More recently, the ’Hawks have been able to move the ball and gain some offensive consistency, while the defense hadn’t quite made the same strides. Against the Cards last week, however, the defense has finally arrived with a stellar effort against the No. 2 team in the district.
One player who made a huge difference on both sides of the ball was Logan Rose, senior receiver, punter and defensive back. Rose made some big catches that led to touchdowns, was outstanding in punting, made a great run back of a punt, and forced fumbles and made tackles that likely prevented Cardinal scores.
The tall, lanky athlete has been a multi-sport standout for Pea Ridge and might well be playing on Saturdays next year.
Volleyball girls win one at state Fall to eventual state champ
The high school volleyball team advanced as far as it ever has, winning in the first round in the state tournament before losing to eventual state champion Valley View in the quarterfi nals.
I attended the region fi - nals in Farmington, it being the first high school volleyball game I had seen in person since the 1970s.
Saying the game had changed since the last time I saw it, is akin to saying that traveling to Fayetteville has changed a bit since 1890.
When I was helping coach it back then, teams had to score 15 points to win a game, and you had to be serving to score a point.
There were some competitions where 15 minutes could pass with almost no scoring taking place. There were some other changes since then as well.
In the ’Hawks’ loss to Valley View, Pea Ridge fell to the Blazers by a 3-0 count, same as all the others schools who squared off against them. However, the Lady ’Hawks managed to score 45 points against Valley View in their three game match, more than any other school.
In the 10 years there has been divisional play in volleyball in Arkansas, Valley View has made the fi nals a lot, as in every single year.
They won titles in 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003. The only times they lost in the fi nals was in 2007 and 2009, both times to neighbor Jonesboro Westside.
The Blazers have been the best volleyball team inthe state regardless of class for a long, long time. Volleyball has been played in eastern Arkansas since the 1970s with Jonesboro and Paragould winning state titles this year in the two classes above Valley View.
Those two bigger schools lost to Valley View in other competitions, so while Pea Ridge may have had their season ended sooner than they wanted, at least they lost to the best.
And, quite thankfully and mercifully, the best is moving to 5A in 2014.
Prairie Grove stays unbeaten Playoffs nearly set
The Prairie Grove Tigers wrapped up the No. 1 seed from the 4A-1 District with a 35-14 whipping of Gentry last. The Tigers led 28-0 at the half, and 35-0 after three quarters. The Pioneers were held to 192 yards of total o◊ense with standout Jarod Cousins accounting for 187 of those years. Gentry will sorely miss him next year.
While the Tigers are set for the post season, Gentry is on the bubble. They travel to Ozark this week for the season finale and a shot for one of the two seeds that haven’t been claimed yet. Lincoln and Farmington have already clinched post season berths.
Currently, Gentry and Gravette are tied for thefourth seed, with the Pioneers holding the tiebreaker by virtue of their victory over the Lions earlier this season. Should the Pioneers win their game at Ozark, they have the fourth seed no matter what. Gravette hosts undefeated league member Prairie Grove Friday and should they lose, Gentry gets to the post-season no matter what.
However, if Ozark upsets Gentry and Gravette loses as expected, there will be a three way tie for the fourth spot. If Ozark beats Gentry by 3 or more, that would seem to eliminate the Pioneers. If Gravette beats Prairie Grove, and Ozark beats Gentry, the Pioneers are eliminated. If Gentry wins Friday, they get the fourth seed automatically with Gravette getting seed No. 5.
In the other game with playo◊implications, Farmington is hosting Lincoln in the league fi nale. Lincoln has the edge for the second seed with a 6-1 conference mark as opposed to Farmington’s 4-2 league record. If the Cards beat the Wolves Friday, they will tie for second with Farmington getting the higher seed because of head to head competition. Wolves win and they are in for No. 2.
The Pea Ridge/Berryville matchup has no playoff implications but is important to both schools.
The loser will assume the league basement although the ’Hawks have a one game edge at present. The Bobcats have a large senior group itching to go out a winner, while the ’Hawks want to extend their momentum of the last couple of weeks into the o◊season, hoping to carry it over into 2014. The ’Cats are coming o◊a 30-12 beating by Gravette with the local boys jazzed after plowing over Farmington last week.
It has been an unpredictable season with its ups and downs. While lacking the success of 2012, the Blackhawk football program is building enthusiasm, attracting more players and has an enthusiastic and engaged community united with them. Good things are coming.
So long, Ozark and Farmington Hello, again, to Shiloh and Huntsville
After crushing the Cardinals 26-7 last week, the two teams will likely not meet again for awhile as Farmington is moving up to 5A beginning in 2014.
With that community on the western edge of Fayetteville, they aren’t likely to shrink back into 4A. If Pea Ridge keeps growing, they could conceivably join the Cards in the 5A West in some future time. As a matter of fact, growth patterns could send Gravette and Prairie Grove and possibly Berryville into the higher class within the next 10 years.
After getting knocked around pretty badly in the 5A class in most sports these past two years, Shiloh of Springdale has consented to being moved back into 4A. Travel is 5A athletics is fairly extreme, probably doubling their athletic mileage. In addition to that, the distance of travel has been hard on the parents with their nearest 5A opponents being Harrison and Alma.
The Shiloh athletic director bragged that his school could win on any level, and sought the higher classification, but with the new rules reining in student recruitment irregularities, the Shiloh athletic cupboard is not as full as it used to be. They can and probably still do recruit other schools but it will have to be with younger athletes, and that is a dicey proposition at best.
Personally, I would like to see Farmington stay in the 4A-1 in the junior high level and have Shiloh stay where they have been.
When the AAA assigned Shiloh back into the 4A-1, the other seven schools have to play them or bedeclared ineligible for playo◊s. As there are no junior high playo◊s, the other seven aren’t required to compete with them as there isn’t a penalty if you don’t.
Four years ago, Huntsville moved to 5A but the other members of the 4A-1 invited the Eagles to stay in the 4A-1 with their junior high programs. When Lincoln and Ozark joined the 4A-1 two years later, the Eagles had to move on. It worked out well.
On the high school side, Shiloh’s last big name transfer recruit (Daniel Shimer) will graduate this spring. Shimer was a Fayetteville athlete who was a star in junior high. With all the money Shiloh has at its disposal and with its outstanding facilities, they will never field a bad team on the 4A level, but they will never again boast a multistate all-star roster as they did a few years ago.
Ozark is leaving to go back to the 4A-4 in the other line-up change in the 4A-1. They are being replaced by Hunstville, who spent some time in the 4A-1 earlier.
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 11/06/2013