ARKADELPHIA – The numbers tell the story for the Nashville Junior Scrappers.
Fifty-six straight wins.
Six complete seasons with 9 wins each and 2 games of another.
Six district championships.
The Scrappers won their 56th consecutive game Nov. 3 with a 27-8 decision over the Arkadelphia Badgers. With the win, the Scrappers are District 7-4A champions and have posted 6 consecutive 9-0 seasons.
Lots of things have happened since the streak began. Some perspective:
When the Scrappers won the last 2 games of the 2010 season to start the streak, Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Donald Trump was host of “The Apprentice.”
Mike Beebe was governor of Arkansas.
Ninth graders on that Scrapper team are now juniors in college, including Cameron Alexander, starting center for the Ouachita Baptist Tigers.
The streak includes those last 2 games in 2010 and undefeated seasons in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Win number 56 came in a hard-fought game last Thursday night at Badger Stadium. Nashville and Arkadelphia were undefeated going into the contest.
The Scrappers scored first on a 15-yard run by quarterback Lance Easter. Jhonny Pioquinto kicked the PAT to give Nashville a 7-0 lead with 3:35 left in the first quarter.
The Badgers responded with a 4-yard TD run and a successful 2-point conversion. The Scrappers trailed 8-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The score held until the final play of the second quarter, when Easter scored on a 12-yard run. He also carried the ball in for the 2-point conversion to put Nashville on top 15-8 at halftime.
Easter added TD runs of 29 yards and 1 yard in the second half to wrap up the scoring.
The final touchdown took some time to put on the board as four apparent TDs were called back on holding calls before Easter finally put up a score with 2:48 left in the game.
Easter carried the ball 25 times for 272 yards against the Badgers and scored all 4 of Nashville’s touchdowns.
Carmillias Morrison had 10 carries for 38 yards.
Nashville ended the game with 307 yards total offense while holding Arkadelphia to 75.
The Scrappers ended the season with 2,618 rushing yards, 481 passing for a total of 3,099 yards, an average of 344.3 per game.
The Scrappers scored an average of 40.7 points per game while holding their opponents to 7.8 points per game.
The Scrapper defense allowed only 44 yards per game rushing and 56.4 passing, a total of 100.4 yards per game.
Easter completed 24 of 55 passes for 481 yards, 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
He ran the ball 85 times for 1,035 yards and 18 TDs.
Morrison had 70 carries for 813 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Jefferson had 26 carries for 638 yards and 11 TDs.
Witherspoon was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Basiliere had 5 receptions for 49 yards. Others with catches included Morrison, Lott, Jefferson, Young and Erwin.
Eighth grade
The eighth grade Scrappers defeated Arkadelphia 35-6 to wrap up an undefeated season with 7 victories.
Ty Gordon scored first on a 20-yard run midway through the first quarter. Pioquinto’s PAT was good, and Nashville led 7-0.
Quincey Garland scored a minute later on a 1-yard run, giving Nashville a 14-0 lead.
Gordon ran the ball in from 8 yards with 3:10 to go in the second, increasing the lead to 21-0.
The Badgers’ only score of the night came on a 15-yard run later in the second quarter. the PAT was blocked.
Keyshawn Stewart scored on a 40-yard run near the end lf the second quarter. He added another TD in the third on a 13-yard pass from Gordon. Pioquinto was 4 of 4 PATs.
Gordon completed 2 of 5 passes for 23 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He ran the ball 8 times for 114 yards and 2 TDs.
Stewart had 4 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown. Garland ran 9 times for 55 yards and a TD.
The Scrappers had 258 yards total offense while holding Arkadelphia to 150.
