December 13, 2024

THE GOUDARZI & YOUNG, LLP / ETBLITZ.COM TEAM OF THE WEEK… the ARP TIGERS!

Arp’s Josh Smith (6) gets into the end zone against West Rusk last Friday night. It was rough — West Rusk is always one of the toughest teams in the ETBlitz.com area — but the Tigers got out, rain and all, with a 22-13 win. They’ll move into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in District 11-3A, Division II, and West Rusk will go in as the No. 4. (Photo by DENNIS JACOBS – ETBLITZ.COM)

Both West Rusk and Arp went into Friday night’s showdown – the final regular season game of the 2024 high school football season – with the security, the knowledge, that they were already in the University Interscholastic League’s Class 3A playoffs.

On the line, though, was which team would go into the postseason as the number three playoff team from District 11-3A, Division II, and who would go in as number four, supposedly getting a bit tougher road.

In rain, amidst a tough West Rusk crowd, and after having overcome some wild circumstances during the game, coach Wes Schminkey and the Arp Tigers were able to get out of Bruce Bradshaw Stadium with a hard-fought 22-13 win.

And for that, Arp is the Goudarzi & Young, LLP / ETBlitz.com Team of the Week for the week of Nov. 4-Nov. 9!

Like everyone else in East Texas that had a Friday night game, the contest wasn’t played in the best of weather conditions, anyway: rain throughout, a slippery ball, and of course, the rivalry between the schools adds to all of it.

It was the first win over West Rusk for Arp since the 2016 season, and that’s a testament to what the Raiders have been doing right for so long – not only are they a tough out at home, but they’re a tough out anywhere.

Josh Smith, a recent Whataburger / ETBlitz.com Player of the Week, sent the Tigers up 6-0 in the first half, and then they doubled it to 12-0 before halftime.

An Arp interception at their own 1-yard-line prevented the Raiders from scoring, but only momentarily: the ball got away from punter Jaxon Schminkey in the end zone, and West Rusk’s Troy Hunley fell on it for a touchdown. That cut Arp’s lead in half (12-6), although Arp blocked the extra point.

It would move to 19-13 Arp, as the rain picked up in the fourth quarter.

Both teams understandably had a hard time hanging onto the football, and Arp got a second interception inside its 10-yard-line to end another Raiders’ scoring attempt.

Arp would add a field goal to go up 22-13, with 6:34 left, and managed to hang on for the win.

Smith finished with 139 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries for the Tigers, and had eight tackles, one for loss on defense. Casen Burgins had 63 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Thomas McKelvey had 21 yards, for 223 yards rushing in the game for the Tigers.

McKelvey only threw the ball one time, and completed it for a 10-yard gain to Wyatt Johnson.

Burgens and Ty Langley had the two interceptions for the Tigers (7-3 on the season). Schminkey had nine tackles, two for loss, a sack, and a quarterback hurry. Isaac Poe had six tackles and two pass break-ups. Zyon Washington had two sacks, and Wyatt Calley and Chadster Ellis each had one.

The Tigers got themselves out of a couple of jams with those interceptions, and you can get out of a jam if you have a legal issue by calling the team of Goudarzi & Young.

Most know that the law firm, with offices in Gilmer and Longview, have the three highest verdicts in the history of the United States in 18-wheeler accidents, and they excel there, but Goudarzi & Young is so much more.

They also handle cases with personal injury, property injury, wrongful death, other car accidents, burn injuries, oilfield injuries and insurance claims.

Brett Goudarzi, himself a former Gilmer High School football standout, is the current President of the National Trial Lawyers Association – Goudarzi & Young is the leading law firm in this country.

And we’re proud to have them as the sponsor of our team of the week award each week.

Check out their excellent website here: Goudarzi & Young, L.L.P. – Tyler & Longview Personal Injury Lawyers.

Congratulations to coach Wes Schminkey and the Arp Tigers, the Goudarzi & Young / ETBlitz.com Team of the Week!

And congratulations to both Arp and West Rusk for making the 3A playoffs. Arp will face Woodville on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Rusk High School, and the Raiders will meet Newton in Diboll on Friday, also at 7 p.m.

We’ll have more on both Arp and West Rusk, playoff previews from each, and from all of our area football teams that are playoff-bound tomorrow here on ETBlitz.com. By the way, in case you missed it, here’s this week’s playoff schedule for teams in our area: THE PLAYOFFS! | Here’s the complete schedule for next weekend.

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