The Blackhawk junior boys began play this past Monday in the 4A-1 District Tournament which is being hosted by Prairie Grove this year.
The second-seeded ’Hawks opened play against seventh-seeded Gravette in opening round action. If they won their game Monday, they were to play at 7:45 p.m. Thursday against the winner of the Farmington/Ozark game. Farmington has the third seed, while Ozark finished sixth in conference play.
The district final will be held at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday. The other side of the bracket has conference champion Gentry with the top seed, who opened play with eighth-place finisher Lincoln in first round action. Number 4 Berryville played No. 5 Prairie Grove in the other first round game, with the winner of that contest playing the winner of Gentry/Lincoln.
4A track season underway
More than 40 high schools converged on Fayetteville last weekend for the Arkansas 3A-4A State Indoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Arkansas.
Heber Springs boys won a lopsided victory, nearly tripling the second best team’s efforts, as the Panthers racked up 129 points.
Second-place Nashville was far, far behind with 52 points, decidedly ahead of third-place finisher Paris, who finished with 36.
In fourth place was Crossett with 34, followed by Maumelle 29, Little Rock Episcopal 26, Lafayette 23, Monticello 22, with Booneville and Valley View tying for 9th place with 20 points each. Two 4A-1 teams scored at the meet with Gentry claiming 17th with 17 points while Gravette came in 21st with 6 points.
In the girls division, Mansfield won the meet by upsetting Heber Springs 101-69. Waldron was third with 65, followed by Crossett 62, Gosnell 52, Hughes 28, Gentry 27, Monticello 20, Maumelle 19 and Trinity 17.
Outdoor track meets will be able to be held in a couple of weeks.
District tournament begins
The Blackhawk varsity boys and girls basketball teams will begin play in the 4A-1 District tournament next week in Gentry.
Dependent upon Tuesday night’s game with Farmington, the ’Hawks will be either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed for the first post-season action.
A victory over Farmington last night by 7 or more would put the Blackhawks in line for the No. 1 seed and a piece of the conference title as well. A loss or a victory by 5 or less over the Cardinals would leave Farmington with the top seed.
Both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have automatic semifinal berths, as well as automatic qualifying into the north regional to take place next week in Maumelle. All seeding, of course, would be contingent on the ’Hawks defeating Ozark in the final home game of the year this Friday. Should the ’Hawks land one of the top two seeds, the odds are that they would play either Lincoln or Gravette in the semi-finals.
The girls have the No. 8 seed, contingent on how their last two games turn out. Presently, by this writer’s estimation, the Lady ’Hawks will open play inthe first round against Berryville, although the games this week could radically change the complexion of the lineups.
Maxpreps polls change little
The top seven teams in the state 4A rankings haven’t changed this week, although district play next week could shake things up from top to bottom. The Maxpreps polling formula will weight more heavily games that are played in the postseason. Victories and losses will have greater impact in the computer analysis.
Maxpreps state 4A boys basketball poll
1). Monticello
2). Pine Bluff Dollarway
3). Pottsville
4). Farmington
5). Brookland
6). Maumelle
7). Pea Ridge
8). Lonoke
9). Cave City
10). Central Arkansas
Other 4A-1 District schools
13). Gravette
21). Lincoln
23). Berryville
25). Ozark
33). Prairie Grove
47). Gentry
North Region Top 10 Poll
1). Pottsville
2). Farmington
3). Maumelle
4). Pea Ridge
5). Gravette
6). Waldron
7). Subiaco
8). Lincoln
9). Dardanelle
10). Berryville
4A-1 District standings
1). Farmington 10-1
2). Pea Ridge 10-2
3). Gravette 8-4
4). Lincoln 6-4*
5). Ozark 5-7
6). Berryville 4-8
7). Prairie Grove 3-9
8). Gentry 0-11*
Lincoln/Gentry game postponed due to illness at LHS.
Lincoln/Farmington game postponed due to illness at LHS.
Maxpreps State 4A Girls Basketball Poll
1). Prairie Grove
2). Malvern
3). Farmington
4). Star City
5). Central Arkansas
6). Valley View
7). Bauxite
8). Lincoln
9). Ozark
10). Brookland
Other 4A-1 schools
11). Berryville
13). Gravette
18). Gentry
33). Pea Ridge
North Region Top Ten Poll
1). Prairie Grove
2). Farmington
3). Lincoln
4). Ozark
5). Berryville
6). Gentry
7). Gravette
8). Maumelle
9). Dardanelle
10). Pottsville
4A-1 Girls District Standings
1). Prairie Grove 12-0
2). Farmington 9-2*
3). Lincoln 7-3*
4). Ozark 7-5
5). Berryville 5-7
6). Gravette 3-9
7). Gentry 2-9*
8). Pea Ridge 1-11
Lincoln/Gentry game postponed due to illness at LHS.
Lincoln/Farmington game postponed due to illness at LHS.
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Editor’s note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He is the art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, coaches elementary track and writes a regular sports column for The Times. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].
Sports, Pages 8 on 02/06/2013