The Searcy Lions will challenge the Maumelle Hornets at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams might be coming in a bit winded given these two teams combined for 865 yards in their previous games.
Searcy is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Arkansas' top teams: Robinson, who was ranked seventh at the time (Searcy was ranked 19th). The Lions lost to the Senators at home by a 46-29 margin on Friday. The loss was the Lions' first of the season.
Searcy's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Bryson Thompson, who picked up 96 receiving yards and one TD, and Jackson Smith, who gained 104 total yards and a touchdown. The bulk of those receiving yards came from one huge play: a catch that gained an incredible 69 yards.
Meanwhile, Maumelle entered their tilt with White Hall on Friday with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. They blew past the Bulldogs 55-20. The Hornets' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Searcy better keep an eye on Levi Warrior. He was instrumental in Maumelle's win, throwing for 248 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 33 yards. Warrior is on a roll when it comes to passing touchdowns, as he's now passed for four or more in each of the last three games he's played. Marshaun Wiley was in the mix as well, providing Maumelle with two scores.
Maumelle's victory bumped their record up to 6-2. As for Searcy, their loss was their first of the season and makes their record 7-1.
We should be in store for an exciting game as the two teams have no problem gaining yardage. Searcy has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 399.8 total yards per game. However, it's not like Maumelle struggles in that department as they've been averaging 384 total yards. With a pair of commanding offenses duking it out, the defenses are going to have their work cut out for them.
Searcy and Maumelle were almost perfectly matched up when the teams last played back in November of 2024, but Searcy suffered an agonizing 24-23 defeat. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Warrior, who threw for 237 yards and a pair of TDs, and also rushed for 85 yards on only 11 carries. Now that the Lions know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.