Cards’ playoff hopes alive in final week

HASKELL — The Harmony Grove Cardinals (5-4, 3-3) are on the cusp of a playoff berth, pending the outcome of Week 10’s 7-4A contests.
Currently, the Cardinals sit in the fifth and final playoff position after falling to Fountain Lake in Week 9. A win Thursday would secure a playoff berth, but a loss to Joe T. Robinson and a loss by Fountain Lake would also push Harmony Grove into the postseason.
Harmony Grove will play host to the conference-leading Senators on Thursday as it celebrates senior night at Sykes Stadium in Haskell. Kickoff is planned for 7 p.m.
Robinson is coming off of a blowout win over Ashdown, 57-13, two weeks removed from its only loss of the season — coming at the hands of Bauxite.
The Senators are led by a stout running game, combining for a 2,073 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground this season.
Senior Mekel Kentle leads Robinson with 723 yards and 13 scores on 56 carries. Fellow senior Tyler Jones follows with 542 yards and nine scores on 87 touches.
In the passing game, senior quarterback Greyson Tackett has tossed for 914 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 53 of 109 passes.
Kentle also serves as leading receiver for the Senators, bringing in 21 catches for 351 yards and five scores.
On defense, Robinson spreads the wealth as five defenders have at least 46 tackles on the year with senior Zach Williams leading the charge with 64, including 20 for loss. He also has dropped opposing quarterbacks behind the line of scrimmage 12 times this season as Robinson has a combined 25 sacks on the year.
In the secondary, senior Traveon James has intercepted the ball six times on the year.