Conway Christian in a battle of teams that go by CC.

Check back on the blog this weekend for updates on which NEA teams survive and advance to round two.

A look around the football gridirons on a Thursday night in Week 10 - Compiled by Andrew Wilson

Jonesboro 41 LR Hall 6 – The Hurricane led 14-6 at halftime, but poured on the points in the second half to win their ninth game of the season. Jonesboro (9-1, 6-1 6A-East) will have a bye next week in the first round of the 6A State Playoffs.

Valley View 45 Westside 6 – The Blazers won their fourth consecutive game Thursday, beating rivals Westside 45-6. Next up for Valley View (6-4, 4-3 4A-3) is a trip to the state playoffs, while the season comes to an end for Westside (3-7, 1-6 4A-3).

Gosnell 14 Highland 6 – The Pirates rebounded in Week 10 with a 14-6 defensive battle over the Rebels. Gosnell (7-3, 5-2 4A-3) enters the playoffs as the No. 3 seed out of the conference.  Highland (3-7, 2-5 4A-3) finishes their regular season with back-to-back close losses.

Osceola 37 Pocahontas 21 - Playing just three days after being taken to overtime by Highland, the conference champion Seminoles were tested again, this time by cellar dweller Pocahontas. In the end though, the Noles survived and completed a perfect season in 4A-3 play. Osceola (8-1-1, 7-0 4A-3) will roll into the playoffs yet again under longtime coach Clinton Gore, while Pocahontas’ (1-9, 0-7 4A-3) season comes to an end.

West Memphis 35 LR Parkview 7 – The Blue Devils completed an undefeated regular season with a four-touchdown beatdown over Little Rock Parkview. West Memphis (10-0, 7-0 6A-East) will get a playoff bye next week before starting play in the 6A playoffs.

Harrisburg 39 Hoxie 12 – The Hornets grabbed their ninth win of the season Thursday night, shutting down Hoxie 39-12. Harrisburg (9-1, 6-1 3A-3) finishes the regular season in a three-way tie for first in the 3A-3. Hoxie (4-6, 3-7 3A-3) will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Cave City 28 Earle 8 – The Cavemen pulled away from Earle early, and rolled to a 28-8 victory Thursday night. Cave City (9-1, 6-1 3A-3) finishes the regular season in a three-way tie for the top spot in the 3A-3, as they prepare for the playoffs. The Bulldogs (7-2, 4-2 3A-3) will be the No. 4 seed out of the conference.

Rivercrest 56 Manila 13 – The Colts blasted Manila by 43 points Thursday to finish their regular season slate with a record of 8-2 and 6-1 in the 4A-3. The playoffs await next week for Rivercrest.

McCrory 56 Salem 8 – The Jags scored four touchdowns in the first quarter and led 48-9 at halftime en route to completing an undefeated regular season. The Jags (10-0, 9-0 2A-3) will now shift their attention to the 2A playoffs, with hopes of a state title a possibility.

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Did you watch a game this Thursday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

Valencia Community College Osceola Campus

Valencia Community College’s Osceola campus was recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities with its Outstanding HACU-Member Institution Award, in recognition of the college’s efforts in advancing the mission and goals of HACU.

The award was presented Nov. 1 during HACU’s 23rd annual conference held at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. Dr. Silvia Zapico, provost of the Osceola campus, accepted the award on behalf of the college.

Zapico served as past chair of HACU and has represented Valencia as a member of the association since 2001.

Hispanic students make up more than 27 percent of enrollment collegewide and 46 percent of enrollment on the Osceola campus alone. The college is third in the nation in the number of associate degrees earned by Hispanics.

Accepting the award was Valencia Provost Silvia Zapico (center). The award was presented by HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores and Rosa Perez, Chancellor, San Jose/Evergreen Community College District and treasurer of HACU's Governing Board.

Established in 1986, HACU represents 450 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, Spain and Portugal.

Source:  Valencia receives Hispanic education award – Orlando Business Journal:

The Annual Osceola Arts Festival will be held February 13 and 14, 2010 on the Osceola Campus of Valencia Community College in Kissimmee. Artist applications are now available at www.ocfta.com. The deadline for all applications is December 1, 2009.

The Osceola Art Festival is an annual juried fine arts show under the sponsorship of the Osceola Center for the Arts and in partnership with Valencia Community College. Show incentives include $15,000 in prizes, including (1) $1500 Best of Show 2D award, (1) $1500 Best of Show 3D award, (9) $900 1st place awards in each category, (10) $300 open awards of excellence and (10) $100 open honorable mentions. A complimentary Artists Awards Brunch will take place Sunday morning and Booth Sitting is available. Categories include painting, pastels/graphics/ drawing, photography, sculpture/clay/ceramics, jewelry, glass, wood, mixed media & metal.

The festival, which is free and open to the public, is located on Highway 192 in Kissimmee.  Kissimmee is located in the heart of Florida’s tourist capital and is just 20 minutes from Walt Disney World and Orlando.  Call 407.846.6257 x 4 or visit www.ocfta.com for more information.

Source: Osceola festival looking for artistsposted by Elizabeth Maupin on Oct 30, 2009 10:49:27 AM

A look around the football gridirons after the rain cleared (finally) around NEA. (Compiled by Andrew Wilson)

Jonesboro 18 Marion 15 – The Hurricane picked up another win on their way to the playoffs Friday. Jonesboro scored first on the road, but by halftime the Patriots held a 9-7 lead. The Hurricane fought back in the second half and took the lead for good on a fourth-quarter field goal. Jonesboro (9-1, 6-1 6A-East) will close out the regular season next week at home against Little Rock Hall.

Valley View 34 Pocahontas 14 – Valley View controlled the action tonight on the road at Pocahontas, winning by 20 and. The Blazers (5-4, 3-3 4A-3) will close the regular season at Westside, while Pocahontas (1-8, 0-6 4A-3) will host Osceola.

West Helena 48 Nettleton 6 – West Helena scored six first-half touchdowns, throttling Nettleton 48-6. The Cougars (5-4, 4-2 5A-East) will close out the regular season against Batesville, while Nettleton’s (1-8, 0-6 5A-East) year will come to an end at Wynne.

