Happy Black Friday! We’re still recovering from yesterday’s feast and can’t wait to watch some football tonight! Check out episode 1 of “THE ROAD” — out now!

Coming up in today’s newsletter:

🎙️ Previewing tonight’s games and the matchups to keep an eye on
📈 What’s trending around the state?
👀 One to Watch
🏈 Game of the Week

Let’s dive right in!

🎙️ Varsity Vibe Today. We’re officially into the third week of playoffs — Alyssa Orange and Brey Cook break down the big match-ups in store for tonight. Plus we introduce you to this week's SRD Performance Athlete of the Week.

🐱 Cat Fight. The Conway Wampus Cats travel to face the undefeated Bentonville Tigers. Each is coming off a high-scoring playoff win, with Conway improving to 9-2 after outlasting Bentonville West 55-44 last week. Bentonville, now 11-0, continued its dominant run with a 41-16 win over Springdale, marking the seventh victory this season by more than 23 points — and they’ll look to maintain that strong form at home. The game is set to start at 7:00 pm and can be watched here. 

💪 Playoff Push. The Shiloh Christian Saints hit the road Friday night to take on the Sylvan Hills Bears tonight, looking to extend their seven-game winning streak and keep their postseason run alive. Shiloh is coming off of a close win, edging out El Dorado, 24-21. Junior quarterback Cole Creighton once again proved to be a difference-maker, throwing for 316 yards and a touchdown while completing 75% of his passes. Sylvan Hills enters with momentum of their own, coming off a 34-32 win against Marion. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm and can be watched here. 

🏈 5A Showdown. Parkview has dominated its recent series with Lakeside, winning four straight, and the Patriots will look to extend that streak tonight. The defending 5A state champions enter the matchup riding an eight-game winning streak and are coming off a tough 21-17 playoff victory over Harrison. Lakeside took down Greenbrier 24-21 last week, thanks in large part to standout junior running back Peter Ohman, who ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns. Senior running back Drew Morgan also made a big impact with 116 receiving yards, giving Lakeside another dangerous offensive weapon. The game is set for 7:00 pm and can be watched here.

🏈 Bentonville’s offense got a spark from senior receiver Dequane Prevo in the quarterfinal win over Springdale. Prevo turned a mid-range pass from Cole Slepecki into a 36-yard touchdown and later connected on a 5-yard scoring strike. He also showcased his versatility on a trick play, lateraling to set up a 52-yard gain to the 6-yard line. With his ability to make big plays in both the passing and trick-play game, Prevo will be a key weapon for Bentonville as they prepare to face Conway in the Class 7A semifinals.

🏈 The Greenwood Bulldogs are 7-2 against the Benton Panthers and will look to continue that trend tonight. Greenwood enters the contest undefeated with an 11-0 record after a big 59-21 win over Jonesboro. Senior quarterback Kane Archer picked up 459 total yards and six touchdowns. Benton, now 9-2, is riding on the momentum of a six-game win streak after a 63-49 victory over Mountain Home. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm and can be watched here.

⛹️‍♀️ Performance Athlete of the Week. Addi Thurber has been a standout on and off the court for Bentonville West — not just for her skills, but for her dedication to overcoming injury. Thurber tackled lingering knee issues, including patellar subluxation and jumper’s knee by focusing on mechanics, strengthening her VMOs, and improving overall knee stability. She shaved off 0.35 seconds from her 20-yard and 0.38 seconds from her Pro Agility. On top of those improvements, she added 14.75 inches to her broad jump, 1.3 inches to her standing vertical, and 1.7 inches to her approach vertical. To learn more about the program, visit srdathlete.com.

🏈 The undefeated Bryant Hornets will host Rogers tonight, with both teams coming off dominant playoff wins and carrying major momentum into this quarterfinal matchup. Bryant delivered a 21-0 shutout over Fayetteville last week, marking the Hornets’ fifth straight win over the Bulldogs. Their defense looked as sharp as ever, and the victory pushed their record to a perfect 11-0. Rogers, meanwhile, rolled past Little Rock Christian Academy 35-0. It marked the Mountaineers’ second consecutive 35-point win as they improved to 10-1 behind a defense that has been suffocating opponents. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm and can be watched here.

Nov. 28:
🏈 7A Conway @ Bentonville, 7:00 | Watch Here
🏈 7A Rogers @ Bryant, 7:00 pm | Watch Here

🏈 6A Benton @ Greenwood, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 6A Shiloh Christian @ Sylvan Hills, 7:00 pm | Watch Here

🏈 5A Morrilton @ Joe T. Robinson, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 5A Lakeside vs Parkview, 7:00 pm @ War Memorial Stadium | Watch Here

👋 Hello There!

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