Top Week Zero Games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The regular season kicks off this week in Arkansas. There are multiple intriguing matchups with some of the state's top prospects.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bryant vs Benton</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This rivalry goes back decades. It is one of the most intriguing and important matchups every season in the Natural State. They call it the Salt Bowl. D1 prospects almost every season, high-powered teams, and coaching staffs. Championship contenders as they look to battle it out once again in week zero. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> WR [player_tooltip player_id='401196' first='Kamauri' last='Austin'] (Bryant), EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='1554630' first='Matthew' last='Nelson'] (Bryant), RB [player_tooltip player_id='1590825' first='Brenden' last='Murdock'] (Benton) &amp; DB [player_tooltip player_id='1353087' first='Trevon' last='Stewart'] (Benton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lakeside vs Lake Hamilton</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is another historic rivalry between cross-city limits programs. The Wolves and the Rams. Lakeside took the 2024 matchup, 34-29. This game always starts the season for both programs. It can indicate how each program will do during the season. The wolves are a run first, option offense while the Rams are a well-balanced, spread it out team. Both are physical and it will come down to the last drive as always. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> OL [player_tooltip player_id='918048' first='Tucker' last='Young'] (Lakeisde), WR [player_tooltip player_id='1243261' first='Luke' last='Wrublesky'] (Lakeside), QB [player_tooltip player_id='1723711' first='Hudson' last='Davenport'] (Lake Hamilton) &amp; RB [player_tooltip player_id='1678986' first='Carson' last='Jackson'] (Lake Hamilton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pulaski Academy vs Joe T. Robinson</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head Coach Tyler Uptergrove aims to get Robinson back in the state championship in his second season at the helm. Last year, Pulaski Academy was one of their two losses, 35-21. Head Coach Anthony Lucas looks to do the same, after their program won four state championships in a row from 2019 to 2022. Both teams will have a new quarterback at the helm. [player_tooltip player_id='283397' first='William' last='Svoboda'] (PA), a Central Arkansas commit for baseball, and [player_tooltip player_id='1189935' first='Reece' last='Simpson'] (Robinson).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> RB [player_tooltip player_id='408693' first='Ja'Vion' last='Walker'] (PA), WR [player_tooltip player_id='256895' first='Chase' last='Hancock'] (PA), WR [player_tooltip player_id='1206557' first='Jaiden' last='Todd'] (Robinson) &amp; LB [player_tooltip player_id='1310542' first='Jackson' last='Redman'] (Robinson)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bentonville vs Tulsa Union (OK)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2024, these two teams faced each other for the first time. Tulsa Union won this inaugural matchup, 42-35, in overtime. Both programs have a strong history of success. Bentonville aims to even the series. This could become a new cross-border rivalry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> WR [player_tooltip player_id='1596286' first='Conrad' last='Schmitz'] (Bentonville), ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1627684' first='Kameran' last='Thornton-Mead'] (Bentonville), QB [player_tooltip player_id='402384' first='Skyler' last='Moorman'] (Union) &amp; DL [player_tooltip player_id='1532195' first='Terrance' last='Evans'] (Union)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Osceola vs Little Rock Mills</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osceola is coming off a successful 10-2 season, while Mills is coming off its best season in program history with a record of 12-1. These two teams, representing the 4A and 3A classifications, present an intriguing matchup thanks to their high-powered offenses. The Mills Comets averaged 41.8 points per game and only allowed 11 points per game on defense. They aim to continue their dominance as they enter Week Zero.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> QB [player_tooltip player_id='1323417' first='Elijah' last='Moody'] (Mills), WR [player_tooltip player_id='1730098' first='Jaiden' last='Hicks'] (Mills), ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1547292' first='Tyler' last='Bell'] (Osceola) &amp; ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1543261' first='Maurice' last='Washington'] (Osceola)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->