Blackhawks set to start season with top ranked team
New Blackhawk head coach Brey Cook has his work cut out for him with his first official game set against the highest ranked team on the Blackhawk 2021 schedule, Shiloh Academy of Springdale.
Far and away the top ranked team in 4A, Shiloh is also the eighth-ranked team in Arkansas overall, ranking ahead of such large school teams as Fayetteville, Har-Ber and Bentonville West.
While the preseason game for Pea Ridge at Elkins went well with the Blackhawks drubbing the Elkins Elks to the tune of 28-0 with a big second half, Shiloh was pounding another Washington County team 7A class Springdale 35-13.
In the Springdale/Shiloh game, while the score was one-sided, the stats were fairly even with both teams matching each other in total yardage. The big difference was Shiloh’s big play advantage.
Shiloh gained over 180 yards of their 230 yards with just three plays. Quarterback Eli Wisdom threw a 97-yard bomb to Cooper Hutchinson, a 47-yard strike to Bodie Neal and a 44-yard pass to Tristan Messer who caught the ball at the line of scrimmage and ran it in from there. The two other touchdowns scored by Shiloh were a 95-yard kickoff return by Jacob Soloman and a 40-yard interception return.
Shiloh other wise only gained roughly 50 yards in all their other offensive plays, gaining but 20 yards rushing. Shiloh’s bread and butter will be riding the talented arm of junior Wisdom who has an array of receivers to throw to. Having 60 players on their roster prior to fall training, Shiloh has one of their deepest squads ever.
The current Blackhawk squad is upbeat about the coming campaign, looking to make progress from a covid-19 protocol and injury plagued season in 2020. Their first year in the 5A classification was stymied by cancelled games with players in quarantine limiting the Hawks’ success to a single victory over Alma.
After the home game with Shiloh, the Hawks will be traveling to Siloam Springs to take on the 6A Panthers. Siloam is the 11thranked 6A team in the state, ranking 60th combining all classifications. The Panthers are looking to build on a growing program and will bring a lot of size to the game.
The Hawks’ last nonconference will be against former long time conference opponent Prairie Grove.
The Tigers have had a rough time the past few years after being one of the dominant teams in the 4A class for a number of years. They are ranked No. 5 in the 4A class this year with an impressive 37th ranking counting all classes in the state.
With Cook, a northwest Arkansas native and former line starter for the University of Arkansas, the Hawks will be led by someone who has seen pressure and expectations and thrived in it. As the Blackhawks get acclimated to competing in the 5A class, plans are being put into place that could well lead to success.
The current top 25 ranked teams in the Arkansas 5A class:
1. Little Rock Pulaski
2. White Hall
3. Harrison
4. Camden
5. Little Rock Christian
6. Wynne
7. Vilonia
8. Maumelle
9. Magnolia
10. Clarksville
11. Batesville
12. Morrilton
13. Texarkana
14. Greenbrier
15. Green County Tech
16. Hot Springs
17. Watson Chapel
18. Lakeside
19. Nettleton
20. Valley View
21. Farmington
22. Alma
23. Pea Ridge
24. Brookland
25. Beebe