SPRING SPORTS STATE TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS

CLASS 6A

WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Springdale

DEFENDING CHAMPION Rogers TITLE FAVORITE Rogers

OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Little Rock Catholic,

Springdale Har-Ber, Cabot SLEEPER Conway

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Cabot vs. Bentonville

West

NOTEWORTHY Eleven of the 12 teams in the field had winning records, with Fort Smith Northside being the exception. … Three of the first-round contests are rematches from earlier games. Bryant and Rogers Heritage is the only one that pits teams that hadn’t played one another this season. … Catholic has won nine of its past 10 games. … Defending champion Rogers has lost to only two teams from Arkansas (Van Buren, Rogers Heritage). … Har-Ber has reached at least the semifinal round six years in a row.

CLASS 5A

WHEN Today-Saturday

WHERE Hot Springs DEFENDING CHAMPION Van Buren TITLE FAVORITE Van Buren

OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Jonesboro, Marion, Greenbrier SLEEPER Batesville

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Sheridan vs. Greene County Tech

NOTEWORTHY Jonesboro and Marion shared the 5A-East title while El Dorado, Sheridan and Lake Hamilton each got a piece of the 5A-South. … There’s a chance that last year’s finalists, Van Buren and Jonesboro, could meet in the second round Friday. … Greenbrier may be the hottest team in the tournament, having won 12 of its last 13. … Benton won its first 14 games but finished 7-8 over its final 15. … Greenwood and Russellville tied for the No. 4 spot with 7-7 marks in the 5A-West, but the Cyclones won the tiebreaker.

CLASS 4A

WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Nashville

DEFENDING CHAMPION Valley View

TITLE FAVORITE Valley View, Lonoke OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Arkadelphia, Pulaski Academy, Huntsville SLEEPER Joe T. Robinson

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Monticello vs. Joe T. Robinson NOTEWORTHY Defending champ Valley View has lost to only one team from Class 4A – Lonoke – and that occurred during last week’s 4A East regional in Brookland. … Huntsville reeled off 17 consecutive wins during the middle half of the season. The Eagles then won all three games last week to sweep the 4A North region. … Magnolia, last year’s runner-up, failed to reach the state tournament. … Arkadelphia is on an 11-game winning streak and hasn’t been beaten by a team from its classification this season.

CLASS 3A

WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Harrison

DEFENDING CHAMPION Harding Academy TITLE FAVORITE Harding Academy OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Ashdown, Paris, Manila

SLEEPER Rose Bud

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Paris vs. Rose Bud NOTEWORTHY Ashdown dropped its final two games of the regular season by a combined 21 runs, but the Panthers won the 3A Region 4 tournament by outscoring Drew Central, Prescott and Genoa Central by 22 runs. … Harding Academy, which has reeled off 22 consecutive wins, hasn’t been defeated since losing 5-4 to Valley View on March 17. … Episcopal Collegiate (9-13) finished third in its conference but won four straight games, including its region opener, to clinch a tournament berth. … Rose Bud freshman Russ Martin struck out 11 in the Ramblers’ win over 2021 runner-up Walnut Ridge in the first round of regionals. … Three of Genoa Central’s seven losses were to Ashdown.

CLASS 2A

WHEN Today-Saturday

WHERE South Side Bee Branch/Greenbrier DEFENDING CHAMPION Woodlawn TITLE FAVORITE Woodlawn, McCrory OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Dierks, Murfreesboro, Mansfield

SLEEPER South Side Bee Branch

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE South Side Bee Branch vs. Horatio

NOTEWORTHY Acorn is playing in the state tournament for the first time in school history. … Dierks has won 11 consecutive contests. … Mansfield is riding a 16-game winning streak, with its last loss occurring on March 25 against Ozark. … Mountainburg is playing in back-to-back state tournaments. The Dragons hadn’t reached the postseason since 1994 before earning a bid last season. … Buffalo Island Central extended its unbeaten run to 15 games after cruising through the 2A North Regional last week in Carlisle.

CLASS 1A

WHEN Today-Saturday WHERE Ouachita/Arkadelphia

DEFENDING CHAMPION Viola

TITLE FAVORITE West Side Greers Ferry OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Izard County, Ouachita, Taylor

SLEEPER Norfork

FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Mount Vernon-Enola vs. Mount Ida

NOTEWORTHY There will be a new champion after Viola failed to reach the state tournament. … Ouachita’s Brady Huneycutt tossed a no-hitter in the Warriors’ 12-0 win over Hermitage on May 7. … West Side Greers Ferry is on a 13-game run that includes three victories over Izard County, which reached the title game a year ago. Incidentally, Izard County is the only team from Class 1A to beat the Eagles this season. … Sacred Heart could face No. 1 West Side Greers Ferry in the second round for the second year in a row. … County Line has made it to the state tournament the past nine years.