The Lady Blackhawks are to open regional play for Pea Ridge Wednesday evening when they are scheduled to travel to Morrilton to take on the 4A-4 District champion Clarksville Panthers in an elimination game for the 4A state tournament.
The Blackhawk boys are scheduled to play Dardanelle's Sand Lizards Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. in another first-round matchup. The Sand Lizards finished third in the 4A-4 District with the Blackhawks taking second in the 4A-1.
The Lady 'Hawks played Clarksville in December in the semi-finals of the Airedale Classic in Alma. The 'Hawks won that game 48-43 in a very closely fought battle. Clarksville is currently ranked ninth in the 4A state poll with a 22-7 record, just behind Pea Ridge's fourth-place ranking (23-6). The Lady Panthers finished second behind Pottsville in their conference schedule before winning their district title.
Should the Lady 'Hawks master the Panthers again, they will move into the Region semi-finals to face the winner of Thursday's game between Berryville and Morrilton. Berryville has a 27-2 mark and is holding down the No. 2 spot in state rankings. Morrilton (19-8) is ranked 11th. Semi-final action will be at 4 p.m. Friday.
Interestingly enough, the second-ranked Bobcats did not win either a Division or District championship this season, losing the divisional race to Harrison and the District tournament to Farmington.
The girls' Regional other bracket will see third-ranked Farmington playing 23rd-ranked Ozark (14-15) at 4 p.m. Wednesday with the other game witnessing fifth-ranked Harrison (22-5) taking on 10th-ranked Pottsville (17-9) Thursday.
On the boys' side of things, the rankings are fairly even, as the 'Hawks bring an 11th ranking and 23-8 record up against Dardanelle's 14th ranking and 23-6 mark. Not a particularly high scoring team, the Sand Lizards average in the mid-40s on offense, hanging their success on their defense as they allow opposing teams scoring in the mid- to low 30s.
The survivor of the Lizard/'Hawk battle will play the winner of Pottsville/Farmington. Pottsville is the state's fourth-ranked team with a 23-5 record. The Cardinals counter with an 18-11 record and 20th ranking. The semi-final action is slated for Friday at 8:30 p.m.
The other side of the boys' bracket will see sixth-ranked Harrison (23-6) playing 25th-ranked Ozark with a 15-12 standard. The Harrison/Ozark winner will play the winner of Morrilton/Huntsville. Morrilton is ranked 13th with a 17-11 record while Huntsville is ranked 18th at present with a 19-11 mark.
The boys' championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday with the third-place game set for 4 p.m.
All first round winners will advance to the 4A state tournament next week in Magnolia. The championship game of the State Tournament will be held the following week in Hot Springs for both boy and girls.
Girls playing in
State Tournament
every week
You could say that the Lady 'Hawks will be playing in the state tournament every week during this postseason.
The just concluded District Tournament featured four of the top five teams in the state, with just top-ranked Batesville not in the field, making the 4A-1 by far the most rugged district tournament in Arkansas. This week's North Regional field features seven of the top 11 teams in the state giving credence to the claim of being the toughest regional in Arkansas.
Whoever survives the regional action will be favored to make it to the semi-finals in Magnolia. There is likely to be at least one team from the 4A-1 to make it to the girls final in Hot Springs.
MaxPreps State 4A
Basketball girls poll
Feb. 15, 2019
1. Batesville^24-3
2. Berryville^26-3
3. Farmington^22-7
4. Pea Ridge^23-6
5. Harrison^22-5
6. Brookland^18-6
7. Star City^22-4
8. DeQueen^24-2
9. Clarksville^21-7
10. Pottsville^17-8
11. Morrilton^19-7
12. Highland^18-11
13. Stuttgart^24-3
14. Pulaski^17-8
15. Warren^13-5
16. Camden^18-6
17. Pocahontas^19-10
18. eStem^18-10
19. Gravette^13-13
20. Nashville^14-7
21. Bauxite^20-9
22. Prairie Grove^9-14
23. Ozark^14-15
24. Heber Springs^12-12
25. Valley View^11-16
26. Lonoke^14-11
27. Mena^13-12
28. Magnolia^12-10
29. Huntsville^8-19
30. Monticello^11-12
31. Dardanelle^9-16
32. Forrest City^10-13
33. Southside^6-21
34. McClellan^9-13
35. Gentry^8-16
36. Dover^9-18
37. Shiloh^6-19
38. Crossett^11-12
39. Robinson^8-15
40. Mills^8-17
41. Blytheville^4-21
42. Westside^4-19
43. Arkadelphia^7-18
44. Malvern^5-18
45. Hope^1-16
46. Hamburg^2-23
47. Wynne^0-24
MaxPreps/CBS State 4A
Boys basketball poll
1. Mills^23-4
2. McClellan^20-7
3. Westside^20-5
4. Pottsville^23-4
5. Blytheville^18-5
6. Harrison^23-6
7. Magnolia^18-4
8. eStem^22-11
9. Forrest City^14-10
10. Brookland^16-7
11. Pea Ridge^23-8
12. Valley View^17-9
13. Morrilton^17-11
14. Dardanelle^23-6
15. Monticello^15-8
16. Southside^17-10
17. Stuttgart^13-12
18. Huntsville^18-10
19. Robinson^12-14
20. Farmington^18-10
21. Mena^19-8
22. Lonoke^11-13
23. Pulaski^9-13
24. Camden^12-11
25. Ozark^15-12
26. Star City^14-11
27. Warren^10-11
28. Bauxite^16-12
29. Subiaco^13-14
30. Nashville^11-9
31. Arkadelphia^11-9
32. Hamburg^12-15
33. Highland^11-19
34. Malvern^9-14
35. Dover^13-15
36. Prairie Grove^8-15
37. Batesville^7-18
38. Crossett^6-16
39. Clarksville^8-19
40. Shiloh^6-19
41. Gravette^12-15
42. Berryville^9-18
43. Hope^8-15
44. Heber Springs^8-19
45. Gentry^10-16
46. Wynne^3-23
47.Pocahontas^3-20
48. DeQueen^4-22
Sports on 02/20/2019