Everybody has heard "what goes around comes around"
In high school math, my teacher talked about probability and about how it works. For example, if you toss a quarter 100 times, it will come out roughly 50 times heads, 50 times tails. The score will vary, but over the long haul, it will hover around 50 percent whether you toss it 50 times, 500 times or 5 million times.
My old high school coach told me that breaks always balance out. If you encounter a stretch or string of bad luck, you will have a stretch of good luck or fortune not long after that, unless of course, you quit or give up. The trick therefore, is to persevere and not give up, no matter what.
The 1970 football season where I attended school went badly from the start. Weird plays, accidents, inopportune turnovers, peculiar officiating, and some just plain bad luck turned was supposed to be a pretty good team into one that started 0-5. We didn't give up, kept plugging and ending up winning the last five games of that season -- and the next 22 games in a row after that which included state championships.
The 2012 Blackhawk football season was a dream year, winning 10 games and losing but two. In the two we lost, we were tied or ahead at the half in both games but a lack of depth proved to be the difference against good teams that had more of it. But still, it was a great and memorable year.
The year 2013 was not a great year. Mistakes cost some victories, residency problems led to a pair of forfeits and referee incompetence took away another victory, leaving the 'Hawks with a 1-9 official record. As the old song from "Hee Haw" went "If it weren't for bad luck we'd have no luck at all." Last year was not a season to remember in many ways.
Now it is 2014, and expectations were low for the 'Hawks. They really were a better team in 2013 that their record showed but no one knew it in the media. Half of the '14 squad was composed of sophomores just coming off a highly successful junior high career. With a number of skilled and experienced upper classmen in the fold, the mix of young talent with old hands meant the potential was there for a really good team in 2014.
The major drawback for the team of 2012 was a lack of depth. A record number of starting players got post season honors, but there weren't a lot of players that could provide quality relief in game situations. Those watching Pea Ridge games this season will notice the much higher number of players getting into contests, players who are contributing and not just filling out a jersey.
Another old saying is "offense wins games and defense wins championships." That has been proven by a lot of teams in a lot of places. The years my old high school won their state titles were marked by a defense who rarely got scored on. During one season, no one scored a rushing touchdown all season and that was solely because the team had developed a pool of about 16 stout linemen who never had to play to the point of exhaustion.
Many hands make light work and this year's edition of the Pea Ridge Blackhawks is a testament to a team that utilizes and values team play, cooperation and common goals. Teams with all their players on the same page usually have a lot more pages to their season.
How far can the 'Hawks go? Well, they have probably packed away their visitor whites as they won't be a visiting team again in 2014. Whether you call it good luck or "meant to be," 2014 is the year the 4A-1 District winner got the top slot on the playoff bracket. That means that as the champion of the 4A-1, Pea Ridge will be the host of every playoff game it plays in until the 'Hawks lose or until they travel to Little Rock for the 4A final. Even there, they would be the home team.
Nothing in life is a lock, especially sporting events. Pea Ridge, though, has a shot to go a long way, perhaps all the way.
Pea Ridge maintains Super Six status
Pine Bluff Dollarway knocked Warren off the top spot and into fifth with a 34-15 win over their district rival. Dardanelle crushed Subiaco 56-7 to finish the regular season 10-0, the only other team beside Pea Ridge to do so in 4A this season.
Democrat-Gazette 4A Super Six
1. Dardanelle 10-0
2. Nashville 9-1
3. Dollarway 8-2
4. Pea Ridge 10-0
5. Warren 7-3
6. Pocahontas 9-1
Three for four, not bad?
I was mostly right, just missing one of the conference games last week.
This weeks results:
Huntsville 22, Berryville 6 This was the last game for two of the bottom teams of the district. There was no information on the game anywhere other than the score. Both teams will be hitting the hardwood this week as their basketball programs are usually much more successful than their football ones.
Prairie Grove 42, Lincoln 16 The Tigers mercy ruled the Wolves by halftime so it was pretty one sided. The neighbors had a much closer game last year before a strong Lincoln class graduated and all-state athlete Drew Harris moved to Benton. Harris, by the way, scored the winning touchdown in Benton's upset victory over Pine Bluff to win the 6A-South Conference. Prairie Grove will be hosting a playoff game this week as the Lonoke Jackrabbits are coming to town. Lonoke is 5-5, ranked 23rd in the state, close to Prairie Groge. If the Tigers are successful, they will have their work cut out for them as they will then travel down south to take on the state's No. 2 team in Nashville. Nashville got the other bye and is awaiting the winner of Prairie Grove/Lonoke.
