By Mark Humphrey
On the last week of the 2014 regular season calendar, 4A-1 football teams will be paired up with their closest geographical rival, which in many cases showcases an already-heated rivalry.
With the departure of Farmington to the 5A ranks, the conference loses an intense rivalry between the Cardinals and Prairie Grove; but the series will continue as a non-conference contest in the opening game of the season on Sept. 5.
For Prairie Grove, this means the Tigers will bookend their regular season slate of 10 games with showdowns against their U.S. Highway 62 rivals with the Tigers playing Lincoln in week 10. Prairie Grove has dominated the conference for the past three seasons losing only two league games in that time span and claiming back-to-back league titles (7-0) in 2012 and (7-0) in 2013. The Tigers are 30-6 overall from 2011-2013.
Farmington (24-11-1) and Ozark (23-13), two teams which experienced some of the conference's great post-season success in the past three years, will no longer be part of the league. Ozark is returning to the 4A-4 and will remain a potential opponent in the playoffs.
Lincoln (23-11 from 2011-2013) will no longer be playing Shiloh Christian's old schedule inherited when joining the conference in 2012 in place of the Saints, which had moved to 5A. The schedule featured three-out-of-the-last four games on the road every other year but worked in the Wolves' favor with three-of-the-last-four games at home during a 6-1 conference run in 2013. The Wolves will open the season against Hot Springs Lakeside in Hooten's Kickoff Classic at Razorback Stadium at 5 p.m. Sept. 2.
Among other week 10 matchups, Arkansas Highway 59 rivals, Gentry (9-22) and Gravette (16-16), will go head-to-head; Berryville (4-25) clashes with Huntsville (6-24) in another rivalry that has been maintained as a non-conference series with Huntsville in 5A over the years; and Pea Ridge (17-15) takes on Shiloh Christian (15-17) with the Saints returning to the league after a two-year hiatus in 5A.
The thinking behind the week 10 scheduling or rivalry week is to highlight fan interest regardless of team records going into the final week of the regular season. For teams assured of not qualifying for the playoffs by week 10, they can look forward to an opportunity to try to end the season on a high-note by defeating their rival.
Meanwhile, teams in the playoff hunt will have a shorter traveling distance to conclude the regular season in preparation for post-season competition.
To accomplish this some teams had to agree to play a league opponent on the road for a second consecutive year but kudos to the 4A-1 coaches who worked out the revamped schedule. They have added another element of excitement for football fans to enjoy in week 10.
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Editor's note: Mark Humphrey is a sports writer for the Enterprise-Leader.
Sports on 07/16/2014