Greene County Tech 28 Batesville 14 – Greene County Tech took a monumental step toward going to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. Jeff Conaway’s crew got a huge road win at Batesville to solidify their playoff chances. The Pioneers scored first and took a 14-7 halftime lead when time expired on a GCT drive inside the Batesville 5-yard line. The Golden Eagles would not be denied in the second half though, outscoring the Pioneers 21-0 in the half to seal the win. GCT (7-2, 4-2 5A-East) closes out their regular season next week hosting Paragould, while Batesville (5-3-1, 3-3 5A-East) will need a win next week at West Helena to keep their playoff streak alive.

Blytheville 42 Paragould 14 – Blytheville kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 42-14 victory at Paragould. Blytheville (3-5-1, 3-3 5A-East) will have to upset conference champ Forrest City next week just to have a chance to make the playoffs, while Paragould (2-7, 1-5 5A-East) will close out their season at rival GCT.

Forrest City 26 Wynne 13– The Mustangs led just 14-13 at half over the streaking Yellowjackets, but lengthened their lead in the second period to claim their eighth straight victory and clinch the 5A-East title. Rich Trail’s Mustangs (8-1, 6-0 5A-East) will close out the regular season at Blytheville, while Wynne (4-5, 3-3 5A-East) needs a victory against Nettleton to secure a playoff spot.

Newport 47 Gosnell 26 – The Greyhounds flexed their offensive muscle once again Friday night, rolling over Gosnell to secure the second playoff seed from the 4A-3. Newport (5-4, 5-1 4A-3) hosts Trumann next week, while Gosnell (6-3, 4-2 4A-3) will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they travel to Highland.

West Memphis 42 Jacksonville 0 – The Blue Devils were far better than the Red Devils Friday night. But then again, the Blue Devils have been better than all of their opponents so far this season. West Memphis improves to 9-0 and 6-0 in the 6A-East.

Harrisburg 28 Earle 26 – The Hornets secured their spot in the playoffs with a 28-26 victory over Earle. Harrisburg (8-1, 5-1 3A-3) will close out their regular season next week against Hoxie. Even with the loss, the Bulldogs (7-2, 4-2 3A-3) clinched a playoff spot as well by virtue of Cave City’s victory over Hoxie.

Cave City 14 Hoxie 7 – In a critical conference battle, Hoxie led 7-0 at the half, but the Cavemen scored out of the gates to begin the second frame and won the contest 14-7. The win puts Cave City (8-1, 5-1 3A-3) into the playoffs. Hoxie (4-5, 3-3 3A-3) closes out their season next week against Harrisburg.

Rivercrest 35 Corning 0 – As expected the Colts ran away from the winless Bobcats early in this one, while their conference competition battled it out amongst each other. Rivercrest improves to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the 4A-3.

McCrory 48 Rector 6 – The Jaguars jumped ahead of Rector early and rolled to their ninth victory of the season. McCrory improves to 9-0 on the season and 8-0 in the 2A-3.

Cross County 32 Marked Tree 24 – The T-Birds and the Indians played a classic on Friday, with Cross County scoring last and winning 32-24. The T-Birds (5-4, 4-4 2A-3) close out the regular season hosting Marvell next week, while Marked Tree (2-7, 1-6 2A-3) ends against Rector.

Walnut Ridge 20 EPC 8 – The Bobcats keep on rolling, as they dismissed EPC 20-8 Friday night. Walnut Ridge (7-2, 7-1 2A-3) could secure a home playoff game with a win next week against Augusta. With the loss, EPC drops to 4-5 overall and 3-5 in the 2A-3.

Due to heavy rains and flooding throughout northeast Arkansas on Friday, both the Westside-Trumann game and the Highland- Osceola game have been postponed. Westside and Trumann will play Saturday night at 7:00 at Trumann, while there will be some Monday Night Football in Mississippi County next week, with the Rebels and Seminoles rescheduling their game for Monday evening.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

Each week of the high school football season, GameFace will release their rankings of the best teams throughout NEA. The rankings will freely change from week to week and are the subjective opinion of the GameFace staff. Disagree with what you see? Feel free to post your feelings and comments below and let us know where we went wrong. We’ll gladly listen, and if you’re convincing enough, you might even sway our opinion. (For reference sake, the rankings cover teams within the 6A-East, 5A-East, 4A-3, 3A-3, and 2A-3 conferences.)

6A/5A Rankings

1. West Memphis (8-0, 5-0) NC Another week, another win for West Memphis. Is a state title within the Blue Devils’ grasp?

2. Jonesboro (7-1, 4-1) NC The Hurricane holds on late to get by Searcy and they hold on to their spot in this week’s ranks as well. Playoffs are getting ever closer.

3. Forrest City (7-1, 5-0) NC We admit… we underestimated Forrest City at the start of the year. We had them no higher than third in the 5A-East, instead the Mustangs are galloping toward a conference title.

4. Wynne (4-4, 3-2) UP 1 Wynne has played some great football of late. This week they can really make a statement if they could upend Forrest City.

5. Greene County Tech (6-2, 3-2) DOWN 1 The Golden Eagles stay in the rankings this week, but just barely after falling to West Helena at home last week. A big showdown with Batesville awaits GCT this week. A win and the Golden Eagles can punch their ticket to the playoffs.

4A Rankings

1. Osceola (6-1-1, 5-0) NC Can someone tell us why we ever doubted the Seminoles? Osceola clearly showed who’s boss in the 4A-3 the last two weeks, with wins over Newport and Gosnell in succession. Now just how far can the ‘Noles go in the playoffs?

2. Newport (4-4, 4-1) UP 1 The Greyhounds jump up a spot this week over Gosnell, but the score will actually be settled on the field this Friday when the two teams meet. The second seed from the 4A-3 is on the line.

3. Gosnell (6-2, 4-1) DOWN 1 Can the Pirates stay with the Hounds this week, or will Gosnell be relegated to the third seed?

4. Valley View (4-4, 2-3) NC Valley View is taking care of the easier portion of their schedule. Hopefully for Blazer fans that will propel them into the playoffs with momentum.

5. Highland (3-5, 2-3) NR The Rebels get another shot in the rankings this week after a 28-0 shutout of Pocahontas. Highland will probably need an upset over Osceola or Gosnell in the next two weeks to get into the playoffs though.

3A/2A Rankings

1. Harrisburg (7-1, 4-1) UP 2 The Hornets buzz back up to the top spot in the rankings this week. With a four-way tie for the lead in the conference, any of the four teams can make a valid case for this spot. It will be interesting to see how the 3A-3 does come playoff time. Are the top teams in the league really this good, or does the rebuilding bottom half of the conference misrepresent the league’s strength?

