High school football teams from across the region faced tough competition Friday night, with Salem, Mountain View, and Ava suffering difficult losses while Izard County secured a commanding victory.
The Salem Greyhounds were blanked in a 35-0 home loss as the Pocahontas Redskins dominated offensively. Pocahontas opened with back-to-back long touchdown runs in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. Despite a second-quarter defensive push led by Parker Swingle, Landon Moss, and Michale "Tripp" Martin, which forced a missed Redskins field goal attempt, Salem couldn't generate scoring momentum. A 15-yard touchdown and a successful two-point conversion extended the Redskins' lead to 28-0 before halftime. Pocahontas secured the game's final score with a third-quarter touchdown pass.
In Harrisburg, the Mountain View Yellowjackets struggled against the host Hornets, losing 44-8. Harrisburg capitalized on an early turnover, building a 16-0 lead in the first quarter and adding a second touchdown after a swift 82-yard drive. The Yellowjackets' offense found brief success in the second quarter when quarterback Noah Davis connected with Cole Cook for Mountain View's sole touchdown. George Rector's two-point conversion narrowed the gap to 22-8. However, a costly Mountain View fumble deep in Harrisburg's territory resulted in an 82-yard touchdown return by the Hornets. Harrisburg continued to pile on points in the second half with a 42-yard touchdown pass and a defensive touchdown.
The Ava Bears also endured a tough outing during their home opener against Logan-Rogersville, suffering a decisive 55-0 defeat. Logan-Rogersville quickly took control of the game, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions and leading 41-0 by halftime. Ava's attempts to counter included a kickoff return by Jake Hedrick and a strong run by Braxton Swearengin, but the Bears were unable to convert these efforts into points. Logan-Rogersville added two more touchdowns in the second half to seal the victory.
In a bright spot for the region, the Izard County Cougars dominated their season opener with a 46-0 road win over the Dermott Rams. Sophomore quarterback Kane Johnson led the charge with three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores. Brayden Treat and James Down each caught two touchdowns, while Payton Thompson contributed an additional rushing touchdown as the Cougars started their season strong.
While the week was marked by challenging losses for several local teams, Izard County’s standout performance brought a sense of optimism as the season progresses.