It is always a big game whenever White Hall and Sheridan get together.
This week’s edition could be one of the biggest in years as both schools debut new football coaches at 7 p.m. Friday night in Sheridan.
New White Hall Coach Daryl Patton and new Sheridan Coach Kevin Kelley have combined for 13 state championships in their careers, and both are looking to bring that level of success to the two sides of the Highway 270 Classic.
Kelley said he didn’t realize when he took the Sheridan job how important this game was, but he knows now. He said the excitement for this game helps get his players through the long practices in fall camp.
“When I got to go (Monday), go out to practice like, ‘It’s game week against White Hall.’ All of sudden, their ears perked up a little bit more than normal,” Kelley said. “So, that part of it’s good. As a coach, what you gotta do is, you gotta find ways to use things psychologically that help motivate your kids. That’s the good thing about having this game first.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
As important as this game has always been to both cities, Patton believes it could be even bigger.
He was part of elevating the Salt Bowl between Bryant and Benton to what it is today. Just as he helped start the tradition of those two schools holding a news conference and kickoff event during the week of the game, he helped pioneer a similar event Tuesday at the White Hall Community Center. He and Kelly attended with four players each to kick off game week.
Patton said he thinks this rivalry can become as big as the Salt Bowl, and he wants his players to get accustomed to playing in big games.
“The more games you play like this, the better you’re going to become,” Patton said. “Our goal is to get to the 5A state championship and win the 5A state championship one day, and so playing a game like this right off the bat against a good team, big crowd, hostile crowd, we’re going to find out what we’re made of really quick.”
Both teams will break out new starting quarterbacks in this game. White Hall is turning to Wyatt Golden, who waited his turn behind Noah Smith and will attempt to keep the Bulldogs’ four-game winning streak in this rivalry alive.
Sheridan’s Brady Dillon returns from last season but will move to linebacker. Although Dillon will still be the backup, Kelley chose to go with Dax McMellon at quarterback.
Kelley said Dillon’s versatility and McMellon’s ability to run the offense led to the decision.
“(Dillon’s) a ferocious kid,” Kelley said. “He’s going to hit you when he tackles you. So, if I start him at quarterback, we’re losing a player. But if I start Dax, and Dax does some things in the passing game better. Brady runs the ball better and buys time better, but Dax does things, stays in the pocket better, runs offenses the way I want to a little bit better. At the same time, we’re getting a defensive starter out of it.”
White Hall leads the all-time series 31-22-3. White Hall won last year’s game 43-19. Sheridan’s last win came in 2019 in White Hall, 21-14.