2. Rivercrest (6-2, 4-1) NC The Colts have possibly the easiest schedule in the final two weeks, something that should give them a leg up on grabbing the league’s No. 1 seed.

3. McCrory (8-0, 7-0) NC McCrory keeps steamrolling toward the playoffs. Go Jags!

4. Cave City (7-1, 4-1) DOWN 3 The Cavemen didn’t have close to enough for Harrisburg last week

5. Earle (7-1, 4-1) NC Earle had to comeback to beat Hoxie in the second half last week, but they did what they had to do, and that keeps them in the first place conference tie. The Bulldogs host Harrisburg this Friday night.

A look around the football gridirons on another chilly and wet Friday night throughout NEA – Compiled by Andrew Wilson.

Valley View 35 Trumann 8 – Valley View took care of business against visiting Trumann, and took a step closer in their quest to return to the playoffs. The Blazers led 21-0 at halftime against their rivals from the south and widened the lead in the second half. Valley View (4-4, 2-3 4A-3) will travel to Pocahontas next week, while Trumann (2-6, 2-3 4A-3) will look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they host Westside.

Jonesboro 21 Searcy 14 – The Hurricane jumped ahead early on the Lions and held on to beat Searcy 21-14 on Homecoming at Cooksey-Johns. Next up for the Hurricane (8-1, 5-1 6A-East) is a trip to Marion next week. A win over the Patriots would guarantee a first-round playoff bye for JHS.

Forrest City 55 Nettleton 8 – The Mustangs had their speed and athleticsm on display once again, downing Nettleton 55-8. Forrest City improves to 7-1 and a perfect 5-0 in conference with the win. Nettleton (1-7, 0-5 5A-East) will host West Helena next Friday in their home finale.

Newport 50 Westside 0 – Newport hung half a hundred on Westside Friday night. Newport (4-4, 4-1 4A-3) will host Gosnell next Friday night, while Westside (3-5, 1-4 4A-3) will try to rebound when they visit Trumann.

West Helena 19 Greene County Tech 14 – GCT and West Helena played a wild back and forth affair Friday night, but in the end the Cougars left the GCT Homecoming crowd disappointed with a 19-14 victory. GCT (6-2, 3-2 5A-East) will travel to Batesville in week nine, looking to secure a playoff bid. The win keeps the Cougars (4-4, 3-2 5A-East) in the race for one of the four 5A-East playoff spots.

Wynne 55 Paragould 21 – Wynne took a big step towards securing a playoff spot with a 55-21 win over Paragould at home. The Yellowjackets (4-4, 3-2 5A-East) travel to conference-leading Forrest City next week, while Paragould (2-6, 1-4 5A-East) will host Blytheville to complete the home portion of their schedule.

Osceola 40 Gosnell 16 – Osceola and Gosnell met in a 4A-3 showdown of conference undefeated teams Friday night, and Clinton Gore’s Noles were up to the challenge. Osceola poured on some points late to make the final margin 40-16, and stay undefeated in conference play. Osceola (6-1-1, 5-0 4A-3) will host Highland next week, while Gosnell (6-2, 4-1 4A-3) gets another tough test when they travel to Newport.

West Memphis 34 Mountain Home 7 – The Blue Devils stayed undefeated with a 34-7 victory over the Bombers. West Memphis improves to 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in the 6A-East.

Batesville 21 Blytheville 13 – Often the game that decides the 5A-East, this season’s Batesville- Blytheville showdown could end up being for a spot in the playoffs. The Chickasaws led 7-6 at halftime, but Batesville struck first in the second half and beat Blytheville 21-13 Friday night. The Pioneers (5-2-1, 3-2 5A-East) will host GCT next week, while the Chickasaws (2-5-1, 2-3 5A-East) will travel to Paragould needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Highland 28 Pocahontas 0 – The Rebels easily dismissed Pocahontas Friday night, keeping their playoff hopes alive going into week nine next week. Highland (3-5, 2-3 4A-3) will visit Osceola next week, while Pocahontas (1-7, 0-5 4A-3) will host Valley View.

Harrisburg 26 Cave City 7 – Harrisburg suffered an early season loss to Rivercrest, but since then they’ve clawed back into the conference race, and continued that effort tonight with an impressive 26-7 victory over the previously undefeated Cavemen. The win throws the 3A-3 into a four-way tie for first place with Harrisburg, Cave City, Rivercrest, and Earle each only having one conference loss with two weeks left. The Hornets (7-1, 4-1 3A-3) will travel to Earle next week, while Cave City (7-1, 4-1 3A-3) will battle Hoxie.

Earle 30 Hoxie 22 – The Mustangs jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on the road, but the Bulldogs came roaring back in the second half to beat Hoxie 30-22. The win vaults Earle (7-1, 4-1 3A-3) toward the playoffs, while dealing a severe blow to the Mustangs’ playoff aspirations. Hoxie (4-4, 3-2 3A-3) will look to rebound next week when they host Cave City.

Rivercrest 41 Piggott 14 – The Colts stayed in a tie atop the 3A-3 with an easy victory over Piggott. Rivercrest improves to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the 3A-3.

Marked Tree 32 Clarendon 16 – The Indians led 14-6 at halftime and held on to the lead to upset non-conference foe Clarendon for Marked Tree’s second win of the season. The Indians (2-6, 1-5 2A-3) will return to conference play next week at Cross County.

McCrory 63 EPC 20 – The Jaguars were up 33-6 before the first quarter was out, and finished off EPC 63-20. McCrory (8-0, 7-0 2A-3) is a serious state title contender in the 2A. EPC’s record evens at 4-4 overall with the loss and 3-4 in the 2A-3.

Cross County 24 Salem 17 – Cross County picked up a solid 24-17 win against visiting Salem Friday night. The T-Birds (4-4, 4-3 2A-3) will host Marked Tree next Friday night.

Walnut Ridge 44 Rector 14 – The Bobcats dismantled Rector 44-14 Friday night from Sexton Field. Walnut Ridge (6-2, 6-1 2A-3) will travel to EPC next week as prepare to make their 12th playoff appearance.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

Each week of the high school football season, GameFace will release their rankings of the best teams throughout NEA. The rankings will freely change from week to week and are the subjective opinion of the GameFace staff. Disagree with what you see? Feel free to post your feelings and comments below and let us know where we went wrong. We’ll gladly listen, and if you’re convincing enough, you might even sway our opinion. (For reference sake, the rankings cover teams within the 6A-East, 5A-East, 4A-3, 3A-3, and 2A-3 conferences.)

