On the way home from the 4A state championship game this past Friday, I had lots of time to think about things. Riding to Hot Springs via Little Rock will certainly give you the time. I couldn't help but feel just a little bit of sadness.
However, it wasn't about the game itself. The 'Hawks played extremely well, represented their school as well as any athletes ever represented their school with their sportsmanship, camaraderie, grit and determination. They played well enough to win, but so did the other team. More than one sports observer has expressed the view that Pea Ridge and Baptist Prep were easily the best two teams in the state and that it is was fitting that they met in the final.
The sad thing was that it was the last time we will ever see the hardwood athletes from the Class of 2017 take the field in basketball competition. Since their days as athletes in the elementary youth leagues, the boys of '17 have been making a name for themselves in the sport of basketball. The bulk of the players have put in a ton of hours over the years honing and developing their talents with all their fruit coming bear in their senior year. The things they have learned and the lessons of life they have experienced in the time they spent as Pea Ridge athletes will serve them well in their futures as adults.
They finished the season with a state's best record of 32-3, a whale of a bar for successive Blackhawk athletes to aspire to. Like the gridiron Blackhawks who piled up an astounding three-year football won-loss record of 34-6 this past fall, the Class of 2017 will go down as a storied collection of athletes who went where no Blakhawk has ever gone before.
But before I get too overly sad, the boys of 2017 aren't quite finished, just yet. The Blackhawk boys have one more mission to make it to through the playoffs and into the state final, that being the sport of baseball.
The Blackhawks were ranked as high as No. 3 in the CBS/MaxPreps baseball poll and were the conference and district champs last year. However, much the same as what happened to last year's boys basketball team, the 'Hawks were upset in the North Region first round last year by Clinton and were knocked out of going to the state tournament. Shiloh, the district runnerup, would go on to claim the 2016 state baseball title.
The Blackhawks lost but a few seniors from last season and look to be even more seasoned with a host of top athletes set to make another run. Of all the state championships, the closet state championship sport site is Fayetteville with its Baum Stadium for the baseball title site. It would be nice to have a short drive for a change.
With the baseball team suffering in the early going with some of their athletes still playing basketball, they have still put up some big numbers in their 4-1 season to date. The lone loss was to Berryville last week. The top player back from last year, an all-state designee, Cole Wright is just now free to give his all to the diamond, along with some other players.
This spring will be the last time to see the Class of 2017 in action. Be it on the track or on the ball diamond, take advantage of seeing them while you can.
With any luck, we will be saying the same thing about the Class of 2018 next year.
Boys track team
best showing in years
The Pea Ridge boys track team is, as in the words of TV's George Jefferson, "moving on up" with their outstanding showing at the Panther Relays in Siloam Springs last week.
The 'Hawk thinclads took third place in the overall sweepstakes, scoring 72 points to beat out cross county rival Gentry, who finished fourth with 60. Owasso, Okla., (5A) won the meet with 174 with 5A Farmington taking second with 82, just ahead of Pea Ridge. Other teams finishing behind the 'Hawks include Gravette 58, Decatur 54, Siloam Springs 51, Shiloh 33, Greenland 32, Prairie Grove 22, Haas Hall-Fayetteville 10, Rogers Heritage 6, Cedarville 4 and Haas Hall-Bentonville 3.
Kenny Dorsey was the leading individual scorer for the 'Hawks with 18 points, with Cooper Elliot close behind with 16. Justin Koon scored 8, Trevor Henry 5, Ryan Higgins 4, Shaed Cates 4, Connor Escajeda 3 and Bret Kirby 3. The 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams combined to score 7 points.
Meet Results for the 'Hawks:
100: 3rd, Elliot 11.36, 5th Higgins 11.60
200: 1st, Elliot 23.0,
400: 6th, Escajeda 54.9
3200: 5th, Cates 11:49
110 Hurdles: 3rd, Koon 17.1, 5th, Dorsey 17.4, 8th, Henry 18.3
300 Hurdles: 1st, Dorsey 43.59, 5th, Henry 45.7, 7th Koon 46.6
Long Jump: 5th, Dorsey 18-7
Shot Put: 6th Kirby 37-2
Dunlap leads Lady tracksters
Shelby Dunlap scored 17 of the 'Hawks' 29 points to finish 11th in the Panther Relays in Siloam Springs. Dunlap won the triple jump (32-9), was third in the 100 hurdles (17.9) and took eighth in the 100 dash (13.7)
Other scorers included: Jennifer Anthony, 6th in the high jump (4-2), Tori Scrogham, 5th in the pole vault (7-0), and Meredith Mitchell, 8th in the shot put (26-3). The 4x100 relay team finished 4th in 55.39.
Who's the best
The recently concluded boys basketball season has Pea Ridge ranked in a position that it has never seen before, besides the No. 2 overall spot among Arkansas 4A schools.
Among all the schools of all classes in Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties, the 'Hawks finished the year as the second highest ranked team in the northwest area, including the 7A and 6A schools. The Blackhawks' power ranking of 17.1 placed it just behind 7A Springdale HarBer who had a rating of 18.6.
Northwest Arkansas Power Rankings
CBS/MaxPreps
1. 7A Springdale HarBer 18.6 (22-8)
2. 4A Pea Ridge 17.1 (32-3)
3. 7A Bentonville 15.4 (15-10)
4. 4A Huntsville 14.5 (28-5)
5. 5A Farmington 11.9 (20-8)
6. 7A Fayetteville 11.6 (12-15)
7. 4A Gravette 9.2 (21-8)
8. 7A Rogers Heritage 8.8 (15-14)
9. 7A Bentonville West 6.4 (12-16)
10. 7A Springdale 3.8 (7-17)
•••
Editor's note: John McGee, an award-winning columnist, sports writer and art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools, writes a regular sports column for The Times. The opinions expressed are those of the author. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].
Sports on 03/15/2017