Blackhawks start 5A football ranked 21st in state CBS poll
The Pea Ridge Blackhawk football team will enter their initial season as the 21st ranked team from the field of 32 schools competing in the 5A classification.
The Hawks, under new head coach Jeff Williams, made the initial Top 25 list published by MaxPreps/ CBS this week. After week No. 1 is in the books, MaxPreps will rank all 32 teams in the class.
Going from one of the biggest, deepest teams in 4A to one of the smallest in 5A will be a daunting task, as it was when the Hawks rose from 3A ranks to 4A several years ago. More distant road games will be in the offing, with only four opponents (Shiloh, Prairie Grove, Farmington and Siloam Springs) from this part of the state.
All eight schools from the 5A West, the Hawks’ new home, are ranked in the top 25. None of the other three 5A districts can boast of that statistic.
The gridiron Hawks are initially ranked sixth in the 5A West. Pea Ridge was in the playoffs the last seven years they played in the 4A class. In 4A, the top five of each league made the cut, but there are only four teams in the state playoffs per district. The 5A state championships have only four rounds compared to the 4A five-round format, meaning the season concludes the end of November.
The first MaxPreps 5A West football poll and the power rankings:
5A West football
1. Harrison 21.8
2. Vilonia 15.3
3. Morilton 6.9
4. Farmington 2.9
5. Greenbrier 2.6
6. Pea Ridge -0.9
7. Clarksville -2.3
8. Alma -4.0
5A MaxPrepsCBS football poll
1. Pulaski
2. Little Rock Christian
3. Maumelle
4. Harrison
5. White Hall
6. Vilonia
7. Valley View
8. Camden
9. Hot Springs Lakeside
10. Morrilton
11. Forrest City
12. Magnolia
13. Wynne
14. Watson Chapel
15. Farmington
16. Greenbrier
17. Hot Springs
18. Nettleton
19. Batesville
20. Texarkana
21. Pea Ridge
22. Clarksville
23. Alma
34. Jacksonville
25. Little Rock Hall
Arkansas Activities directors announce new rule changes
The AAA announced the results of the voting of member schools for rules changes and/or additions.
What jumped out at me is the introduction of the 35 second shot clock. Long a part of professional and collegiate basketball, the shot clock gives a team 35 seconds to put the ball on the rim in a shooting attempt. Miss a shot off the rim, and if you can take the rebound, you get another 35 seconds. If the defensive team fouls you, the clock resets back to 35.
This rule was introduced to prevent teams from stalling and running out the clock if they build a lead. Because it requires more manpower to officiate high school basketball games, the AAA has been reticent to introduce such a rule, but it has now been adopted.
The AAA also decided to limit the softball/baseball season to 30 games. Teams often schedule a lot more, knowing that they will lose some to weather along the way. The AAA did allow teams to reschedule during the season with whomever they want in the event of rainouts or cancellations. It’s a good rule change.
The ejection penalty for athletes was further delineated. In football, if a player gets the hook, that player will sit out the next four quarters. Get ejected in the first quarter, you can re-enter play in the second quarter of the next game.
All other sports will require their athletes to miss the next scheduled event.
Quite a bit was placed into the AAA’s plan to foster better sportsmanship.
Administrators are required to have a plan in place to bolster sportsmanship, and head coaches are to be held responsible for any conduct of athletes, coaches and support staff under their control.
The directives for spectators, bands, etc., is for their behavior to reflect good sportsmanship. Calling out opposing players and referees in an attempt to embarrass them or harass them can get you removed from the premises.
Officials are required to know the rules, and when dealing with players or coaches, they must not show or demonstrate emotion. The role of a referee is a tough one. A good ref will usually keep things under control but poor officiating paired with emotional reactions to fans, players or coaches could potentially lead to an unsafe environment. However, if everyone demonstrates a competency with their tasks and be able to keep a lid on their emotions, the sporting experience will be better for everyone.
Normally, video recordings have no role in game officiating, but the AAA will allow the equipment be utilized in the event of a ejection. Ejections sometimes flow from behavior by out of control fans. Refs are not hired to monitor fan behavior but they can deal with them if they intrude into an athletic event. Videos can help immensely,
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. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. He can be contacted through The Times at prtnews@nwadg.com.