Is the conference race over? Don’t print those T-shirts yet
Top 10 teams change spots
There was a lot of talk going around Shiloh’s Champions Field in Springdale before the Shiloh/ Prairie Grove contest was that the game that evening was for the conference championship.
Excuse me? Both those teams perhaps may have forgotten that there was another team to the north, also undefeated, also ranked in the state’s Top 10, that team being Pea Ridge. Before the winner of that game at Springdale (in this case Prairie Grove) gets their T-shirts printed and their patches ordered, they may want to wait until after they have played the Blackhawks
It will be true that the ’Hawks will go into the game as the underdog, they have a legitimate chance to win the game to go 7-0 on the season. As a matter of fact, the ’Hawks beat the Tigers the last time they visited Prairie Grove Stadium, and should have won the time before that. In the previous game, an unbelievably bad officiating mistake took a win away from the Blackhawks.
The battle Friday will be close and it will be a struggle. I mistakenly thought that Prairie Grove had reverted to their old tradition of primarily running the ball this season, but that wasn’t the case against Shiloh. Quarterback Zeke Laird, played a great game and racked up well over 200 yards in passing. Receiver Isaac Disney made catches that helped destroy Shiloh, and his defensive prowess was key in reining in the Shiloh offense.
Interestingly, some Shiloh folks thought it would be a good idea to put up a banner stating “Isaac Disney is overrated” and of course, it had predictable results. Disney was fired up to play the game of his life, and he got to stand in front of the banner that mocked his abilities after the game ended for photos. I wondered if any adults were around Shiloh Stadium Friday because the chances of that kind of thing happening at Blackhawk Stadium are less than zero. Not only poor sportsmanship, but also kinda dumb. Well, to the game. Prairie Grove has been fortunate to have had in place for more than a quarter century, head coach Danny Abshier who has won about 170 games while leading the Tigers. He has won 10 conference championships and has never really had a bad team. It seems every season, the seniors they have step into the shoes of the ones that graduate and keep it going.
For perhaps the first time since the game of football was invented, Pea Ridge will not only have a larger roster than the Tigers (7449), the Blackhawks will also have a bigger senior class with 24 12th-graders as opposed to the Tigers 18. Leadership is crucial for football success and the ’Hawks have plenty of that.
The teams seem pretty well matched although I think the ’Hawks are better at running back. The Tiger line is stout and both Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove pride themselves on defense.
The ’Hawks are just 2-8 against the Tigers since 2000, but interestingly, both wins were at Prairie Grove. Though Pea Ridge was clobbered by the Tigers last year, that beat down served to motivate the ’Hawks to improve and that they did, improving their way all the way to the state playoffs semi-finals. In the final polls of 2015, Prairie Grove finished second and Pea Ridge third.
Who do I think will win? I’m betting on boys from “The Ridge.” Nothing is certain in sports but I think the ’Hawks are ready to play good fundamental football. If they can get off to a good start, avoid mistakes especially turnovers, and avoid the penalty problems they have had at times, they can win their seventh game this year and their 14th straight regular season road win.
Other conference games
Shiloh will take out their frustration of being pounded by Prairie Grove for the second time in a row when they host Gentry Friday. Shiloh has a 9-1 record against the Pioneers since 2000 and Gentry is currently in the league basement at 0-3.
A big game for the a playoff spot involves Huntsville and Lincoln. Both have one victory in the conference and a win tonight will give one of them two of the three victories needed to make the playoffs.. If Lincoln wins, they will have to beat Gentry in week No. 9 and if Huntsville wins, they will have to beat Berryville in the season finale if either team wants to get into the big dance.
Finally, Gravette will host Berryville in what I think will be a decisive win for the Lions. Gravette is the fourth best team in the league but markedly better than the fifth best team.
4A-1 league standings
Oct. 10, 2016 Pea Ridge Prairie Grove Shiloh Gravette Berryville Lincoln Huntsville Gentry 3-0 6-0 3-0 6-0 2-1 5-1 1-2 3-3 1-2 3-3 1-2 2-4 1-2 2-4 0-3 2-4
School
1. Nashville Prairie Grove 3. Robinson 4. Warren 5. Pea Ridge 6. Shiloh 7. Ashdown 8. Hamburg 9. Dumas 10. Mena 18. Gravette 32. Lincoln 36. Huntsville 39. Berryville 40. Gentry
4A games across Arkansas won-loss
6-0 6-0 5-1 5-0 6-0 5-1 5-1 4-2 4-2 4-2 3-3 2-4 2-4 3-3 2-4
Last week it was the Robinson/Nashville game that had top billing in the state for its importance, and this week, the “Game of the Week” ought to be the Pea Ridge/Prairie Grove matchup.
Last week, Nashville came up with a last minute turnover to preserve a 31-28 victory over the Senators. Robinson, trailing by 3 with the clock running down, drove down the field and was poised to take the lead and the game but suffered an interception in the red zone to dash their hopes.
While Nashville won its 21st straight game, Robinson lost only its third game over the last 18. The hard luck Senators three losses have been by a total of 5 points, one of them being a
pwr
44.3 2. 41.7 34.5 32.0 25.7 21.9 19.8 17.5 14.4 13.1 6.6 -9.4 -11.1 -15.7 -20.2 +7.0 -6.3 -2.3 +2.9 -10.0 +4.2 new new new +0.4 +5.6 +1.3 -6.6 -4.7 28-27 loss to Pea Ridge last year.
Three of the four games in the 4A-7 have Top 10 significance. No. 3 Robinson hosts former Top 10 team Malvern who has already suffered two league losses. No. 10 Mena hosts last week’s No. 7-ranked Arkadelphia who dropped out of the Top 10 this week. Arkadelphia is 0-3 and in last place in the 4A-7 but have been ranked in the Top 10 nearly all season.
Finally, the toughest game in their league this week may be the No. 7 Ashdown squad hosting defending state champion and current No. 1 Nashville. Nashville should win, but in that conference, anything can happen. I pity poor Bauxite. The Miners have six of their seven