After a 35-6 commanding win against the Huntsville Eagles in the first round of the 4A playoffs last Friday night, the Gosnell Pirates prepare for a second round matchup with the Ozark Hillbillies, who will be coming into Friday's second round contest after a 23-22 win over the Ashdown Panthers.
The Hillbillies beat the Panthers thanks to a missed extra point attempt that would have tied the game and then a 48 yard field goal that was short with 2:13 remaining in the game.
The Hillbillies are coached by Jeremie Burns, and they are coming off a 6-4 regular season and finished 5-2 in the 4-4A. The two conference defeats were on the road against the Boonesville Bearcats,14-0, and the Dardanelle Sand Lizards, 17-13.
However, the Hillbillies have turned things around after finishing 3-7 last season and missing out on the playoffs; this year, however, the Hillbillies finished third in the 4-4A behind the Sand Lizards and the Bearcats.
"Very good program, much improved from the last season with three wins, and finished third in their conference," said Gosnell head coach Brandon Barbaree.
The Pottsville Apaches and the Dover Pirates also made it to the playoffs out of the 4-4A but took losses in the first round.
Barbaree said that the Hillibilies remind him a lot of a 3-4A conference rival, the Pocahontas Redskins.
The Redskins lost in their first round matchup to the Gravette Lions.
Coach Burns relies on a sophomore at quarterback, Dawson Dietz, who finished with 86 passing yards against the Panthers and has 1,091 yards passing on the season with 11 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 477 yards with 8 touchdowns.
"Very athletic," says Barbaree, "he gives them the dimension where he can do both and that's tough to defend."
Daniel Richard, senior, is a speed back for the Hillbilies, and Barbaree says that Richard reminds the coaching staff a lot of Cade Gartman from the Trumann Wildcats.
"He's extremely hard to tackle," says Barbaree.
The 3-4A had five teams make it to 4A state playoffs, with the Pirates, 3-4A conference champions, the only team surviving after week one of the playoffs.
"You hope your conference schedule gets you ready for the playoffs and I think it has because we're in a very competitive conference," Barbaree said. "Hopefully this week we'll be ready to go."
Kickoff for the Pirates will come at 7 p.m. on Friday night at J.W. Rea Field.
Joseph Fondren will be tweeting scores from the sidelines on Twitter @CN_JosephF
You can also email him at
jfondren@blythevillecourier.com