Leader sportswriter
The Beebe Badgers may not need a last-second miracle against Greene County Tech this week like the one they received to win their homecoming game against Blytheville last Friday, but coach John Shannon does not want to take the struggling Eagles lightly.
The Badgers still have a chance to contend for a 5A East Conference championship after Batesville’s victory over Wynne last week, but they first must eliminate GCT and then Nettleton next week in order to get a week ten showdown with the Pioneers for all the marbles.
Junior Pearson Sloan became the hero of homecoming for Beebe when he recovered a Chickasaw fumble in the end zone in the closing seconds to score the winning touchdown and put a wild exclamation point on the Badgers’ second-half comeback. The Badgers (5-2, 3-1) trailed by 11 heading into the final quarter, but held true to their modus operandi of wearing down opponents and striking late.
“He started as a backup,” Shannon said of Sloan. “His playing time has been increasing steadily. And then he makes a play like that – you know it has to be a big confidence booster for him.”
The Eagles (2-5, 1-3) have struggled this season under fourth-year coach Jeff Conaway. They opened their season on a difficult note in a 45-6 loss to Jonesboro, but rebounded the next week to down Hoxie 35-21. They ended non conference play with a loss to Marion in a wild one, 82-51.
They picked up their only East win against Forrest City in week four before losing to Wynne, Blytheville and Nettleton last week, 40-34.
“They’re pretty good offensively. I think they’ve struggled some defensively,” Shannon said. “They spread you out, and they’ve put up some big scores. What they really get you with is the screens. They have about six or seven different screens, and it puts you in binds. We have to play disciplined and be able to stop it.”
Beebe’s constant strategy of keeping the ball in its hands is particularly important this week against the Eagles, who have been held to only one score in their season-opening loss to 6A Jonesboro.
“We’re hoping to be able to keep the ball, and keep pounding on them,” Shannon said. “We have to show up and work hard every day. We’re not superior to anyone, we’re just a hard-nosed football team with a game plan of wearing the other team down.”
Shannon noted that one more win will most likely give the Badgers enough to earn a seed in the Class 5A state playoffs, but two more will put Beebe in position for its ultimate goal, a shot at the 5A East title. That would mean hosting Batesville in a repeat of last year’s championship game at Pioneer Field.
If Beebe defeated Batesville and Wynne won out, the three would split the title and seeding would be determined by season records. But if Wynne is defeated in any of its last three games, the winner between the Badgers and Pioneers would take it all.
“Our main goal is to play Batesville for a shot at the conference title,” Shannon said. “But Greene County Tech is one of the toughest places in this conference to play on a Friday night.”
The Beebe Badgers may not need a last-second miracle against Greene County Tech this week like the one they received to win their homecoming game against Blytheville last Friday, but coach John Shannon does not want to take the struggling Eagles lightly.
The Badgers still have a chance to contend for a 5A East Conference championship after Batesville’s victory over Wynne last week, but they first must eliminate GCT and then Nettleton next week in order to get a week ten showdown with the Pioneers for all the marbles.
Junior Pearson Sloan became the hero of homecoming for Beebe when he recovered a Chickasaw fumble in the end zone in the closing seconds to score the winning touchdown and put a wild exclamation point on the Badgers’ second-half comeback. The Badgers (5-2, 3-1) trailed by 11 heading into the final quarter, but held true to their modus operandi of wearing down opponents and striking late.
“He started as a backup,” Shannon said of Sloan. “His playing time has been increasing steadily. And then he makes a play like that – you know it has to be a big confidence booster for him.”
The Eagles (2-5, 1-3) have struggled this season under fourth-year coach Jeff Conaway. They opened their season on a difficult note in a 45-6 loss to Jonesboro, but rebounded the next week to down Hoxie 35-21. They ended non conference play with a loss to Marion in a wild one, 82-51.
They picked up their only East win against Forrest City in week four before losing to Wynne, Blytheville and Nettleton last week, 40-34.
“They’re pretty good offensively. I think they’ve struggled some defensively,” Shannon said. “They spread you out, and they’ve put up some big scores. What they really get you with is the screens. They have about six or seven different screens, and it puts you in binds. We have to play disciplined and be able to stop it.”
Beebe’s constant strategy of keeping the ball in its hands is particularly important this week against the Eagles, who have been held to only one score in their season-opening loss to 6A Jonesboro.
“We’re hoping to be able to keep the ball, and keep pounding on them,” Shannon said. “We have to show up and work hard every day. We’re not superior to anyone, we’re just a hard-nosed football team with a game plan of wearing the other team down.”
Shannon noted that one more win will most likely give the Badgers enough to earn a seed in the Class 5A state playoffs, but two more will put Beebe in position for its ultimate goal, a shot at the 5A East title. That would mean hosting Batesville in a repeat of last year’s championship game at Pioneer Field.
If Beebe defeated Batesville and Wynne won out, the three would split the title and seeding would be determined by season records. But if Wynne is defeated in any of its last three games, the winner between the Badgers and Pioneers would take it all.
“Our main goal is to play Batesville for a shot at the conference title,” Shannon said. “But Greene County Tech is one of the toughest places in this conference to play on a Friday night.”
