Hope Bobcats Face Hot Springs At Homecoming

By Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools, 09/29/20 10:35 AM

HOPE – Coming off a convincing 42-13 conference opener win against DeQueen, the Hope Bobcats look to homecoming Friday night and a 5A South contest against Hot Springs at Hammons Stadium.

Game time is 7 p.m., and homecoming activities will precede the game at 6:20 p.m.

The 2020 Hope High School Homecoming Court will be presented and the 2020 HHS Homecoming Queen crowned in ceremonies replacing the traditional coronation.

Maids of the 2020 HHS Homecoming Court include Verencia Leyva, Lizbeth Arroyo, Britney Martinez, Niakerra Magge, Na’Tyja White, Mriuna McClenton, Nyla Muldrew, Nia Glover, Michaela Clark, Danya Muldrow, and Ashanti Phillips.

Tickets to the game will be sold at the 18^th Street gate for $5 each on a first come, first serve basis under COVID-19 protocols for 66 percent capacity seating at Hammons Stadium. Face masks must be worn by all attendees and social distancing is to be observed.

The Bobcat defense will need to stand tall early against a Trojan offense that likes to score early and dominate the pace of the game. Hot Springs has scored most of its 62 points on the season in the first half, but their offense has dropped dramatically late in the second quarter and has been static through the second half of their outings this season.

While Hot Springs returns 11 seniors to its roster this year, only five are starters, two offensive and three on defense. The Trojans’ experience centers mostly in its junior class, with 14 offensive starters, including Junior Quarterback Isaac Shelor, and five juniors returning on defense.

Sophomore Quarterback Cameron Lyman leads 12 second-year starters for Hot Springs, with seven on offense and three on defense. Special teams for the Trojans include one starting junior and two sophomores. At 1-2, with Hope as its conference opener, Hot Springs will be looking to repeat its 48-0 win over the Cats from 2019.

But, both teams are averaging about 20 points per game on offense, with the Trojans putting up 62 points on the season against 95 points scored by opponents in three games; while Hope has amassed 82 points to date against 101 points scored by opponents over four games.

Bobcat Head Coach Phillip Turner will need to call on his defense to take the game away early and put the speed of Quarterback Ammorrion Dempsey to work and get the ball away to his running backs and receivers against an inexperienced Hot Springs defense.