6A/5A Rankings

1. West Memphis (7-0, 4-0) NC The Blue Devils are definitely the real deal, as Jonesboro found out last week. The only thing left to prove this season is if they have what it takes to make it to War Memorial and a state title.

2. Jonesboro (6-1, 3-1) NC Even after the disappointing result last week, Jonesboro is still primed to be in a good position come playoff time.

3. Forrest City (6-1, 4-0) NC The Mustangs almost had a big let down, but only almost. Down two touchdowns to Paragould at halftime, Forrest City turned things around in the second half and have their sights set on a conference championship.

4. Greene County Tech (6-1, 3-1) UP 1 The Golden Eagles just keep winning, and moving up our rankings. Their first playoff berth since 1991 should be waiting.

5. Wynne (3-4, 2-2) NR The Yellowjackets’ make their debut in the rankings after an impressive victory over Batesville. The Jackets are playing their best football late in the year for the second consecutive season.

4A Rankings

1. Osceola (5-1-1, 4-0) NC The Seminoles blitzed the Greyhounds out of town last week, and in doing so solidified their spot atop the 4A rankings. Only Gosnell stands in the way of another conference title.

2. Gosnell (6-1, 4-0) NC The game of the season for the Pirates takes place in Gosnell this Friday night. Rival Osceola will come to town, with the winner holding the outright lead in the 4A-3.

3. Newport (3-4, 3-1) NC After pitching three straight shutouts, the Greyhounds allowed 56 points to Osceola last week. Despite the loss, Newport holds steady at No. 3 on their way to yet another playoff appearance.

4. Valley View (3-4, 1-3) NC It might not have been the prettiest victory, but the Blazers got a important conference win over Highland last week to keep them in the playoff hunt.

5. Trumann (2-5, 2-2) NR The Wildcats also make their rankings debut after beating up on Pocahontas last week. With five teams making the playoffs this year from the 4A-3, Trumann is still very much in the mix.

3A/2A Rankings

1. Cave City (7-0, 4-0) UP 1 Cave City is still undefeated going into week eight, no doubt the Cavemen are now the team to beat after downing Rivercrest last week.

2. Rivercrest (5-2, 3-1) DOWN 1 The Colts almost completed their trio of wins against their conference’s top three teams, but just couldn’t hold onto the lead against Cave City. The conference should represent themselves very well once the playoffs roll around.

3. Harrisburg (6-1, 3-1) NC The Hornets keep pace in the tight race for the top. A win over Cave City could throw the entire conference race into a wild scramble.

4. McCrory (7-0, 6-0) NC The 2A-3 showdown of the year has come and gone and the Jaguars are still unbeaten. McCrory could go far in the playoffs.

5. Earle (6-1, 3-1) NC Another blowout win for the Bulldogs keeps them in the conference running. The end of the season will no doubt be an interesting one in the 3A-3.

One of the most anticipated Friday nights in the NEA football season has now come and gone. Here’s a look at the big showdowns in 6A, 4A, and 2A as well as a whole host of Friday night action from each classification around the NEA gridirons on chilly Friday night - Compiled by Andrew Wilson

West Memphis 53 Jonesboro 26 – One of NEA’s most anticipated showdowns finally arrived Friday night, when two undefeated 6A powerhouses met at West Memphis. The Blue Devils jumped ahead early on the Hurricanes and led 34-20 at halftime after an offensively-powered first half. The Blue Devils kept the pressure on in the second frame and pulled away for a 53-26 victory. West Memphis’ (7-0, 4-0 6A-East) perfect season continues, while Jonesboro (6-1, 3-1 6A-East) will look to rebound next week when they host Searcy.

Valley View 14 Highland 6 – The Blazers snapped their four-game losing streak and stayed in the hunt for a playoff spot with a 14-6 win over Highland on Homecoming. Shannon Sherman’s defense shutout the Rebels in the first half and held on in the second half to secure the win. The Blazers (3-4, 1-3 4A-3) will host Trumann next Friday in a game with playoff implications.

Gosnell 44 Westside 14 – The Pirates plundered Westside’s Homecoming, leaving with a 30-point win over the Warriors. Gosnell’s biggest game of the season comes up next week, when rival and conference foe Osceola visits the Pirates (6-1, 4-0 4A-3) to play for the conference lead. Westside (3-4, 1-3 4A-3) will shift gears and prepare to take on Newport next week.

Greene County Tech 45 Nettleton 0 – GCT jumped out early on the Raiders and never looked back en route to their sixth win of the season. The Golden Eagles (6-1, 3-1 5A-East) will continue their quest toward the playoffs next week when they host West Helena, while Nettleton (1-6, 0-4 5A-East) will travel to Forrest City.

Forrest City 53 Paragould 39 – The Rams gave conference-leading Forrest City all they could handle in the first half, leading by as much as 14 points at the break. In the second half, however, the Mustangs woke up and came back to defeat the Rams 53-39. Paragould (2-5, 1-3 5A-East) travels to Wynne next Friday, while Forrest City hosts Nettleton.

Wynne 17 Batesville 7 – Wynne led the defensive slugfest 10-7 at halftime in Batesville and held on to claim an important victory over the suddenly-slumping Pioneers. Wynne (3-4, 2-2 5A-East) hosts Paragould next Friday, while Batesville (4-2-1, 2-2 5A-East) pays a visit to Blytheville.

West Helena 41 Blytheville 14 – After a slow start, the Cougars jumped out to a 28-7 lead at the break, en route to defeating the Chickasaws 41-14. Blytheville (2-4-1, 2-2 5A-East) now has their backs against the wall if they hope to make another playoff appearance. The Chicks host Batesville next Friday night.

Osceola 56 Newport 41 – The Noles jumped on the Greyhounds early in this 4A-3 showdown of perennial powers. Osceola scored first and jumped out to a 14-0 lead, snapping Newport’s string of over three games without allowing a point in 4A-3 play. The first half quickly turned into a shootout, going to the break with Osceola leading 35-21. The Noles scored first in the second period as well and held on to win 56-41, and grab the upper hand in the 4A-3 race. Osceola (5-1-1, 4-0 4A-3) will travel to Gosnell next week for another big matchup, while Newport (3-4, 3-1 4A-3) will look to rebound when they visit Westside.

