Half of the MaxPreps state Top 7 4A girls from 4A-1
The 4A-1 Conference is well represented in the CBS/MaxPreps 4A Girls State rankings.
Defending state cochampion Farmington is the state’s number one team, with the 2020 state co-champ Star City squad in second.
The next three teams are all 4A-1 with Shiloh third, Harrison fourth and Pea Ridge fifth. Gravette is in the Top 10 at seventh place. Shiloh and Harrison are in the 4A-1 East with the three other teams in the 4A-1 West.
Ozark is the early boys leader in the state 4A with Lonoke second, Monticello third, Berryville fourth, Magnolia fifth, Little Rock Mills sixth, Blytheville seventh, Gravette eighth, Huntsville ninth and Prairie Grove 10th.
Offense wins games, defense wins championships
An oft repeated coaching bromide is that “offense wins games, but defense wins championships.”
Its oft repeated because it is “oft” true, and the current Lady Blackhawk basketball squad is looking to take that theory to the bank.
The recent runover of Elkins in the local gym was a showcase of defense. During that decisive first quarter, the visitors must have thought they were looking at a forest of waving arms and hands. Very few passes or shots got off that were not tipped, deflected or challenged, giving the Hawks a boost to their transition offense as well as keeping a lid on their opponents’ offense.
One particular play against Elkins was a great example of what solid habits Hawk players possess. First off, a good shooter will miss half the time and a good shooter will miss a 3-pointer most of the time. That always led me as a coach to exhort my players to take their shot but hustle in for the rebound just in case they missed. In the Elkins game, perimeter shooter Bella Cates, who is a really good shooter but not particularly tall, took a deep shot then hustled in, fought for and got the rebound. Defense is about hustling, and the Hawks excel at that.
Now that we are getting into the meat of the schedule and with the hope that the pandemic response doesn’t derail the season, the Lady Hawks could have a memorable year. Not a lot of size, but good shooting and a swarming defense could carry them far.
With the new gym opening up, there should be plenty of seating even with the social distancing limitations. Come on out and watch the girls in action.
NFL regular season over, playoffs begin
As expected, the NFL defending champion Kansas City Chiefs sat their starters and lost 38-21 to San Diego to end the season. Even with the loss, they ended with the best record in the NFL at 14-2 and will be home through the playoffs. The Chiefs and the 13-3 Green Bay Packers will have a bye week for the first week of the playoffs.
The Chiefs will play the lowest seed left in the AFC on Jan. 16, and if they win, they will play for the AFC title again on Jan. 24.
The teams in the mix in the AFC are Buffalo (13-3), Pittsburgh (12-4), Indianapolis (11-5), Cleveland (11-5), Tennessee (11-5) and Baltimore (11-5).
In the NFC, Green Bay is joined by New Orleans (12-4), Seattle (12-4), Tampa Bay (11-5), Los Angeles (106), Chicago (8-8), and either Washington or New York.
The Washington or New York inclusion is embarrassing in that both teams won only six games this season but are tied at the top of the NFC East. At press post time, the Washington team (they have no mascot anymore) was leading the 4-11 Philadelphia Eagles 14-7. If they win, they will “win” the NFC championship with a 7-9 record. Should they lose, the 6-10 New York team will get the playoff spot.
The average won-loss record of AFC contenders is 11-5 with the NFC average 9-6. If KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes is healthy, the title will likely remain in Missouri.
What’s the deal?
For the past few post seasons, we see more and more NFL bound athletes refuse to play out their career and skip their last game if the team they play for earns a bowl bid.
I don’t get the rationale. They all say they don’t want the possibility of an injury before the NFL combine in late April. Come again? You have been playing a 10-game schedule and with four months to go to the combine (the pro tryouts), now you are afraid of getting injured?
Do you think they will lock themselves up in a padded room until April? No, they will be working out with weights (risking injury), they will be doing loads of running (risking injury), and they will be practicing skills they will need at the combine (also risking injury).
In the Oklahoma/Florida Cotton Bowl Classic last week, the Sooners swamped the Gators 55-20 in what was supposed to be very close game. What happened? NFL bound quarterback Kyle Trask had the worst game of his career. Why? All four of his top receivers would not play, because of the NFL draft. At least Trask had some integrity.
The real reason players skip out? They cannot accept advance money from their agents until they stop playing for their college. By not playing in their school’s most important game of the year, they can get their hands on some money just a little earlier.
It would seem that the college game is being populated by players who have zero love of their school with no appreciation of the help their team was in getting them into the pro game. Lots of players leave school early for pro careers and that is fine and understandable. But quitting your team before the end of the season? Not cool.
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