Nashville vs. Pocahontas Friday night for Round 2

By John R. Schirmer

News-Leader staff

The Nashville Scrappers will make the long bus trek to frigid Northeast Arkansas Friday, Nov. 18, to fulfill Pocahontas within the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. 

Kickoff is about for 7 p.m., with game time temperatures expected to be within the low- to mid-20s.

“Obviously, Pocahontas is a extremely good football team,” Coach Mike Volarvich said. “They’re 10-1, with the one loss against Nettleton from 5A.”

The Redskins have the state’s all-time leading touchdown scorer in quarterback Connor Baker, 6-0, 198 kilos. “He runs hard and picks up yards after contact,” Volarvich said.

Pocahontas is “a giant, physical team. They’re thoroughly coached. They’ve several guys 300 kilos or more,” in response to Volarvich. “There’s a giant linebacker and running back who’s 225-230.”

The Scrappers (8-3 overall) “can have to play good football Friday night,” Volarvich said.

Pocahontas is barely greater than 4 hours from Nashville, however the bus trip likely will take five to 6 hours “by the point we get off and eat,” Volarvich said.

Along with the space, “Weather might be one other factor. We’ll should cope with the mental aspect of being cold. We’ll should exit an dplay in it.”

Volarvich said the Scrappers have had “a reasonably warm season. Now, the weather will go from the 80s to the 20s in every week with no cool down. Pocahontas can have to play in it, too.”

Coaches have talked to the team in regards to the playoffs this week, Volarvich said. “We told them that one of the best teams at handling playoff conditions, the weather, bumps and bruises, and the long season are the teams which can be successful.”

The Scrappers were excited Monday as practice for the second week of the playoffs began, Volarvich said. That they had a movie session and worked in the burden room before a brief rehearsal.

“They’re excited in regards to the opportunity to play,” Volarvich said.

The Scrappers have faced Pocahontas twice within the playoffs because the early Nineteen Nineties. They defeated the Redskins 39-7 at Pocahontas in 1993 on their technique to Nashville’s first appearance within the state finals at War Memorial Stadium.

In 1998, Pocahontas got here to Scrapper Stadium, where Nashville won 41-20.