Trumann 42 Pocahontas 26 – Playoff hopes were up for grab at Pocahontas Friday night between the Redskins and the Wildcats. After an evenly played first 30 minutes, the teams were tied at 20-20. Trumann dominated the second half though and pulled away for a big win. The Wildcats (2-5, 2-2 4A-3) travel to Valley View next Friday, while Pocahontas (1-6, 0-4 4A-3) travels to Highland.

Harrisburg 38 Corning 6 – Harrisburg had little trouble dispensing the winless Bobcats, breezing to a 38-6 win. Next up for the Hornets (6-1, 3-1 3A-3) is a visit from Cave City next week.

Hoxie 22 Piggott 7 – The Mustangs traveled to Piggott, knowing they’d need a win to keep pace in the tough 3A-3 playoff race. Hoxie led 9-0 at halftime and held on in the second half to win 22-7. Next up for Hoxie (4-3, 3-1 3A-3) is a trip to Earle next Friday night.

Cave City 19 Rivercrest 14 – Cave City stayed undefeated Friday night, taking down conference front-runner Rivercrest 19-14 in comeback fashion. Cave City (7-0, 4-0 3A-3) still has a tough schedule remaining, but now has a leg up with their win over the Colts. Rivercrest (5-2, 3-1 3A-3) faces a lighter remaining schedule, after already facing each of the conference’s toughest teams.

Salem 20 Marked Tree 16 – The Greyhounds continued their impressive season, dispensing the Indians 20-16 at home. Marked Tree (1-6, 1-5 2A-3) has next Friday off.

McCrory 35 Augusta 6 – The Red Devils and Jaguars squared off in a de facto championship game in the 2A-3. McCrory led 14-6 at the break, before pulling away in the second half to preserve their perfect season. The Jaguars (7-0, 6-0 2A-3) should be the top seed out of the 2A-3 once the playoffs get here, while Augusta (4-2, 4-1 2A-3) is still in the running for the second seed.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

Each week of the high school football season, GameFace will release their rankings of the best teams throughout NEA. The rankings will freely change from week to week and are the subjective opinion of the GameFace staff. Disagree with what you see? Feel free to post your feelings and comments below and let us know where we went wrong. We’ll gladly listen, and if you’re convincing enough, you might even sway our opinion. (For reference sake, the rankings cover teams within the 6A-East, 5A-East, 4A-3, 3A-3, and 2A-3 conferences.)

6A/5A Rankings

1. West Memphis (6-0, 3-0) NC The Blue Devils stay perched on top of this set of rankings. The game of the year in the 6A-East happens this week, when the GF No. 1 takes on GF No. 2 Jonesboro.

2. Jonesboro (6-0, 3-0) NC The Hurricane has put themselves in position to play for a conference title. A win over West Memphis would put them in the driver’s seat for accomplishing that.

3. Forrest City (5-1, 3-0) UP 1 Who’s the hottest team in NEA football right now? Forrest City can make a good case. The Mustangs upended Batesville last week, and moved to the top of the 5A in this week’s rankings.

4. Batesville (4-1-1, 2-1) DOWN 1 Batesville’s perfect season came to an end at the hands of Forrest City, but this team should still be a dangerous foe come playoff time.

5. Greene County Tech (5-1, 2-1) NR Jeff Conaway’s Golden Eagles look to be playoff bound, after a hard-fought victory over perennial front-runner Blytheville last week.

4A Rankings

1. Osceola (4-1-1, 3-0) NC Osceola and Newport meet this upcoming Friday. The winner will have the upper hand on the 4A-3 race.

2. Gosnell (5-1, 3-0) NC The Pirates impress weekly, whether they are winning big or grinding out an 8-6 victory. The upcoming games against Osceola and Newport will ultimately dictate if the Pirates can win the conference or just finish third.

3. Newport (3-3, 3-0) NC Newport hasn’t allowed a single point in three consecutive conference games this season. A win over Osceola this week would vault the Greyhounds back to the top of these rankings.

4. Valley View (2-4, 0-3) NC The difficult portion of the schedule is past for the Blazers. If they can refocus on their last four games, they should still be able to secure one of the conference’s five playoff tickets.

5. Highland (2-4, 1-2) NR The Rebels shutdown Westside last Friday night, and jumped into the rankings for the first time as a result. The last playoff spot out of the 4A-3 is up for grabs. If the Rebels can keep playing defense the way they did last week, there is no reason Highland can’t return to the playoffs.

3A/2A Rankings

1. Rivercrest (5-1, 3-0) NC The Colts dispensed of Earle last week, and took another step closer to a conference title. Cave City should be the last hurdle to getting there.

2. Cave City (6-0, 3-0) NC The Cavemen keep winning, but they haven’t played Rivercrest, Harrisburg, or Earle yet. There is still a lot to be decided in the next month of football.

3. Harrisburg (5-1, 2-1) UP 1 Despite an early conference loss to Rivercrest, the Hornets are still buzzing around the conference race and gearing up for another trip to the playoffs.

4. McCrory (6-0, 5-0) UP 1 The Jaguars still haven’t played a close game all season. We would be surprised if that trend changed for this talented team.

5. Earle (5-1, 2-1) DOWN 2 The Bulldogs finally met an opponent they couldn’t blow out. A loss to Rivercrest sends Earle down two spots in this week’s rankings.

A look around the NEA gridirons on another rainy Friday night. Compiled by Andrew Wilson.

Jonesboro 34 Mountain Home 10 – A week before their undefeated showdown with West Memphis, the Hurricane traveled west to take on conference foe Mountain Home. Jonesboro led 13-10 at halftime, but exploded in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points to defeat the Bombers. Jonesboro (6-0, 3-0 6A-East) will visit undefeated West Memphis next Friday in one of the most-anticipated games of the season.

Gosnell 8 Valley View 6 – The Pirates dealt Valley View yet another tough loss, overcoming torrential rain conditions to win at home 8-6. The victory keeps Gosnell (5-1, 3-0 4A-3) squarely in the conference race, while Valley View (2-4, 0-3 4A-3) will have to rebound from their fourth-consecutive loss. Next up for the Pirates is a trip to Westside next week, while the Blazers will host Highland.

