Plan B results in premier matchup between top teams

If you’ve ever stood in an airport waiting for your flight to take off then learn it’s been canceled, you can imagine how frustrating scheduling can be in the era of covid-19.

Over 20 high school football games in Arkansas have been eliminated one month into the season and coaches are on the phone scrambling for games minutes after their original opponent had to cancel.

That’s what happened this week after games involving Fayetteville and Bentonville West and Greenwood and Little Rock Parkview were canceled because of concerns over covid-19. Both of those games were supposed to be conference openers.

Plan B was set in motion and coaches from Bentonville West and Greenwood got together and hammered out of the details for a non-conference game tonight at Smith-Robinson Stadium in Greenwood.

Everyone who enjoys high school sports hurt for the kids who aren’t getting to play tonight, especially the seniors. But we’re also appreciative alternate games can be worked out on such short notice for the players who want to compete.

Class 7A Bentonville West vs. Class 6A Greenwood is an attractive matchup, regardless of the circumstances. Greenwood is 3-0 after blasting Class 7A Springdale Har-Ber 33-0.

Bentonville West 2-1 and the Wolverines hung well for three quarters before losing 50-23 to powerful Broken Arrow, Okla. in a nationally televised game to kick off the season. West showed some grit by rallying for 17 consecutive points after falling behind 29-6.

Changing on the fly is nothing new for Greenwood, which found a replacement in Springdale Har-Ber after its game with Fort Smith Northside was canceled because of covid-19 concerns. It’s hard to pick a winner in this game because there are no losers when kids just want to play. But I’ll give a slight edge to Greenwood at home tonight and applaud everyone involved for making this attractive game happen.

RICK’S PICK Greenwood

Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).

CLASS 7A

Rogers Heritage at SPRINGDALE

Springdale Har-Ber at BENTONVILLE

Fort Smith Northside at BRYANT

CLASS 6A

VAN BUREN at Siloam Springs

CLASS 5A

Ozark at HARRISON PEA RIDGE at Alma

CLASS 4A

Mena at WALDRON Berryville at SHILOH CHRISTIAN

Green Forest at PRAIRIE

GROVE HUNTSVILLE at Gentry Pottsville at LAMAR Gravette at ELKINS VILONIA at Clarksville

CLASS 3A

Lavaca at CEDARVILLE BOONEVILLE at Two Rivers

MAYFLOWER at Paris

CLASS 2A

MOUNTAINBURG at Johnson County Westside Magazine at BIGELOW LAST WEEK 13-5 (72 percent) OVERALL 53-18 (74 percent)