Pea Ridge High School has been selected to play in the 2017 Hootens Classic football game on Aug. 28 on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Hootens Classic games began in 1999 with the Hooten's publishing company bringing together the best teams across the state from the 2016 football season. Pea Ridge, as the 13-2 state 4A runner-up is an attractive team for the Hooten's competition.
The opposition for the Hooten's Classic will probably be Hamburg. The Lions were beaten last fall by the 'Hawks in a third-round quarter-final game by 36-24. The 'Hawks got up on the visitors 29-11 then traded scores to finish the game. Judging from sports blogs and call-in shows, Hamburg isn't very excited abut playing Pea Ridge again, even suggesting that the game be played at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. UAPB's field is not a very well kept facility, and going there would make travel there for Pea Ridge difficult. It is relatively close to Hamburg, hence the Lions desire to play it there.
The game will be on a Monday evening, the first such allowable date for a legal game. The 'Hawks will then have to hustle on down to Booneville four days later to take on the up and coming Bearcats. Pea Ridge routed Booneville 40-21 last year, but the Bearcats have their entire team back from last season, a team that was dominated by sophomores. Booneville will be a legitimate playoff threat this season.
Having the extra game on the schedule forces the Blackhawks to drop Green Forest from the schedule. The Tigers have been on the Pea Ridge schedule for decades but the departure from battling the boys from the Ridge will likely be of short duration. It would seem to this sportswriter that Green Forest is nearly a lock to be included in the 4A-1 in the next cycle. Huntsville is exiting the 4A-1 for the 5A West that creates a vancacy in the league. Meanwhile current 3A schools Green Forest and Elkins are moving up to 4A status with either one being a natural fit for the 4A-1. However, Green Forest is many miles away from any other 4A district other than the 4A-1 while Elkins is closer to another 4A district (4A-4). Now if the 4A-1 could become an all-public school conference, then both the Tigers and the Elks could fit in, but I don't see that happening.
With Green Forest off the schedule, the season's second week will be an off week with Farmington coming to town on Week No. 3. Playing two games in five days may be a challenge, but having two weeks to prepare for Farmington could be a good thing.
The 2017 football season is looking to be another exciting one for Pea Ridge fans. While the 'Hawks said farewell to quite a few talented seniors this spring, a bunch of top shelf talent is coming back to make Pea Ridge a state finalist threat again.
Pea Ridge had their biggest ever roster last season, and they will have their most returning experienced athletes ever this year. On top of that, there will be two players new to 'Hawk fans. One of the best wide receivers in the state from 2016, Jordan Witcher transferred to the Ridge from Bryant where he had great success playing for the Hornets. Plugging holes in the line from a fine 2017 senior class will be Zach Humphrey, who is coming off injury rehab and is set to make some waves in 4A-1 football this fall.
The 'Hawks will have a new offensive coordinator this fall with the promotion of Cody Alexander. Crosby Tuck, the first year 'Hawk coach who came over from Shiloh has taken a job in Georgia and opened up the slot for Alexander. Having been head coach of a super successful junior high program these past several season, Alexander will be calling plays in the 'Hawks' quest to return to War Memorial Stadium to claim the state title that escaped them in 2016.
Multi-event athletes
bring curtain down on
2016-2017 sports year
Four Pea Ridge track and field athletes made the journey down to Cabot last week for the annual Arkansas High School Decathalon/Heptathalon. The event was the last regular sports competition for the current school year for Blackhawk athletes.
The boys competed in a two-day, 10-event track competition with every entrant competing in the 100-, 110- hurdles, 400-meter and 1,600-meter runs along with the long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, shot put and discus events. Rather than get points for coming in at a certain place, the athletes are awarded points in each event depending on the mark achieved an how it scored on a set of scoring tables.
The girls competed in a two-day, seven-event competition, with four events the first day and three the second. Their events were the 100-meter hurdles, 200-meter run, 800-meter run, shot put, discus, high jump and triple jump events.
So far, the Arkansas Activities Association have stuck with their long time policy of having all the athletes competing in one giant division, with 7A athletes competing for the same medals as the 1A athletes. Several have suggested that medals could easily be awarded to the different classes, but so far the AAA doesn't want to spend the extra money for a few medals. Maybe there ought to be a collection taken.
Two local girls would have been in the top 10 among 4A female athletes. Shelby Dunlap was the third best athlete among all 4A athletes, scoring 3,038 points, Natalie Toney of Pocahontas was the top 4A girl with 3,863 and claimed the fifth overall medal. Grace Hyde of Lonoke was just ahead of Dunlap with 3,326 points for third among the 4A. The 'Hawks Tori Scrogham was 10th in the 4A with 2,087. The only other 4A-1 representative to make the 4A top 10 was Gentry's Chastery Fuamatu who was the 4A's fifth best with 2,736 points.
Two boys represented the Blackhawks well with Shaed Cates and Trevor Henry coming in 12th and 13th among 4A entrants with point totals of 3,934 and 3,586 respectively. Marquel McKinney of Gosnell was both the best of the 4A and the best of the entire state as he claimed the gold medal with 6,140 points. The 'Hawks weren't far from the top 10 as 10th was Kaiden Hunter of Ashdown who finished with 4,322.
The event ended a school year where a lot of history was made with a record number athletic achievements rang up in many, many venues. In no school year has there ever been more athletes winning post season honors in more sports than what Blackhawk fans witnessed this season. A very high bar has been set for future Blackhawks.
Blogging and bragging
When I have a little time, I get on sports talk programs or read the many internet discussion rooms that sports fans frequent to give us their wisdom about all things football.
You have heard the old saying "Ain't nothin' certain but death and taxes"? I might add "braggin' daddies" to that list.
Personally I wish for Pea Ridge to win every state title in every single sport in which they compete. At least, I truly wish that they be successful in what they can accomplish and that is always more than just winning.
There seem to be quite a few sports fans (of the male variety) that try to make sports into some kind of warfare. They use the social media to demean other teams and their accomplishments, and it would seem that there really aren't any other good or praise worthy teams besides their own.
A Prairie Grove fan with a moniker of "tigerdad2" seems to take perverse pleasure in running down all things Blackhawk. He was earlier super angry over Hooten's final football poll which had the 'Hawks finishing second in the state rankings, ahead of Prairie Grove's third.
Hooten's rationale was likely simple. Pea Ridge finished second in the playoffs, ahead of Prairie Grove's finish. Did Prairie Grove beat Pea Ridge earlier? Well, yeah, two months earlier. Pea Ridge got a lot better and had a good chance of beating Warren in the finals before turnovers derailed them. Prairie Grove was crushed by Warren in the semi-finals, with that game being over rather early.
With the exception of one team, I hope every other school in the 4A-1 wins every game on their schedule except, of course, the game with us. I have actually spoken with kids on other teams in our conference and you know what? They seemed as nice and pleasant as the ones on my favored team.
I enjoy watching and supporting Pea Ridge athletes but I realize it is all about them, the students. The administration here has assembled an enviable staff of coaching professionals who do more than just teach the Xs and Os. A really worthwhile athletic program turns out good citizens, not just good athletes, and we have that here.
People who live their lives and fantasies through the athletic lives of teenagers have some issues that need tending. The things that are important to those kind of people often degrade or downplay the things that should be the most important.
I will report, and with great pride I might add, that I have come across other Pea Ridge fans who make their voices and opinions heard from time to time. Every person identified as a Blackhawk fan has been polite, congenial and generous in their praise of other teams and athletes.
Now that is something to brag about.
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Editor's note: John McGee is an award-winning columnist and sports writer. He is the art teacher at Pea Ridge elementary schools and 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 05/24/2017