Paragould 43 Nettleton 33 – The Rams outscored the Raiders in a track meet from Greene County for their first conference win of the season. Both teams will play at home next Friday. The Rams (2-4, 1-2 5A-East) will host conference-leading Forrest City, while Nettleton (1-5, 0-3 5A-East) will welcome in Greene County Tech to Raider Field.

Highland 20 Westside 0 – Highland made sure Westside’s trip north wasn’t a pleasant one. The Rebels’ defense shutdown the Warrior rushing attack all night long, upsetting Westside 20-0. Westside (3-3, 1-2 4A-3) will try to rebound next week when they host Gosnell.

Greene County Tech 12 Blytheville 7 – A defensive struggle ensued in Mississippi County Friday night, with the Golden Eagles emerging on top after a fourth-quarter comeback.  The win puts a playoff berth in sight for Jeff Conaways’s Golden Eagles. GCT (5-1, 2-1 5A-East) visits Nettleton next week in search of their sixth win of the season while the Chickasaws (2-3-1, 2-1 5A-East) visit stumbling West Helena.

West Memphis 40 Searcy 3 – The Blue Devils had no problems hosting the Lions Friday night, breezing to a 37-point win. The game of the year awaits next week, when Jonesboro visits West Memphis (6-0, 3-0 6A-East).

Forrest City 6 Batesville 0 – A week after taking down West Helena, the Forrest City Mustangs ended Batesville’s undefeated season with a defensive 6-0 victory at home. The consecutive wins puts Forrest City in the driver’s seat in the conference. Batesville (4-1-1, 2-1 5A-East) will look to rebound next week when they host a tough Wynne team.

Wynne 26 West Helena 0 – After a surprising loss to Forrest City last week, West Helena was upset again, this time in dominant fashion by Wynne. The Yellowjackets pitched their first shutout since October 2006 in the win. Wynne (2-4, 1-2 5A-East) visits Batesville next Friday.

Osceola 48 Trumann 20 – The Seminoles have found their groove this season. Osceola manhandled the Wildcats on Friday, leading by 28 at halftime and winning by four touchdowns. Next up for Osceola (4-1-1, 3-0 4A-3) is the game that will probably decide the 4A-3, as Newport visits Mississippi County next week. Meanwhile, Trumann (1-5, 1-2 4A-3) will continue their season by traveling to Pocahontas.

Newport 42 Pocahontas 0 – The Greyhounds pitched their third-straight shutout Friday, in route to blowing out Pocahontas by six touchdowns. Newport (3-3, 3-0 4A-3) will have a stiffer challenge next Friday when they travel to face Osceola in a game that could determine the conference champion. Pocahontas (1-5, 0-3 4A-3) will look for their first conference win next week when they host Trumann.

Harrisburg 34 Piggott 0 – The Hornets won their fifth game of the season, and stayed in the conference title hunt entering the home stretch with a 34-0 shutout of Piggott. Harrisburg (5-1, 2-1 3A-3) hosts winless Corning next week.

Hoxie 41 Corning 0 – The Mustangs kept their playoff hopes alive with a convincing shutout of Corning on Friday night. Hoxie (3-3, 2-1 3A-3) travels to Piggott next week, before finishing the season with three conference heavyweights in the final three games. Corning is still in search of their first win of the season under first-year coach Kenneth Moore.

Rivercrest 19 Earle 14 – A showdown between two of the top teams in the 3A-3 lived up to its billing Friday night. When the tussle was over Rivercrest dealt the Bulldogs their first loss of the season, winning 19-14. With the victory, Rivercrest now has wins over two of the conference’s “Big Four” teams. Rivercrest (5-1, 3-0 3A-3) visits undefeated Cave City next week, while Earle (5-1, 2-1 3A-3) plays Manila.

Cave City 31 Manila 6 – The Cavemen remained undefeated as they rolled past Manila. Tougher match-ups still await this year with Harrisburg, Earle, and Rivercrest still ahead over the next four weeks for Cave City (6-0, 3-0 3A-3).

Walnut Ridge 24 Marked Tree 8 – This 2A-3 conference showdown was tied at 8-8 at halftime, but the Bobcats jumped on the Indians in the second half to secure their fourth win of the season. Walnut Ridge (4-2, 4-1 2A-3) will get next Friday off, while Marked Tree (1-5, 1-4 2A-3) travels to Salem.

McCrory 33 Cedar Ridge 0 – The Jaguars jumped on yet another opponent early and often, cruising to their sixth win of the season (6-0, 5-0 2A-3). The 2A-3 looks all but wrapped up for the Jags, even with four weeks left to go.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

High School Football Scoreboard Week 5 - Compiled by Andrew Wilson

A look around the NEA gridirons on the first Friday in October.

Jonesboro 28 Jacksonville 14 – The Canes and the Red Devils played a tight game early on, as they went into the break tied at 14 a piece, but JHS shutout their vistors in the second half to remain undefeated.  Jonesboro (5-0, 2-0 6A-East) visits conference-foe Mountain Home next week, while their showdown with West Memphis is just two weeks away.

Newport 35 Valley View 0 – After two straight hard-fought losses, the Blazers were shutout by Newport Friday night in Jackson County. The Greyhounds were out of the gates in a hurry, scoring all of their points before halftime to win their second game of the season. Newport (2-3, 2-0 4A-3) looks to be hitting their stride after outscoring their opponents 77-0 the last two weeks. Valley View (2-3, 0-2 4A-3) finishes the difficult mid-season stretch of their schedule next week when the Blazers visit Gosnell.

Osceola 47 Westside 6 – The Seminole speed was just too much for the Warriors to handle Friday night, as Westside fell at Osceola 47-6. Osceola (3-1-1, 2-0 4A-3) will look to stay unbeaten in conference play when they travel to Trumann next week. Westside (3-2, 1-1 4A-3) will look to rebound with a winnable game at Highland.

Blytheville  46 Nettleton 0 – Blytheville busted out offensively at the expense of visiting Nettleton Friday night. With the shutout, the Raiders have been held scoreless in three straight games. The Chickasaws even their record on the season at 2-2-1 and 2-0 in the 5A-East. Next up for Blytheville is GCT next week at home. Nettleton (1-4, 0-2 5A-East) will travel to Paragould next week to continue conference play in what should be a competitive game for both sides.

