BAUXITE — After defeating cross-county rival Harmony Grove to claim the Saline River Championship, Bauxite Head Coach Caleb Perry and the Miners are shifting focus to the Class 4A state playoffs, where they’ll host Ozark in the first round Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at The Pit.
Perry said he was proud of how his team performed Friday night against the Cardinals in a physical rivalry matchup that capped the regular season.
“We’re definitely proud of our guys and how they played Friday night,” Perry said. “Playing Harmony Grove is always a very physical game. The relationships between these kids go back to little league sports. There’s always a little blood in the water between these guys. They always want to beat us, and we want to beat them. We were able to come away with the Saline River Championship against our cross-town rivals.”
Perry said having home-field advantage to begin the postseason is an important edge.
“Home-field advantage is always a big deal,” he said. “Our guys always play well. The other team has to travel, typically being uncomfortable for the away team, getting out of their normal structure. They’re a very physical team. They’re similar to Harmony Grove at times, using the same formations. They play defense in a unique way. Our biggest concern this week is making sure we understand what we’re doing, lining up correctly on defense, and blocking the right guy on offense.”
Perry’s message to his players heading into the playoffs is simple.
“I always say someone’s going to be crying after the game, and it doesn’t need to be us,” he said. “The seniors, whenever they finish their last game, it’s always an emotional experience. We do not want to experience that for ourselves. We want to do everything we can to prolong our season.”
Quarterback Wyatt Foreman led the Miners’ offense against Harmony Grove, completing 19 of 24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 89 yards and a score. Jaden Banks added a 1-yard touchdown run, while Bearden caught five passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. Gunnar Morris recorded two receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Bauxite (record can be added if available) will now look to extend its season with a home playoff win over Ozark.