Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Busey continues Blackhawk tradition
PEA RIDGE — Just a few miles separate the old football stadium off Davis Street from the palatial digs the Pea Ridge Blackhawks now call home.
The distance the program has traveled from just a decade ago until now is almost immeasurable.
Former Pea Ridge coach Tony Travis built the Blackhawks from the ground up, then carried that success up the road to the new place and handed it off to current coach Stephen Neal. Neal has taken the Blackhawks even further, leading the program to its first state championship game appearance three seasons ago.
It’s mid-November, and the Blackhawks are once again in the playoffs, entering this week’s first-round game as the No. 2 seed from 4A-1 Conference, and senior quarterback Tate Busey is a big reason the Blackhawks will be hosting Lonoke at Blackhawk Stadium on
Friday night.
“My senior year has been very fun, and I have been able to enjoy all the memories I have made,” Busey said. “I have accomplished what I wanted to, but there is still more to be done in the playoffs.”
The Blackhawks overcame a slow start in 2019 and reeled off six wins in a row before narrowly falling to league champion Shiloh Christian in the regular season finale 28-26. Three of the team’s losses came in a tough nonconference schedule that included Class 5A powerhouse Harrison and two other Class 5A teams.
Busey’s poise in the pocket along with his ability to improvise and make plays with his legs makes the Pea Ridge offense difficult to contain.
“My strengths are I can stay cool under pressure and I can make quick decisions on the field,” Busey said. “One weakness I have is that I could be more of a vocal leader on the field.”
Busey (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) took over as the starting quarterback in the middle of his junior season and this season piled up more than 1,800 yards on the ground and through the air with a combined 24 touchdowns.
If Pea Ridge is to advance in the postseason, it won’t be surprising. The Blackhawks have made multiple playoff runs lately and want to end their run in Class 4A on a high note. Next season, Pea Ridge will move up to Class 5A and become a member of the 5A-West Conference.
“Playing for Pea Ridge has been very fun, and I have gotten to play for some great coaches,” Busey said. “What I will miss most about being a Blackhawk is having the support from the whole town and the relationships I have built.”
An opposing coach said that preparing for Pea Ridge’s offense was the hardest assignment they had this fall and that Busey was a big reason for that.
When the season ends, Busey will take off his helmet for the final time and focus his attention on baseball, the sport for which he has committed to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Even though he will be focused on baseball, Busey said he will lean on the experiences he had in the Blackhawk football program as he continues his athletic career.
“College for me is going to consist of a lot of time and hard work put into baseball,” Busey said. “I am going to miss football and all the friends I have played with since second grade.”