Upstart Bombers visit Panthers

Perspective is important, even in the middle of a three-game losing streak.

For the Siloam Springs football team, keeping perspective in mind and still with an eye on what's in front may just what the Panthers need this week as they host Mountain Home on Friday in the final regular season home game.

"Going into the season, we all probably had the view that we wouldn't make it through the season (because of the covid-19 pandemic)," said Siloam Springs head coach Brandon Craig. "To get this far and look at Week 8 and play our final home game of the regular season, that's a big deal not just for us a team but for a community that we're surviving and making it through this pandemic together."

There have been some obstacles along the way for the Panthers, who have lost players to covid quarantine and injuries. Siloam Springs won three of its first four games but has lost each of the last three by mercy rule to Benton (5-2, 4-0), Greenwood (7-0, 3-0) and Lake Hamilton (6-0, 3-0), the top three teams in the 6A-West Conference standings.

But there is a lot of season left in front of the Panthers (3-4, 1-3) and a lot of opportunity as well.

Because several teams in the conference lost league games due to covid, all the Class 6A teams are slated to go to the playoffs and the top four teams would host opening round games.

Siloam Springs is in the running for the fourth spot along with its next three opponents Mountain Home (3-4, 1-3), Little Rock Parkview (4-1, 1-1) and Russellville (1-6, 0-4) as well as Van Buren (3-4, 1-3), who the Panthers beat 43-42 in overtime on Sept. 25.

"Looking at the remainder of our schedule, our only hope is to go forward and focus on each game one at a time," Craig said. "We have a chance to get a number four seed and host a playoff game. That's been the mission since I got here. Hopefully we can find a way to accomplish it."

It starts this week with Mountain Home.

"Our priority is to focus on Mountain Home and play the best game we can against them," Craig said.

The Bombers, under first-year coach Steve Ary, have been much more competitive than the last several seasons.

Mountain Home won four games in 2016 but won only one in 2017 and went winless in 2018 and 2019.

So far, the Bombers have picked up big wins against Nettleton (41-7), Batesville (49-45) and a conference win against Van Buren (49-37).

The Bombers have losses to Harrison (48-34), Lake Hamilton (28-14), Greenwood (40-7) and last week to Benton (35-7).

"They've got a new coach who's done a great job," Craig said of Ary. "He's instilled a sense of pride in them. They're playing with a lot of passion."

The Bombers also brought in former Razorback and NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett as an assistant coach.

Senior quarterback Bryce McKay makes the Bombers go. McKay has completed 59 of 129 passes for 893 yards and eight touchdowns. McKay also has rushed 171 times for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Senior running back Gage Hershberger has rushed 126 times for 667 yards and six touchdowns.

Senior receiver Logen Walker has caught 29 passes for 591 yards and seven touchdowns.

Linebacker Brock Bogy also had caught the Siloam Springs' coaches attention.

"They've got some nice players and he's doing a nice job," Craig said. "We're really similar teams."

The Panthers are coming off a 42-19 loss at Lake Hamilton last week where they had more than 400 yards of offense but turned the ball over four times.

"In high school football you cannot turn the ball over," Craig said. "You only get so many possessions throughout a game. We had the ball inside the 10 three times and turned it over. Unfortunately for us we did it against a really good football team and they took advantage."

On the season, junior quarterback Hunter Talley has completed 72 of 120 passes (60 percent) for 1,088 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

Talley also leads the team in rushing with 448 yards on 108 carries and scored nine touchdowns.

Senior Palvinson "Jeff" Phizema has 436 yards on 45 carries (9.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. Senior Camden Collins has 433 yards on 56 carries and five touchdowns, but Collins left the Lake Hamilton game with an ankle injury and his status is not clear for Friday's game.

The Panthers are likely without junior running back Zach Gunneman (49 carries, 357 yards, three TDs) and leading receiver Gavin Henson (15 receptions, 294 yards, two TDs), who were both injured at Benton on Oct. 2.

Wide receiver/defensive back Elijah Coffey (14 receptions, 272 yards, three touchdowns) also left the Lake Hamilton game with an injury but should be able to play this week, Craig said.

Junior wide receiver/safety Christian Ledeker had a big night at Lake Hamilton, catching four passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Also questionable for Friday's game are senior safety Keegan Soucie and defensive tackle Stanley Theoc.

"I hope we get some of these guys back," Craig said. "Not sure, we'll see. We don't make excuses and we don't accept excuses. We're going to play with everything we've got."