Centerton (KFSM) - Coming off the first playoff win in school history, Bentonville West is riding high.
"Lets us know that we’re the best team in West history, because we won that playoff game," says Ben Gann, a junior who has seen most of that history.
But they know they face a big challenge this week, going up against the defending state champs.
"North Little Rock’s kind of like the Alabama of 7A football, they’re physical, they’re strong they’re fast they’re big, but other than that they’re just normal 7A program," laughs West coach Bryan Pratt.
West will attempt to counter the physicality of the Charging Wildcats with skill and talent, and nowhere is this more evident then with their offensive Swiss army knife, Tyrese Smallwood
"He knows our offense so well, it’s a luxury to be able to put him in so many places and he still knows what he’s doing," says Pratt. "We know he can run, and he's been filling in for injured receivers as well."
Smallwood enjoys the effect he has on a defense.
"They gotta worry about the run, they gotta worry about the pass, we just keep them on their toes."
Smallwood leads the team in rushing touchdowns and is second in receiving touchdowns. His versatility is just another in a long list of Wolverine offensive weapons that West uses to overwhelm defenses.
"It’s fun because not many teams know how to keep all of us together, somebody’s always open, somebody’s always getting loose, it’s just fun," says Smallwood.
So perhaps it shouldn’t be a shock that the Wolverines are the last team standing from the mighty 7A West. Gann certainly doesn't think so.
"Doesn’t surprise me, we think we’re the best team in right now."
That will be put to the test Friday against the defending champs, in what the Wolverines hope is the first of many trips to Little Rock.