Final obstacles await top teams
For five classifications, there lies one last hurdle between them and a spot in a state championship game at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.
For Class 4A and 3A, the quarterfinals offer plenty of intrigue with eight teams remaining in each.
Class 7A has gone to play with the top two seeds from either conference advancing this far. In Class 6A, the top four ranked teams have made the semifinals.
Class 5A remains Little Rock Parkview’s to lose, but the other three teams have impressed on their paths thus far.
The three Class 2A favorites have all lost, so there’s plenty to look out for from the four remaining teams.
Here’s a look at 10 games you should keep an eye on Friday night:
BENTONVILLE (8-3) AT BRYANT (10-1)
The Bryant defense put on a dominant display when these teams met in last season’s Class 7A title game. The Hornets held the Tigers to seven points and a second-half shutout to clinch their fifth state championship in a row. This season, Bryant hasn’t looked much different under first-year Coach Quad Sanders. Bryant led the 7A-Central in scoring and hung 56 points on Rogers last week. Bentonville quarterback Carter Nye has dealt with an ankle injury this season, but the Tigers have looked like a team capable of a return to Little Rock when he’s healthy.
BOONEVILLE (10-2) AT CAMDEN HARMONY GROVE (9-2)
Booneville has looked intent on a return to War Memorial Stadium and a second chance at the state title that slipped through the Bearcats’ fingers last December. Booneville has won nine games in a row entering Friday, all by double digits. Camden Harmony Grove has won its past eight games, including a 56-0 rout of Newport last week. Booneville is averaging 41 points per game, which ranks third in Class 3A.
CAMDEN FAIRVIEW (8-4) AT LR PARKVIEW (12-0)
Little Rock Parkview has hardly broken a sweat over the past two months. The Patriots have won a state-leading 23 games in a row. Camden Fairview lost the regular-season meeting 42-14. But for the first time this season, a team will get a second chance at Parkview. The Cardinals have already pulled off two upsets, beating Farmington and Southside Batesville, thanks to a combined 591 rushing yards in two weeks.
CARLISLE (11-1) AT EAST POINSETT CO. (11-1)
Neither of these conference champions has lost since Sept. 8. This will be one of the best running back matchups this week with East Poinsett County’s Dennis Gaines facing off against Carlisle’s Kayleb Elliot. These programs met in the playoffs three years in a row from 2010-12, with the Bison taking all three matchups, including the 2011 Class 2A semifinal. Both teams were eliminated from last season’s playoffs by eventual champion Hazen.
CONWAY (10-1) AT FAYETTEVILLE (11-0)
On top of the conference championship and bragging rights on the line in Week 10 when Conway faced Bryant, the winner knew it would be seeded opposite Fayetteville in the Class 7A bracket. The Bulldogs’ offense has been electric this season, led by Minnesota quarterback commit Drake Lindsey (3,385 yards, 49 TDs). The Wampus Cats have an elite quarterback of their own with senior Donovyn Omolo (2,065 yards, 37 TDs). Both quarterbacks are state player of the year candidates.
ELKINS (12-0) AT CENTRAL ARK. CHRISTIAN (9-2)
This game has the potential to break scoring records. The Mustangs edged Nashville 59-50 last week to win their first playoff game since 2019. The Elks didn’t have as much trouble with Monticello, winning by 50 points. But the Mustangs have one of Class 4A’s most potent offenses. CAC averaged 48.6 points per game in conference play, compared to Elkins’ 55 points per game. The difference in this one could come down to who can get the occasional stop, and Elkins has proved it can do that, holding opponents to less than 10 points in four of its last five games.
LR CHRISTIAN (9-2) AT BENTON (10-1)
A lot has changed since Little Rock Christian cruised past Benton in their mid-August benefit game. Benton sophomore Drew Davis has emerged as one of the state’s top passers and ignited his offense, and Little Rock Christian has found a running back by committee after the season-ending injury to junior Ronny Anokye. These two have never met in an official game, so there should be some fireworks in this first matchup.
PULASKI ACADEMY (10-2) AT GREENWOOD (11-0)
For the fourth time in two seasons, these two heavyweights will face off — this time with a state final spot on the line. Last season, Pulaski Academy lost the regular-season meeting but went on to beat Greenwood in the state title game. The Bulldogs and sophomore quarterback Kane Archer (2,009 yards, 27 TDs) came to Little Rock and convincingly won the first meeting this season. They’ll look to finish the job Friday.
RIVERCREST (10-2) AT ARKADELPHIA (7-3)
Despite the loss of all-state quarterback Donovan Whitten last season and a brutal nonconference slate, Arkadelphia is back in the Class 4A semifinals. The Badgers will host the red-hot Colts, who have won nine games in a row. Rivercrest has not allowed points since its conference finale on Nov. 3. Arkadelphia has won its past seven games by 15 points or more.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN (10-2) AT PINE BLUFF (10-2)
This is the first-ever meeting between these programs, and it’s a fun time to do it. The Zebras have won 10 of their past 11, including an impressive offensive showing last week against Hot Springs Lakeside. Shiloh Christian lost to Farmington on Oct. 20 to fall to the No. 2 seed, but the Saints have left little doubt in their four wins since. This will be a matchup between two of the state’s top playmakers in Pine Bluff’s Courtney Crutchfield and Shiloh Christian’s Bo Williams.