Mayflower readies for unbeaten Harding Academy

By Kevin Black
UCA sportswriting

Mayflower — The Mayflower Eagles, who lost their first three games of the season, will play host to unbeaten Harding Academy in a 3A-2 conference showdown in a televised game Thursday night.

The Eagles have won all three of their conference games to set up the matchup. KARZ (Conway Corp. channel 9) is scheduled to broadcast the game.

The Eagles (3-3) beat the winless Rose Bud Ramblers handily last Friday, 42-27, but the Wildcats will be a much tougher opponent, having reached the second round of the playoffs in their first season in Class 3A. They have been a traditional state power in smaller classifications for years.

Mayflower's 16-7 victory over the Wildcats last year on their way to the conference championship is motivation, according to Mayflower coach Jed Davis.

“[A win] would put us in the driver’s seat for the conference championship,” Davis said. “Last year we beat them and kind of got the monkey off our back. We know they are beatable, it’s just a matter of executing.”

The Eagles will need to protect the ball, according to Davis.

“We’re going to have to eliminate our turnovers,” he said. “We’ve turned the ball over too much here the last few weeks.”

The Eagles will not take Harding lightly according to quarterback Jordan Dycus, who said Mayflower would have to play well if it wants to win.

“We’re playing Harding, so we pretty much have to do everything right on offense and defense,” Dycus said. “We’re going to have to play almost a perfect game because they are a really good football team.”

Senior Demetris Lasker, Mayflower’s leading rusher (755 yards) this season, is listed as questionable after suffering a pulled groin against the Ramblers last week.

Davis said the offensive line would need to protect the Eagles' sophomore running back Taylor Mathis if Lasker does not play.

“Our offensive line did really well two weeks ago, and then last week they didn’t play very well,” Davis said. “And we’ve got to have those guys playing their best if we’re going to win.

Mathis had 13 carries for 67 yards against Rose Bud last week.

Dycus said practice has been different with Lasker out.

“I have to pick up [Lasker’s] slack," he said. "They’ve got me running the ball a little bit more than usual."

He said he expects fierce intensity Thursday between the two teams.

“We look at it like a serious rival game," he said. "They’re going to be hyped up; we are going to be hyped up; we are playing on TV, so it’s just a really big game for us,” Dycus said.

Davis said he likes where his team is this season.

“What our goal was in the beginning of off-season and January was to be in a position to win a conference championship, and here we are,” Davis said.

The Eagles and Wildcats kick off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Patrick Stadium.