Corey Green

Last week in a 42-0 romp over Jacksonville High School, West Memphis clinched at least a tie for the Division 6A East conference championship. Tonight (Nov. 5), the Blue Devils go for sole possession of the title and a chance to make history in a match-up against Little Rock Parkview (7-2, 4-2).

West Memphis (9-0, 6-0) has either won or shared the last six league titles. A victory over Parkview will make this year’s Blue Devils squad the first in school history to have back-to-back undefeated regular seasons.

“Long before I became the coach here, this school has had a rich tradition of winning,” said West Memphis football coach Lanny Dauksch. “Coach Grafton Moore was here for 24 years and he established the winning tradition, but even more so, this is an athletic-minded community. I’m just trying to maintain it.”

The Blue Devils’ last regular season game loss was against the Central Tigers in 2007. Jacksonville handed West Memphis its last league loss in 2006. The Blue Devils finished 5-2 in the league that year.

“It’s something about the Blue Devil tradition,” said senior quarterback Robert Sorrell. “Each year we have that feeling that we will always be on top. Our mindsets are to win the conference championship first. We can make history by winning.”

With all 22 starters graduating from last year’s team, not much was expected of the Blue Devils coming into the season.

“It was an unusual start to our season,” Dauksch said. “Losing all 22 guys is something I never experienced as a coach. We knew we had to play underclassmen that never played in varsity games. We didn’t know what to expect, but in the second game of the season we came back from a 21-point deficit. It was then when I noticed something was special about this team.”

The Blue Devils’ senior wingback and cornerback, Phaison Boston, says the team’s success is a reflection of the coaches.

“We are so well coached,” he said. “We stay focus throughout the week. We know what’s going to happen on game days because of all the hard work we put into our practices during the week. Besides winning back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, winning this game will give us the home field advantage we need through the playoffs.”

Parkview will enter tonight’s game on a four-game winning streak. Last week the Patriots defeated Mountain Home 33-14, and are averaging 35-points in that four-game span.

The West Memphis defense is limiting opponents to an average of 13-points per game. In the nine games this season, the Blue Devils defense only allowed 20 or more points three times.

“We focus on getting pressure on the quarterback,” said senior inside linebacker Marquez Allen. “Our defensive practice sessions are hard and extensive in assuring we’re ready for whatever offense we face. They said we were young and inexperienced, but we’ve prepared ourselves to win. Our motto is finish, and we want to finish all the way to state.”

Dauksch knows his Blue Devils can’t get complacent.

“What this team has done this year has been unbelievable,” he said. “We have accomplished a lot as a group, but we can’t be content. We have to be ready to play a good team (Parkview) with a lot of talent and experience. More importantly, we look to improve and make a run for the state championship.”