Greene County Tech 28 Wynne 20 – The Golden Eagles went in search of the their first conference win of the season on Friday, and they got it with a solid victory over visiting Wynne. The Golden Eagles (4-1, 1-1 5A-East) will travel to Blytheville next week, while Wynne (1-4, 0-2 5A-East) will host West Helena.

Batesville 58 Paragould 29 – The Rams hung around with the Pioneers early on, but Batesville proved to have more than enough fire power in the second half to stay undefeated. Batesville (4-0-1, 2-0 5A-East) should have a tough test next week when they visit Forrest City.  Paragould (1-4, 0-2 5A-East) will host Nettleton next Friday with both teams looking for their first conference victory of the season.

West Memphis 38 Marion 3 – West Memphis cruised to a 35-point victory over Marion Friday to stay undefeated on the season. The Blue Devils (5-0, 2-0 6A-East) showdown with Jonesboro is just two weeks away.

Gosnell 42 Pocahontas 24 – Gosnell’s offensive firepower was more than enough to quell the Redskins Friday night. The Pirates (4-1, 2-0 4A-3) will host Valley View next week in a critical conference game for both teams. Pocahontas (1-4, 0-2 4A-3) will look to avoid losing their fourth in-a-row next week when the Redskins travel to Newport.

Trumann 31 Highland 21 - The Wildcats hosted Highland Friday night looking for the first win of the season, and they got it, coming from behind to halt the Rebels. Trumann (1-4, 1-1 4A-3) will look to ride their momentum into next week when the team hosts a fast Osceola squad.

Harrisburg 55 Manila 14 – The Sting rebounded nicely after losing to Rivercrest last week, with a comfortable win over Manila at Hornet Stadium. Harrisburg (4-1, 1-1 3A-3) will make the long trek north to Piggott next week in search of the fifth win of the season.

Rivercrest 30 Hoxie 13 – Rivercrest continued to assert their dominance in the 3A-3 this season with a 17-point victory over Hoxie Friday night. The Colts (4-1, 2-0 3A-3) led the Mustangs 23-0 at Halftime. Next up for Hoxie (2-3, 1-1 3A-3) is Corning at home next Friday.

Walnut Ridge 12 Salem 7 – The Bobcats clawed out a big conference win over Salem Friday night at Sexton Field. Walnut Ridge (3-2, 3-1 2A-3) is quietly putting together a solid season. Marked Tree awaits the Bobcats next week, in a conference battle that may prove to have playoff implications by the end of the season.

Augusta 42 Cross County 26 – Augusta led by nine at halftime before pulling away in the second half to seal the win. Cross County (1-4, 1-3 2A-3) will visit Rector next week, hoping to turn around their season. The Red Devils get next week off, before their conference showdown with undefeated McCrory.

McCrory 49 Marked Tree 14 – The Jaguars continued their dominance this season, leading Marked Tree 42-0 at the break, before rolling to another easy win. McCrory improves to 5-0 and 4-0 in the 2A-3. Marked Tree (1-4, 1-3 in 2A-3) will host Walnut Ridge next Friday night in search of their second win of the season.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.

Each week of the high school football season, GameFace will release their rankings of the best teams throughout NEA. The rankings will freely change from week to week and are the subjective opinion of the GameFace staff. Disagree with what you see? Feel free to post your feelings and comments below and let us know where we went wrong. We’ll gladly listen, and if you’re convincing enough, you might even sway our opinion. (For reference sake, the rankings cover teams within the 6A-East, 5A-East, 4A-3, 3A-3, and 2A-3 conferences.)

6A/5A Rankings

1. West Memphis (4-0, 1-0) NC West Memphis finally had a week that they weren’t required to come from behind to win. As such they keep their hold atop the rankings, and they’ll stay there until they lose… if they ever do.

2. Jonesboro (4-0, 1-0) NC There were questions marks surrounding the Hurricane entering Randy Coleman’s second year at the helm. Through four games it looks like those question marks were just misplaced punctuation. The Hurricane and the Blue Devils meet Oct. 16th.

3. West Helena (2-2, 1-0) NC The Cougars keep their lead amongst 5A teams as they dismantled Paragould  54-14. The 5A-East showdown with Batesville still isn’t until the last game of the season.

4. Batesville (3-0-1) NC The Pioneers shutout Nettleton last week, as conference play got underway. Like their conference counterparts from Helena, the Pioneers might not be tested for a while.

5. Forrest City (3-1, 1-0) NR The Mustangs held down GCT last week in a 14-6 defensive struggle. Forrest City looks to be in the playoff race if they can keep up their solid play.

4A Rankings

1. Osceola (2-1-1, 1-0) UP 2 After some early season struggles, Osceola climbed two spots in our rankings for the second straight week to reclaim their perennial perch after a  six-point win over Valley View.

2. Gosnell (3-1, 1-0) NC Gosnell’s offensive attack continues to impress, and this week it keeps them in the second spot.

3. Valley View (2-2, 0-1) DOWN 1 It’s clear that The View has a solid team this year, we’ll learn a lot about how resilient they are this week after back-to-back hard-fought losses. The Blazers travel to Newport Friday.

4. Newport (1-3, 1-0) UP 1 It took four weeks, but the Greyhounds finally got their first win of the season. There may be several more to come. The Newport-Valley View game this week will be an important one for both teams.

5. Westside (3-1, 1-0) – NR The Warriors got one of the biggest wins in program history last Friday when they took down Pocahontas for the first time in at least 30 years.  The win brings the possibility of making the playoffs into focus, and it also vaults Westside into this week’s rankings.

3A/2A Rankings

1. Rivercrest (3-1, 1-0) UP 1 A big shakeup in the week four ranks, following the Colts’ 16-point win over Harrisburg in the 3A-3. The conference is still wide open, but Rivercrest keeps proving that they belong near the top, and this week… that’s where they are.

2. Cave City (4-0, 1-0) UP 1 The Cavemen keep on winning, and as they do the 4A-3 just looks tougher and tougher. We wrote the previous sentence last week, it’s just as true after the Cavemen improved to 4-0 this week.

3. Earle (4-0, 1-0) UP 1 Jeff Spaletta’s Bulldogs keep on keeping on. The Bulldogs play the Cavemen on the final Friday of the regular season.

4. Harrisburg (3-1, 0-1) DOWN 3 The Hornets took a big tumble this week after losing to Rivercrest, but more wins are definitely in The Sting’s future.

