FORT SMITH – Southside will have its home football opener this Friday against Greenwood.
The Mavericks are also going to go ahead and conduct Senior Night festivities.
That was part of a decision by Fort Smith Public Schools to go ahead and honor the seniors – who are traditionally honored in their final home game – in the event that the coronavirus pandemic might cancel the rest of the season.
Likewise, Northside will go ahead and have its Senior Night for the Grizzlies’ next home game, on Sept. 18 against Springdale Har-Ber.
“We were thinking this might be a good idea just in case; we don’t know what the future is going to be for athletics or for academics for our schools or what the virus is going to look like in a few months,” FSPS Athletics Director Michael Beaumont said. “But we thought it would be smart to go ahead and have Senior Night the next home game for each side of town.”
Beaumont added that not only the football players be honored on both Senior Nights, but also band members and the spirit groups.
“Part of what we preach about the culture and what athletics and activities do for our kids is memories, and we did not want those kids to miss out on a Senior Night,” Beaumont said. “It will be different, it won’t be the last game of the year so you won’t have that finality feeling, but as a parent, I would want my picture taken with my son or my daughter on the field or with a backdrop that said, this is Senior Night this year.
“It was different, but this is Senior Night, so you want that memory.”
Football
The Northside Grizzlies claimed “The Battle of Rogers Avenue” for the fifth straight season as they defeated Southside, 35-7, last Thursday at Mayo-Thompson Stadium.
Northside gained 410 yards of total offense for the game while holding the Mavericks to 266 yards, including 92 in the second half.
Grizzly linebacker Noah Ottman recorded nine tackles in the win, including five solo stops. Fellow defenders Vasean Bishop and Jack Green each had seven tackles, with Bishop forcing a fumble on the opening play of the fourth quarter, as Zavian Zeffer returned it 92 yards for a touchdown.
Defensive lineman Maliq Thomas had the Grizzlies’ lone sack.
For Southside, defensive backs Eli Lyles and Levi Russell had 8.5 and 6.5 total tackles, respectively. Lineman Jack Hannan intercepted a pass as well.
Northside will have a bye this week before returning to action on Sept. 11 with a road game at Greenwood.
Tennis
Southside’s tennis team started 6A-West play Monday at Rogers.
Daniel Kiss was the lone boys singles player to record a win, while on the girls side, both their top singles players, Cate Cole and Annie Nelligan, each recorded wins.
Southside is scheduled to face Bentonville on Thursday. Those matches will now be held at Creekmore Park, as the Mavericks’ new home facility, Ben Geren Park, is undergoing resurfacing.
Northside’s matches against Greenwood and Bentonville West were canceled this week due to rain. The Grizzlies and Lady Bears are scheduled to begin 6A-Central play Thursday on the road at Bryant.
Golf
Northside and Southside were to have faced off Monday but that match was canceled due to rain.
Southside is scheduled to face Greenwood on Thursday for the first round of the Mav-Bulldog Ryder Cup, weather permitting.
Last week, Southside’s boys defeated Van Buren by 17 strokes, as the Mavericks shot a 156. Landon Gregory and Dalton Smith each carded a 36 for the Mavs.
Southside’s girls also defeated Van Buren by 15 strokes, as the Lady Mavs shot a 167. Haley Cline carded a 50, while Jessica Kantola shot a 56.
Last week, Northside’s teams faced Alma.
Adam Ferguson shot an 89 while Logan Riley had a 95 for the Grizzlies. For the Lady Bears, Kya Cole had the lowest score among any of the girls as she carded a 94.