Malvern, Dardanelle, Mena and Warren are in the final four in the State Class 4A Football playoffs after quarter-final action last week.
Having seen Malvern up close, I am predicting that the Leopards will be playing in the state championship game Dec. 13, more than likely taking on Warren. Malvern earned their semi-final spot with a 48-35 over Clinton who had earlier dispatched Pine Bluff in the biggest upset of the playoffs. Clinton played Dollarway on the coldest night of the season and pulled off the win.
Malvern will play fellow 4A-7 district member Mena who fought their way into the semi-finals with a 34-27 victory over still another 4A-7 member, Arkadelphia. Mena lost their earlier season battle with Arkadelphia 40-28 but were able to prevail this time.
In the previous Malvern/Mena matchup, Mena lost 36-22 but after turning the tables on Arkadelphia last week, they may hope to do the same thing again. However, if the Leopards play like they did in Pea Ridge two weeks back, Mena won't be around for the championship game.
The other 4A semi-final match features undefeated Dardanelle versus last year's state runner-up Warren.
Warren absolutely destroyed Shiloh last week, scoring seven touchdowns in the first 15 minutes of the game to lead 40-0 and set the mercy rule into effect quite early. The Lumberjacks had nearly 400 total yards before half-time with Shiloh grinding out just 29. Shiloh's only first down came via a penalty against Warren.
I have predicted for most of the season that I expected to see Warren in the championship game and I still hold to that. Dardanelle is undefeated at 13-0 but played a much less demanding schedule than did Warren this fall. The Lumberjacks' lone defeat against a 4A school was a turnover plagued loss to Dollarway who was ranked No. 1 in the state at one time.
I think a Malvern/Warren match will be closely fought but one I believe will be won by the Lumberjacks. Of course, the ol' game flipping turnovers might be the difference in any close game.
Pea Ridge had a tough draw this year, drawing a bye to start the playoffs then getting Malvern in their first game. Unless a team was getting over significant injuries, nearly all coaches would rather be playing than not, as teams often get a little out of sync offensively when forced to sit out a week.
I had predicted that the 4A-1 district's second place team probably had the better draw the way the brackets were set up this year. Shiloh lost the title match to Pea Ridge, but got to play two of the weaker teams in the 4A playoffs in Cave City and Pocahontas in the first two rounds. When they finally had to play a really good team, they got steamrolled on both sides of the ball.
The most important thought to keep in mind as the football season fades into the record books was that a team that most "experts" pegged as having a no better shot than maybe finishing fifth, ran the table and finished the regular season undefeated, an all-time best for the school.
As opposed to 2013 when the 'Hawks lost practically the whole team through graduation and injuries, the 2015 Blackhawks return a solid nucleus of players with a talented sophomore class moving up. Most folks thought that maybe the 'Hawks would be better in 2015 than 2014 before this season started, and I for one hope than is true. To top this year would be quite a feat, but it is not a goal that is out of reach.
While the 'Hawks had plenty of speed for the 4A-1 this year, to get into the upper echelon of the 4A classification (meaning the best four teams) will probably require faster players. Better speed comes in the off season, and with nine months before next year's campaign, perhaps that's a goal that can be met.
There they go again
Bentonville was chosen as the team to beat in 2014, having won the state title in 2013, while having the honor of playing in the last five championship games.
Something strange happened with the Tigers going 0-4 to start the season with nearly everyone agreeing that the Tigers were done, dynasty finished, with central Arkansas teams poised to begin dominating big school football like the old days.
Well -- the Tigers righted their ship, winning the last six games in succession to take a No. 2 seed into the playoffs. They played North Little Rock, a team some picked to win it all this year, and they played in Little Rock last week. Bentonville smashed the Chargin' Cats 42-10 to get back to the title game to face, who else, the Fayetteville Bulldogs.
Fayetteville lost to Ft. Smith Southside during the season, getting shutout by a 7-0 score. This time the Bulldogs mopped the field with the Rebels, crushing them 52-14 in the 7A semis. Southside finished the year as the only team in the state to defeat both Fayetteville and Bentonville this year. The Rebs beat the Tigers 10-7 back in September.
Just three weeks ago, Bentonville ended their regular season with a 45-2 pasting of the Dogs, which makes the Tigers a fairly heavy favorite this week. As in year's past however, regular season victories no matter how one sided doesn't always turn out that way the second time around.
The game will be closer, but I do think Bentonville will prevail in the end. With the Tiger school split on the horizon, Bentonville has to make the most of their championship seasons while they still have them.
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Editor's note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He writes a regular sports column for The Times. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].
Sports on 12/03/2014