Pleasant Grove Secures Big Win Over Arkansas High, Paris Next
The Pleasant Grove Hawks beat their cross town rivals, Arkansas High for the second year in a row.
The Hawks 27-20 victory was a great way to start the season, according to Head Coach Josh Gibson, "I was extremely proud Friday night. We had a sold-out crowd, and we beat a very good football team."
Coach Gibson was especially pleased with how the defensive front won the battle of the trenches by playing extremely well on that side of the ball. On the offensive side, the coach thinks they can and will do better in controlling the line of scrimmage.
Sophomore Quarterback Ben Harmon was sharp all night completing 8 of 10 pass attempts. Gibson was pleased, saying, "Ben Harmon is a gamer, he made some huge plays throughout the night and was a bright spot."
The Hawks did a terrific job of clock management, controlling the clock and limiting the touches that Arkansas High had on offense.
Special teams had an up and down night. The good news was the conversion of two field goals and a good night of punting the ball, when they had to do so. There was also a huge block of an Arkansas High punt. However Gibson was not as happy with the Hawks kickoff coverage, because there were several lengthy returns by the Razorbacks. Coach gives the Special teams a C grade this week, but promises they will be focusing on kickoff coverage a lot this week in practice.
Next up for the Hawks is Paris. They are ranked #12 in the state in Class 4A Division 1. The Wildcats opened with a 47-20 victory over a very good Terrell team. Gibson says they are extremely athletic and dangerous and he looks forward to a battle this Friday night.
It is often said that good teams, should show some of their best improvement between weeks 1 and 2. Coach Gibson agrees, "Good teams and great teams get better each and every week. Our focus this week it to identify our weaknesses and take a big step. I'm looking forward to seeing us compete again Friday night."
Coach Gibson believes Friday nights are special because there are so many kids competing and performing. Coach is also very thankful for the community and all the support is has given to the program. His message to Hawk Nation is, "Thank you for creating an awesome atmosphere for our kids!!"
According to Coach Gibson, the big victory over the Razorbacks to begin the season has allowed the Hawks to move from # 8 to #6 in the latest state rankings by Dave Campbell's Magazine.
Another victory over a tough Paris team, might move these Hawks even higher up the ladder. One thing is for sure it will be another exciting night of high school football for PG fans. These Hawks are a lot of fun to watch.
This week's game is also at Hawk Stadium with a 7:30 kickoff.