Hope hasn't had much luck against Hot Springs recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bobcats will challenge the Trojans at 7:00 p.m. Hope has given up an average of 37.5 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hope had taken De Queen down for three straight games at home, but that winning streak came to an end on Friday. The Bobcats were dealt a 56-25 loss at the hands of the Leopards. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Bobcats have suffered against the Leopards since September 22, 2017.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Trey Hoglund, who threw for 195 yards and three touchdowns on only 15 passes. Hope also got help from Noah Cheatham, who showed off his sure hands for 91 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, Hot Springs faced Parkview in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Trojans had just enough and edged out the Patriots 23-20. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Trojans.
Hot Springs' win came from a few key players Hope will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Sedrick Allen, who threw for 300 yards and three TDs while picking up 11.1 yards per attempt. Allen is crushing it when it comes to passing touchdowns: he's passed for at least three every time he's taken the field this season. Hot Springs' leading receiver Ja'Marcis Morning was Allen's top target yet again, picking up 174 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Hot Springs didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Treven Edington. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 7 total tackles per game. Hot Springs got some further help from Jveon Johnson: he forced one fumble and made 11 total tackles (1.0 for loss).
Hope's loss dropped their record down to 1-3. As for Hot Springs, their record is now 3-1.
Hope was taken down by Hot Springs 68-13 in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Trojans' Robert Blevins, who rushed for 257 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 11.7 yards per carry. Now that the Bobcats know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
