The Blytheville Chickasaws (5-5, 5-2) have overcome adversity all season and will host their first home football playoff game since 2007.
The Chicks will host the Hot Springs Lakeside Rams looking to end their 24-year drought of not winning a playoff game.
The co-league champion Chicks are the 5A-East’s first seed and the Rams are the fourth seed out of the 5A-South.
The Rams come into the contest 5-5 overall and 4-3 in conference.
Jared McBride is the head coach of the Rams. McBride has a 56-42 record at Hot Springs Lakeside.
Last season, the Rams went 6-5 and lost in their first round matchup to Harrison.
All time in the playoffs the Rams are 5-12 and the Chicks are 2-19.
The last time the Chicks made the playoffs was in 2016.
BHS had to forfeit two wins earlier in the season to the Osceola Seminoles and the Nettleton Raiders due to an ineligible player.
The Batesville Pioneers also defeated the Chicks but due to Wynne’s 27-7 victory over Nettleton the Chicks were in a four-way tie for first place and because of points the Chicks were awarded first place.
According to Chickasaws head coach Ben Fisher, the Rams are big, strong and will give a lot of different formations defensively but their offense looks similar to the Chicks.
Fisher explained that his team just has to be ready to come and play because there aren’t any weak teams in the playoffs.
For Blytheville, Fisher said he thinks his team is hitting its stride at the right time of the year and they hope to build off the success they had against Forrest City in their 40-0 victory.
Fisher and the Chicks are sticking to their motto of “win the day.”
Fisher explained that his coaching staff is already preparing for the upcoming practice and then Friday night will work itself out.