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PREP RALLY PLAYOFF: 5 CLASS 7A high 691 yards, but has been banged up the past couple of week, Loyd said. However, he could return this week for the Mounties' playoff game at Conway, the No. 3 seed from the 7A-Central, and give Loyd different options in the backfield. "Sammy is the type if he gets a crease, he could go," Loyd said. "at could give us a good little combo." Junior quarterback Hunter Loyd threw for two touchdowns and ran for two. combining for almost 300 yards of offense (223 passing, 74 rushing) in the 33-14 win over Heritage. He's thrown for 1,485 yards and 12 touchdowns for the season and ran for 256 more to go with eight TDs. — Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB BENTONVILLE HIGH Bye week becomes normal for Tigers It's become a November ritual for Bentonville High's football team. At a certain point during practice this week, a player leaves the practice field and goes into the press box at Tiger Stadium, where he flips on the lights so the Tigers can continue their routine that day. "It's fun because it gives the end of our practices that Friday night feel," Bentonville coach Jody Grant said. "It's also a reminder to our players that it's playoff time, so we have a little fun with that." Bentonville (7-3) is also in a very familiar position as postseason play begins. is will be the 10th time since the current playoff format was utilized in 2008 that the Tigers will enjoy a first-round bye as Bentonville awaits the winner of the Van Buren-Fort Smith Northside game. Both teams will get equal attention this week, Grant said. "We'll try to make one day where we just focus on Van Buren, then use another day to focus on Northside," Grant said. "You don't want to guess who you think might you might play. You could be wrong, and that has happened before. A lot of time this week, though, we'll just focus on ourselves and work on some fundamentals. "e bye week is a fun time and a nice reward for some of those players, especially those that have been banged up over the past few weeks. We'll give those players a day or two of rest." Grant said his team le last week's 31-7 win over Bentonville West and enters the state playoffs in good health. Some players may still have minor ankle issues, but the Tigers didn't suffer anything more than a few bumps and bruises. — Henry Apple • @NWAHenry FAYETTEVILLE Bulldogs focus on Catholic RB Fayetteville coach Billy Dawson knows the key to beating Little Rock Catholic is to stop senior running back Sammy Johnson from running wild. e Rockets (5-5) squeaked into the playoffs aer beating Little Rock Central behind Johnson, who rushed for 212 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 72, 17, and 5 yards. e victory earned Little Rock Catholic a first-round playoff game on Friday against Fayetteville at Harmon Field. "Sammy Johnson is an all-state tailback and a college prospect with a bunch of NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO Preston Crawford tries to pull away from a Springdale High defender on a running play. The Tigers won the 7A-West Conference championship and earned a first-round bye in the Class 7A state playoffs. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2018 FaveRates.com *Farm Bureau® Mutual Insurance Co. of Arkansas, Inc. *Southern Farm Bureau® Casualty Insurance Co. *Southern Farm Bureau® Life Insurance Co., Jackson, MS ARAUNP42454 1601 SW A Street • Bentonville, AR 72712 479.273.7786 2125 E Main St, Ste 13 • Siloam Springs, AR 72761 479.524.8400 NEW AUTO RATES. SAME GREAT SERVICE. NEW AUTO RATES SAME GREAT SERVICE