McGEE: Playoffs look eventful

This year’s state playoff run is going to be eventful. New contenders, faltering power houses, and the fact that high school football is at best, unpredictable, will make the 2018 run up to Little Rock very interesting.

4A-1 District football standings

1. Pea Ridge 5-0

2. Shiloh 5-0

3. Lincoln 3-2

4. Prairie Grove 3-2

5. Gentry 2-3

6. Berryville 1-4

7. Gravette 1-4

8. Green Forest 0-5

MaxPreps/CBS 4A State football poll

The Blackhawks took care of Berryville fairly easily last Friday, but the ’Hawks dropped a spot in the poll with the Bobcats rising one spot up in the polls.

The ’Hawks dropped from 13th to 14th with the Bobcats going from 40th to 39th.

How does that work, you might ask. Ask the computer. If the ’Hawks had beaten the ‘Cats by 45 or 50, the computer would have liked that. But, as I have often said, the only poll that really counts is the final one.

A Blackhawk team that lost a lot of offense through graduation, had lost even more if it in the events of the past couple of weeks. That being said, the ’Hawks have adjusted, shifted, compensated and have stepped up to the challenge.

I would love a victory over Shiloh next week as that would put us in line to host the first three playoff games if we keep winning. Of course, I would like to beat Shiloh anyway regardless of the playoffs or any other considerations.

The team this year has a lot of heart. No school in the state has played in the state semi-finals in each of the past three years. I would like to see us be the only one to reach the semifinals for four times in a row. Then we can work on getting to Little Rock. They won’t make it for lack of heart.

MaxPreps/CBS State 4A football poll

1. Bauxite 8-0

2. Warren 8-0

3. Robinson 7-2

4. Rivercrest 7-1

5. Shiloh 7-1

6. Dumas 7-1

7. Stuttgart 6-2

8. Westside 7-1

9. Nashville 6-2

10. Ozark 6-2

11. Arkadelphia 3-5

12. Hamburg 7-1

13. Dardanelle 7-1

14. Pea Ridge 6-2

15. West Helena 6-2

16. Heber Springs 4-4

17. Harmony Grove 5-3

18. Elkins 7-1

19. Gosnell 4-4

20. Southside 4-4

21. Trumann 5-3

22. Fountain Lake 4-4

23. Lonoke 4-4

24. Ashdown 3-5

25. Mena 5-3

26. Lincoln 6-2

27. Prairie Grove 4-4

28. Star City 2-6

29. Bald Knob 4-4

30. Central Ark. 4-4

31. Pocahontas 3-5

32. Pottsville 3-5

33. Crossett 3-5

34. DeWitt 3-5

35. Gentry 2-6

36. Highland 1-7

37. Malvern 0-8

38. Riverview 2-6

39. Berryville 3-5

40. Brookland 1-7

41. Waldron 2-6

42. Dover 1-7

43. Cave City 1-7

44. Subiaco 1-7

45. Monticello 0-8

46. Mills 0-8

47. Gravette 1-7

48. Green Forest 1-7

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Editor’s note: John McGee, an award-winning columnist, sports writer and art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, writes a regular sports column for The Times. He can be contacted through The Times at prtnews@nwadg.com.