BENTONVILLE (KFSM) -

Going into conference play undefeated certainly leaves a good taste in your mouth. That, and...

"I love me some chicken."

"It was nice, everybody was like, oh chicken, and then we broke the huddle and I think half the team sprinted off and the other half was just right behind them getting in line, so that was great."

Bentonville is the Slim Chickens Team of the Week after a win Friday moved to 3-0 on the season. It’s a far cry from where the tigers were at this point last season, as junior Ryan Garrett remembers.

"Going into the bye week 0-3 last year, everybody was sort of doubting us, even the own team sometimes."

"Just for everybody’s mental state I think it’s significantly better," muses head coach Jody Grant.

"Last year, we were kind of feeling down on ourselves, everybody was talking down on us, saying we weren’t gonna make it that far," remembers junior Keegan Stinespring, "and this year we have a lot of confidence."

"You kind of have to climb a wall," adds senior Jackson Kinsey and this year we’re already over that wall being 3-0, so it’s just keep going, make it all the way to Little Rock.

Bentonville now has to carry that momentum throug a bye week, but coach Grant likes the timing.

"It gives us a chance to get healthy going into conference play, gives us a chance to spend an extra week on a conference opponent, so I think the timing of it is perfect."

Of course, last year's team still went undefeated in conference play, so just imagine what a confident and well-fed Tiger team is capable of. After the week off, they'll start 7A-West play off against Har-Ber.
