It doesn’t get easier for Watson Chapel this week.
The Wildcats are on the road Friday to play Searcy at 7 p.m. in the second of back-to-back games against the conference’s apparent contenders.
Watson Chapel (0-4, 0-1 in 5A-Central) opened conference play last week against Joe T. Robinson, the current top-ranked team in Class 5A, per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The Senators, who are also ranked 10th overall in Arkansas, won 58-0.
Searcy (4-0, 1-0) is ranked sixth in 5A, making the Lions the second-highest ranked team in the 5A-Central Conference. Searcy and Robinson are the only teams in the conference still undefeated. The Lions are coming off a 50-7 home win against White Hall.
The Lions have played exceptional defense this season. Searcy has held three of its four opponents to 7 points each, the lone exception being a 37-27 win against Valley View.
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Last week, White Hall didn’t score its lone touchdown until the fourth quarter, when the game was already well in hand. Similarly, Batesville trailed 24-0 before scoring its only points of a 45-7 Searcy win.
That defense will present a big challenge to a Watson Chapel team which has been shut out in each of its past two contests against Robinson and Warren. The Wildcats 18 points in their first two games.
Searcy’s offense, led by sophomore quarterback Jacob Miles’ 11 touchdown passes and two touchdown runs, has scored 37 points or more in three of its four games. The Lions led 36-0 at halftime last week.
Watson Chapel has yet to hold an opponent to fewer than 42 points.