HARRISON — Harrison celebrated the opening of F. S. Garrison Stadium with a 37-14 victory over Mountain Home on Friday night.

Harrison has sent several athletes to the University of Arkansas in recent years and tight end Austin Tate, 6-5, 225 pounds, 4. 7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has agreed to be the next one. Tate orally committed to Arkansas in the spring and appears on target to be part of a special team this fall. The Goblins are undefeated after two games and appear to have a team capable of challenging for a title.

“This stadium is amazing,” Tate said after the game. “Our No. 1 worry this week was just getting out here playing and not worrying about all the distractions. There was a lot of distractions.

“ It’s an adverse place to come in here the first time. It is your home, but you have never been here. We were really zoned in and I’m really proud of the guys the way they focused up.” Tate had 3 catches for 34 yards and 1 touchdown on offense and 4 tackles on defense, including 1 for a 3-yard loss. In addition, Tate boomed a punt 41 yards that pinned the Bombers inside their 5-yard line. Mountain Home scored first Friday, but the Goblins roared back.

“The thing you have to remember is we never give up,” Tate said. “We try and fight hard and fight to the last down. I played good. We played good enough to win. There is no ‘I’ in team here and I played good enough to win and our offensive line was just amazing. All our other receivers picked up their roles tonight and that’s a good feeling going into the season.” Tate is keeping up with what Arkansas is able to accomplish in its first season under Coach Bobby Petrino, but that isn’t his main focus at this time.

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“I feel good [about Arkansas ], but right now I’m a Goblin,” Tate said. “I watched them [the Razorbacks ] practice and there’s nothing you can say. It’s up-tempo and they know what they are doing. They’re going to put you in there and you will know what to do because they know what they are talking about.” While most expected Friday’s game against Mountain Home to be a closer game, Tate feels this team is on a mission.

“I think we can be as good as we want to be,” Tate said. “I think we will be the best team in the state as long as we come out every snap and every down with that up-tempo and believe we are going to get down that football field.” Harrison Coach Tommy Tice is pleased with how Tate has handled the recruiting and his performance on the field.

“People don’t understand that if Hayden Stokes wasn’t the quarterback, we would seriously look at Austin Tate being the quarterback,” Tice said. “There’s nothing he can’t do with the ball, any kind of ball. He’s very humble and understands he’s successful because his teammates are successful.” Harrison basketball Coach David Stahler said that if Tate had played AAU basketball he would have had Division-I offers in that sport and added he is also a D-I prospect in baseball.

On the other sideline Friday night was Mountain Home quarterback Zach Hawthorne, 6-1, 180, 4. 62. Hawthorne had more than 100 yards of total offense Friday night, including 93 yards on 7 carries. Hawthorne is drawing recruiting attention and was present when the Razorbacks defeated Western Illinois.

“It was pretty good,” Hawthorne said. “[Arkansas ] has a young team. I played with a lot of those players so I know most of them.” The Bombers faded in the second half Friday, but most still feel the team will jell as the season progresses.

“Harrison is one of the better teams we will play this season,” Hawthorne said. “Next week will be a little bit rougher maybe, but we have to get better.” The Bombers will be at home to host Batesville this Friday. Batesville is undefeated in two games this season and defeated Searcy 42-14 on Friday. Hawthorne hopes his play this fall allows him to get a scholarship.

“I want to play college football,” Hawthorne said, though it probably won’t be at quarterback. “Maybe defense, maybe linebacker or whatever.”