Injuries mar the 'Hawks football season in the early going

Football is a rugged sport, and while the game is constantly being refined and made safer with each passing season, injuries have and will make an impact on teams.

Gone are the old days when players "toughed it out" and played injured. The problem with back then, injuries which might have been treated and ameliorated were often worsened and eventually made chronic.

Some sports writers talk wistfully about the old days of Bear Bryant, a college coach who would take his players to practice in horrible conditions, playing on rocky fields in sweltering heat. Lots of players would be lost for the season in those pre-season camps but it was said that the players who survived would be really primed to play.

In the old gym right here in Pea Ridge, there was once a painting on the wall with the slogan "that which doesn't kill you will make you stronger." Actually, that which doesn't kill you, could also maim and cripple you and make you weaker. Bravado is poor substitute to smarts.

It takes a lot of players to make a team, and none of them are dispensable. Strength is never gained by subtraction, unless the subtraction is of something that is weakening the total effort.

The tide began to turn when a junior high football player died in Rogers when he was forced to practice in extreme heat without sufficient rest and water. I had a friend in high school who played an entire game after he suffered a first-quarter concussion and he was admired for his "toughness."

Today, Pea Ridge has a trainer and the coaching staff takes no chances with the health and well being of Blackhawk athletes. Better equipment, better monitoring, and more knowledgeable and better trained staff members are in place to take care of our young charges. However, even with all the improvements that have been attained, injuries will still happen. That's part of life and also part of competing.

In 2016, Pea Ridge lost their best defender going into the football playoffs. Had they had that player in Little Rock, things might have turned out differently in the state championship game. In 2017, the Hawks lost their all-state center to an injury in region play, and I believe it was the difference in their close loss in the state basketball championship game.

While the 'Hawks are 0-2 in the early going, they played their last game without their starting end, the leading receiver of a year ago, their starting quarterback, a starting linebacker who is one of the best kickers in the state, and a defensive back/running back who had a lot of upside after last season. The 'Hawks have not been at full strength yet, but hopefully will be soon.

The week off for the 'Hawks came at a great time. Hopefully, they will get some of their personnel back for the game this week when they travel down to Farmington to play in the new Cardinal Stadium.

Pea Ridge surprised the Cardinals in a shocking 42-0 upset last year, with the 'Hawks going in heavy underdogs. As a matter of fact, Pea Ridge beat Farmington 24-7 in 2017, 13-7 in 2016, and 36-0 in 2012 the last time the 'Hawks played them as conference rivals. In every game, the 'Hawks were rated to lose but didn't.

Hopefully, the 'Hawks will come up with their fifth straight win over their former conference rivals from Washington County. In 2020, the Cards are back on the conference schedule when Pea Ridge moves up to the 5A-West.

Toughest 4A football

schedule to date

The following is the list of the toughest football schedules played by 4A teams so far in 2019. The team name is followed by their strength of schedule rating.

Interestingly enough, only 12 4A schools in the state have a somewhat strong schedule. Thirty-six schools have schedules on the easy side, usually playing smaller sub-par teams for their non-conference games resulting in negative ratings. The Blackhawks' 20.3 schedule is far and away the toughest lineup any school as faced thus far this season. Pea Ridge has played two highly ranked 5A teams so far this season in Harrison (No. 3) and Maumelle (No. 13). Both teams are undefeated.

The 'Hawks' strength of schedule has a lot to do with their four place rise in the state rankings after a week in which they did not play. While they lost their first two games, their opponents are turning out to be quite formidable teams in a higher class. That is why 2-0 Lincoln is ranked 22nd in the state and 0-2 Pea Ridge is ranked 19th.

States toughest

4A schedule ratings

1. Pea Ridge^20.3

2. Arkadelphia ^7.2

3. Dumas^13.1

4. Crossett^12.1

5. Gosnell^11.7

6. Heber Springs^10.3

7. Ozark^10.1

8. Monticello^4.3

9. Bald Knob^3.5

10. Pottsville^2.6

4A-1 strength of

schedules to date

1. Pea Ridge^20.3

2. Shiloh^1.7

3. Prairie Grove^-1.3

4. Gravette^-9.4

5. Gentry^-10.8

6. Lincoln^-36.2

7. Green Forest^-37.3

8. Berryville^-38.4

MaxPreps 4A-1

District poll

Top five finishers are included into the playoffs

1. Shiloh^2-0

2. Pea Ridge^0-2

3. Lincoln^2-0

4. Gentry^1-1

5. Prairie Grove^0-2

6. Berryville^1-1

7. Green Forest^1-1

8. Gravette^0-2

MaxPreps 4A

State football poll

*Current statewide MaxPreps rankings

1. Arkadelphia^3-0^--

2. Shiloh^2-0^--

3. Nashville^3-0^+2

4. Warren^2-0^+5

5. Ozark^1-1^-1

6. Robinson^^-3

7. Mena^3-0^--

8. Dardanelle^3-0^+2

9. Rivercrest^2-1^-1

10. Dumas^0-2^-4

11. Pocahontas^2-1^+4

12. Central Ark^2-0^--

13. West Helena^2-0^+3

14. Heber Springs^0-2^-3

15. DeWitt^3-0^+3

16. Bauxite^2-1^-2

17. Hamburg^2-1^-3

18. Crossett^0-3^+3

19. Pea Ridge^0-2^+4

20. Ashdown^2-1^-1

21. Star City^1-1^+1

22. Lincoln^2-0^+8

23. Elkins^1-1^--

24. SS Batesville^2-1^+5

25. Gosnell^0-3^-1

26. Westside^2-1^-9

27. Harmony Gr^1-1^+1

28. Gentry^1-1^+3

29. Pottsville^0-2^-3

30. Malvern^1-1^+2

31. Stuttgart^0-3^--

32. Trumann^0-2^-7

33. Fountain Lake^0-2^--

34. Riverview^2-1^-1

35. Bald Knob^0-2^+2

36. Prairie Grove^0-2^--

37. Lonoke^0-2^-3

38. Monticello^0-2^+1

39. Mills^1-1^-4

40. Brookland^1-2^--

41. Berryville^1-1^-1

42. Cave City^0-3^+1

43. Subiaco^1-1^+1

44. Waldron^0-2^-3

45. Dover^0-2^-3

46. Green Forest^1-1^+2

47. Highland^0-3^-1

48. Gravette^0-2^-1

•••

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 writer. He can be contacted through The Times at [email protected].

Sports on 09/18/2019