Gravette 40, Gentry 0 This game slipped up on me as it seems the Lion star is back firing on all cylinders. Cedric Duarte had 234 yards against the Pioneers and that meant the Pioneers had no chance. Duarte is also the kicker so he scored all the Lion points. The Pioneers launched 20 more passes than did Gravette but only netted 20 more yards. Both teams are in the playoffs but their stay will be short. Gentry is going to Pine Bluff Dollarway which won't be as arduous a trip as Gravette will have to endure as they travel to Warren in southeast Arkansas not far from Louisiana. Both teams are ranked in the top five of some poll and are heavy weights.
4a-1 Conference standings
Final
1. Pea Ridge 7-0
2. Shiloh 6-1
3. Prairie Grove 5-2
4. Gravette 4-3
5. Gentry 3-4
6. Huntsville 2-5
7. Lincoln 1-6
8. Berryville 0-7
Hawks maintain Hooten's Top 10
A lot of teams had their rankings shaken up as a result of the many upsets that occurred 10 days ago but Pea Ridge was in the seventh position going into the Huntsville game and they are still there.
The Hooten's ranking comes out after this paper goes to press so I think that the lop sided win over Shiloh will boost it a bit in the rankings as far as Hootens is concerned. While I did not meet him, I heard Mr. Hooten was at the game Friday and got to witness the 'Hawk's beat down of Shiloh.
Hooten's 4a Top 10
(released Nov. 4)
1. Warren
2. Dardanelle
3. Nashville
4. Dollarway
5. Star City
6. Pocahontas
7. Pea Ridge
8. Hamburg
9. Gosnell
10. Arkadelphia
Pea Ridge ranked 9th in CBS/MaxPreps poll
After dropping in the MaxPreps polls for two straight weeks for beating weak teams, the Hawks jumped from 13th to 9th following their shellacking of Shiloh last week. Dollarway's upset of Warren placed the Pine Bluff team on the Pea Ridge side of the playoff bracket with Warren going to the lower bracket. Dollarway's Cardinals could well be the visiting team on Thanksgiving weekend should the Hawks get past likely 2nd round opponent Malvern who plays Cave City this week for the right to come to Pea Ridge.
CBS/MaxPreps 4A state poll
1. Dardanelle 10-0
2. Nashville 9-1
3. Dollarway 8-2
4. Arkadelphia 7-3
5. Pottsville 7-3
6. Malvern 7-3
7. Warren 7-3
8. Mena 8-2
9. Pea Ridge 10-0
10. Clinton 7-3
17. Shiloh 7-3
22. Prairie Grove 6-3
26. Gravette 6-4
35. Gentry 3-7
39. Huntsville 4-6
43. Lincoln 2-8
45. Berryville 2-7
Playoffs 2014
The playoffs are finally here though the 'Hawks will have to wait a week to join the fun.
While Shiloh didn't get the main prize and had to settle for the league's No. 2 seed, it does have its appeal as the Springdale school will be hosting Jonesboro Westside in the first round next week. Westside has a 5-5 record in a weak conference and is ranked in the 30s in the various polls.
If Shiloh takes care of business, they will play the winner of Pocahontas/Robinson.
Pocohontas is 9-1 in the same weak conference with Westside. Robinson was fifth in the much stronger 4A-4, and was once ranked in the top 10. They blasted Ozark 43-7 last week and I think they will upset Pocahontas. Robinson is ranked close to Shiloh. If Shiloh should somehow survive the first two rounds, they would likely run into Warren, which would be the end of the line for Shiloh's season.
Meanwhile, next door it seems that Bentonville is making another run at another title. They started the year 0-4 with injuries and rumored team dissension derailing their earlier efforts. They played second ranked Fayetteville last week and destroyed them 45-2 so it looks like they are back. They have a bye just like Pea Ridge and will be hosting the winner of Bryant/HarBer next week in Bentonville.
Siloam Springs had to put a lot more miles on their bus but they got out of the 7A West and got to play with a little smaller schools, earning a second seed in the 6A state playoffs. They will play Texarkana in the first round then play Pine Bluff if they survive the Razorbacks.
All the playoffs will end in Little Rock with games in War Memorial Stadium. The 4A state finals will be Saturday, Dec. 13.
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Editor's note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Sports on 11/12/2014