5. McCrory (4-0, 3-0) NC The Jaguars are 4-0. Their closest game so far this year was 34 points. Running the table in the 2A-3 is not out of the question.

Labels: Fasaden, Esucha, Protagonist
Vö: September 09

Und das Splitkarussell dreht sich wieder. Diesmal an Bord sind Suis La Luna aus Schweden und Osceola aus den Staaten.

Die Jungs von Suis La Lune gehen mit dem Titel “Friends” an den Start. Wie immer wissen die Schweden einen mit einer gekonnten Kombination aus großartigen Riffs und verzwickter Oberstimmen zu verzaubern. Sie sind eine der wenigen Screamo Bands die einen noch von selbst zum träumen bringen und das zeigen sie auch in diesem Stück. So würde es klingen wenn Elfen Screamo machen.

Als zweites sind nun die Boys aus den Staaten dran. Osceola schwingen keinen Feenstab wie die Schweden sondern einen Baseballschläger. Und den schwingen sie gekonnt. Bretthart und direkt sind die Songs “Don’t Tase Me Bro” und “Malax”. Ein großartiger Gegensatz zu dem was die Schweden vorher präsentiert haben.

Die Split enthält keine besonderen Überraschungen für Menschen denen beide Bands bereits bekannt waren.  Aber dies tut der Großartigkeit dieser Split einfach gar nichts an. Diese 7″ ist jeden Cent wert und zeigt mal wieder das sich Bands nicht nur im harmonischen Sinne ergänzen könnnen.

In diesem Sinne

Johannes

A look around the NEA gridirons on the last Friday night of September – Compiled by Andrew Wilson

Westside 20 Pocahontas 14 – Westside took a big step forward in climbing the ranks of the 4A-3 with a hard-fought 20-14 victory over Pocahontas under the lights at ASU Stadium tonight. The win marks the second consecutive year the Warriors won a game played at ASU, after downing Highland there last year. Westside (3-1, 1-0 4A-3) travels to Osceola next Friday, while the Redskins (1-3, 0-1 4A-3) will return home for the first time in a month to host Gosnell.

Jonesboro 37 LR Parkview 7 – Conference play began for the Hurricane with a decisive 37-7 win over the Patriots in Little Rock on Thursday night. Not only can this Jonesboro team score, but they also know how to play a little defense. Next up for the unbeaten Canes (4-0, 1-0 6A-East) is Jacksonville next Friday at Cooksey-Johns.

Osceola 20 Valley View 14 – The Blazers suffered their second-straight hard-fought loss Friday night, losing to the Seminoles 20-14 at Blazer Field. Valley View (2-2, 0-1 4A-3) will continue their tough stretch in the schedule next week when they travel to Newport, while Osceola (2-1-1, 1-0 4A-3) will travel to Westside as conference play continues.

Batesville 36 Nettleton 0 – The Pioneers invaded Nettleton Friday night and came away with a 36-0 shutout over the Raiders. Batesville improves to 3-0-1 and 1-0 5A-East. The Pioneers will host Paragould next Friday, while the Raiders (1-3, 0-1 5A-East) will travel to Blytheville.

Forrest City 14 Greene County Tech 6 – Greene County Tech fought through a defensive battle with Forrest City, but lost their first game of the season 14-6. The Golden Eagles (3-1, 0-1 5A-East) will look to rebound next week against Wynne in Paragould.

West Helena 54 Paragould 14 – The Cougars (2-2, 1-0 5A-East) jumped on the Rams early and never let up, rolling to a 40-point conference win in Greene County. Paragould (1-3, 0-1 5A-East) visits Batesville next week as conference play continues.

Blytheville 32 Wynne 21 – Blytheville led the Yellowjackets 19-14 at the break in search of their first win of the season and pulled away in the second half to secure it. The Chickasaws (1-2-1, 1-0 5A-East) will host Nettleton next week while Wynne (1-3, 0-1 5A-East) will visit GCT.

West Memphis 49 LR Hall 12 – After two straight weeks of comeback victories, the Blue Devils (4-0, 1-0 6A-East) put this one away early, winning 49-12 over Little Rock Hall. West Memphis will host Marion next Friday night looking to keep their record perfect as their showdown with Jonesboro draws ever closer.

Gosnell 34 Trumann 19 – The Pirates hosted Trumann on Friday night and downed the Wildcats for a 15-point win. Gosnell (3-1, 1-0 4A-3) will travel to Pocahontas next week looking to keep their conference mark clean. The Wildcats (0-4, 0-1 4A-3) will host Highland next week still looking for their first win.

Newport 42 Highland 0 – The Greyhounds busted out for their first win of the season in a trouncing of the Rebels. Newport (1-3, 1-0 4A-3) will look to keep their momentum going next week when Valley View visits Jackson County.

Rivercrest 44 Harrisburg 28 – After battling through a brutal non-conference schedule, the Colts opened conference play with a decisive win over Harrisburg, ending the Hornets’ dream of an undefeated season. The Colts led 22-8 at halftime. Rivercrest (3-1, 1-0 3A-3) hosts Hoxie next week, while Harrisburg (3-1, 0-1 3A-3) will look to rebound against Manilla at home next Friday.

Hoxie 42 Manilla 6 – The Mustangs evened their record and opened conference play with a solid win over the Manilla Lions. Hoxie (2-2, 1-0 3A-3) will travel to face a confident Rivercrest team next Friday.

McCrory 48 Walnut Ridge 0 - Through four weeks it looks clear that the Jaguars (4-0, 3-0) are the class of the 2A-3. McCrory scored all their points in the half and shutout the Bobcats 48-0. Walnut Ridge (2-2, 2-1 2A-3) will look to rebound next week when they host Salem at Sexton Field.

Cross County 33 EPC 26 – The T-Birds went in search of their first win of the season Friday night and they found it against EPC, winning 33-26. Cross County (1-3, 1-2 2A-3) will host Augusta next week, while EPC (2-2, 1-2 2A-3) will spend their bye week regrouping.

Augusta 32 Marked Tree 15 – The Indians and the Red Devils battled for position in the 2A-3 Friday night at Augusta with the Red Devils coming out on top 32-15. Marked Tree (1-3, 1-2 in 2A-3) hosts conference-leading McCrory next week.

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Did you watch a game this Friday night? Let us know what you saw on the gridiron around NEA.