Football is officially back, and the first week brought plenty to talk about! 🏈 From big plays to standout moments, Carsyn Coleman is breaking it all down in this week’s Weekly Vibe Check. See what caught her eye from around Arkansas this week 👀👇

🎙️ Reviewing Week 0
📈 Scores and matchups from around the state
🏈 The Game of the Week
👀 This week’s One to Watch

Let’s kick it off!

🎙️ Talkin’ Ball. Week 0 of high school football in Arkansas did not disappoint. Benton upset Bryant in the Salt Bowl, Northside took down Southside in the Battle of Rogers Avenue, and much more. We’re covering it all!

🏈 Dominant Debut. Little Rock Christian opened the season in dominant fashion, rolling past Harding Academy, 45-13, behind a strong performance from senior quarterback Haden Hall. After taking over the starting job during the offseason, Hall threw touchdown passes to seniors Pierre Pickens and Ridge Bowman as the Warriors built a 24-6 halftime lead and continued to pull away in the second half. The Warriors will look to carry the momentum into next week’s trip to Shiloh Christian.

🪓 Fightin’ Lumberjacks. Warren kicked things off with a 38-21 road victory over Malvern, pulling away after the teams were tied at 14 in the second quarter. The Lumberjacks scored twice in less than three minutes late in the first half to take control, then added 10 points in the second half to keep the Leopards at bay. Sophomore JaKoby Avery rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns, while senior quarterback Jackson Denton threw for 293 yards and three scores as Warren built a lead they never lost.

🐻 Bear Down. Sylvan Hills started the Trey Schucker era with a statement, overcoming an early deficit to beat Little Rock Central, 54-32. After trailing 13-7 in the first quarter, the Bears scored 19 unanswered points to take control and led 26-13 at halftime. Junior quarterback Caden Burnett remained composed in his first start, throwing two touchdown passes in the opening half before adding another to senior Ezekiel Carruthers early in the third quarter.

🏈 Momentum Matchup. Searcy and Valley View will meet tonight, both teams looking to build on impressive season-opening victories. Searcy enters the matchup fresh off a dominant 54-13 win over Batesville, while Valley View opened its season with a 34-13 victory over West Memphis. Both offenses showed plenty of firepower, setting up an interesting matchup as the Lions travel hit the road to Jonesboro. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm and can be watched here.

🏈 Junior VJ Warren was a driving force behind Bentonville West’s season-opening comeback against Greenwood, totaling 178 yards on 28 carries, including a 31-yard touchdown. Late in the fourth quarter, the running back set up a crucial 29-yard run to set West up inside the 5-yard line. With his offensive power and reliability, Warren is sure to be one to watch this season.

Friday, Sept. 4:
🏈 7A Bentonville @ Conway, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A Bryant @ Alexandria (LA), 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A Northside @ Har-Ber, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A Little Rock Christian @ Shiloh, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A Cabot @ Bentonville West, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A/6A Springdale @ Van Buren, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A/6A Greenwood @ Pulaski Academy, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A/6A Fayetteville @ West Memphis, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 7A/5A Rogers Heritage @ Farmington, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 6A/5A Alma @ Russellville, 7:00 pm | Watch Here
🏈 6A/5A Mountain Home @ Harrison, 7:00 pm | Watch Here

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