Fountain Lake opens a grueling three-game stretch in the 4A-7 conference when the Cobras host Joe T. Robinson tonight at Allen Tillery Field.
The Cobras (2-1) head into the matchup with Robinson (2-1) after a bye week.
"It was crucial getting to be as healthy as we can," Fountain Lake head coach Kenny Shelton said. "We definitely needed that extra week coming off the last few weeks. Hopefully we face Joe T. as full strength as we can."
Shelton plans to dress out around 20 to 21 players for the game against Robinson after a few injuries and a COVID-19 quarantine.
The Cobras are coming off two big offensive performances after a 49-13 win over Mayflower and after a 54-6 win at England. Shelton looks for his team to execute against Robinson.
"We can't have any mental breakdowns," he said. "We can't have any turnovers playing a team like this. We've got to be able to get first downs and move the ball. Even if we can't score on drives, we've got to be able to move the chains and try to speed up the game as much as possible. We want to play slow, but play fast. We're wanting to eat that clock and have long sustained drives."
Utilizing the double wing offensive scheme in an extremely run heavy offense, senior Steven DeArmon has been the standout running back for the Cobras so far this season.
DeArmon carried the ball 10 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Mayflower while senior Caleb Lacy accounted for 70 yards and one touchdown on seven carries.
"Steven's crucial, just like all the guys are," Shelton said. "Steven's one of the best athletes on the team. He's really done a great job stepping up this year. He's been playing hard, becoming a better leader and really excited for the rest of season, and hopefully he can stay healthy and finish his high school career on a high note."
Junior quarterback Wesley Campbell was 7-for-8 passing for 148 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Eagles.
The Senators are a perennial powerhouse in the 4A-7. Robinson's only loss of the season came in a 60-28 defeat at the hands of Pulaski Academy. However, Robinson bounced back with a 47-44 overtime win at Maumelle, before taking down the Patriots in Marion 21-19.
"They've got a lot of speed, definitely a lot of size," Shelton said. "So we're going to have to play our absolute best ball. I'm very excited about our game plan, both offensively and especially defensively. I think that as long as we can stay healthy, and hopefully we're in pretty decent shape for this time of year, we can execute and give them a good ball game."
The Senators have played two different senior quarterbacks, Jack Cleveland and Gkyson Wright, throughout the season. Cleveland leads the pair through the air with 391 yards on 26 completions, but Wright leads the pair on the ground with 123 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Robinson spreads the carries out across many different players including seniors Daryl Searcy Jr. and Anthony Freeman Jr., and junior Noah Freeman. Searcy Jr. leads the team with 199 yards on the ground.
Last season, Fountain Lake actually carried a 7-3 lead into the second quarter on the road in Little Rock. However, Robinson quickly turned the game around and outscored the Cobras 43-8 in the second quarter en route to a 53-31 win.
"You know I think that last year they definitely were overlooking us," Shelton said. "I think the same thing is going to be the case this year. We're playing at home, the comforts of playing at home. They're coming in highly rated, and we're the huge underdog. I'm hoping they come in overconfident and kind of looking ahead past us."
After the matchup with Robinson, Fountain Lake hits the road to Nashville and Arkadelphia. Before the season started, Shelton referred to the three-game stretch as "murderer's row."
However, he added that his team looks forward to starting with the three best teams in the conference. He emphasized his team might just be able to surprise some of the big three in the conference.
"It doesn't take a whole lot to get the kids excited for playing one of the best teams in the state," Shelton said. "I believe Joe T. is ranked No. 4 in (Class) 4A. The kids are excited. Our seniors know this is the last chance to beat Joe T. in high school. ... If we're able to pull off the upset, this would probably be the biggest upset in school history."
Kickoff against Robinson is set for 7 p.m.