Bulldogs to host Watson Chapel

Two Jefferson County schools will meet up Friday night, each looking for a much-needed win.

White Hall will host county rival Watson Chapel at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

This game starts a stretch of three games between county teams across the final four weeks of the regular season. Watson Chapel will return home next week to host Pine Bluff, while the Bulldogs will travel to the Zebras in the final week.

Watson Chapel coach Steven Heard said these matchups are always unique because the players all know each other.

“They got close friends,” Heard said. “They got cousins. They got some relatives, next door neighbors. They know everybody. These kids grew up playing peewee ball together. They been knowing each other all their lives. So, they really want to get a win and get some sort of bragging rights going against each other.”

White Hall (1-5, 1-2 in 5A-Central) enters this game tied with Pine Bluff for fifth place in 5A Central, one game behind Beebe and Maumelle. White Hall has already beaten Beebe and travels to Maumelle next week, so the Bulldogs have a great opportunity to climb back into a playoff position over the coming weeks if they can beat the Wildcats on Friday.

White Hall coach Daryl Patton said the Bulldogs aren’t looking past Watson Chapel. Rather, he tells his players teams which play in November get there by practicing better each day.

“Let’s come out this week, let’s get better every day,” Patton said. “Let’s play a great game Friday night, and then we’ll look ahead next week on Monday to the next team, and let’s do the same thing. If you start putting good days on top of good days on top of good days, before you know it, you’re three, four games down the road. You got a chance to play for a playoff spot.”

For Watson Chapel (1-4, 0-3), the Wildcats’ final road trip will be their shortest. After this week’s quick drive up Interstate 530, they will play at home in each of their final three games, starting next week with crosstown rival Pine Bluff.

For now, the Wildcats will try to end a three-game skid and pick up their first conference win. Most recently, Watson Chapel fell 50-12 at Maumelle last Thursday.

Heard said the Wildcats have grown mentally through the first half of the season.

“A few weeks ago, we had a problem just staying in the game and keeping our attitudes right,” Heard said. “I think the next week, we got that right. We fought all the way to the finish. It was 5 seconds left in the game at Maumelle, and they were still trying to score touchdowns. So, we got the mindset right. … Now, this week is all about execution.”

This game, played the day before White Hall’s Founders Day, will be the Bulldogs’ homecoming game. Homecoming always brings various festivities which many coaches say can be distractions.

Patton said the team discusses priorities every day.

“Years from now, when you talk about the homecoming game from ’24, you’re going to remember one thing, and that’s gonna be that game,” Patton said. “We want them to have fun at the dance. We want them to have fun during the week at school, the pep rally, all that good stuff. But the No. 1 thing is, you better take care of business on Friday night.”