The volleyball team's 2022 season came to an end in the first round of the State 4A Tournament held in Brookland.
The cross country team will close out their season this week in Hot Springs at the 4A State Meet with the football team playing their last game of the season at Harrison Friday.
The Blackhawks were defeated by perennial power Mena (3-1) who went on to fight their way to the semifinals. Fellow 4A-1 team Prairie Grove was also eliminated in the first round as they fell to Fountain Lake 3-1.
Farmington fared better in the Round No. 1, as they whipped Arkadelphia 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals. However they were blown out by Brookland 3-0 in a short matchup.
Brookland went to the championship round, and they were successful, winning their 30th game of the year by beating Shiloh 3-0. Brookland, hailing from the volleyball rich area of northeast Arkansas, has won a number of state trophies over the years along other schools from that area. That part of the state set up high school volleyball leagues decades before the Arkansas Activities Association decided to recognize it as an official sport.
The boys cross country team is a solid pick for a strong second place finish and a possible state title. DeQueen and Pea Ridge are nearly evenly matched and it will come down to who has the best day, the day of the meet.
The football boys are 3-6 on the season, and will not participate in the 5A playoffs this year.
Shiloh win 5A West, 2nd place to be decided
Shiloh clinched the No. 1 seed for the 5A State playoffs with their 55-22 victory over Prairie Grove last week. Both teams headed into last week's game tied at 5-0.
Alma plays Shiloh this week but even if the Airedales pulled off the upset of the year, Shiloh will still get the No. 1 seed and Alma will still be out of the playoffs. Alma sits one game behind both Harrison and Farmington but if they could manage to tie one of those teams for one of the four playoff spots, head to head competition eliminates them.
Last week was blowout week in the 5A West. Along with the Shiloh game, we saw Alma decimate Dardanelle 59-14, Harrison obliterate Clarksville 56-0, and Farmington outscore Pea Ridge 49-16.
This week will see the big showdown between Prairie Grove and Farmington for the No. 2 seed from the 5A West. A Cardinal win will tie them with Prairie Grove with 5-2 records. Harrison will likely also be tied 5-2 with a Cardinal win, but Prairie Grove earlier bested Harrison. At any rate, Shiloh, Prairie Grove, Harrison and Farmington will all be going to the playoffs no matter what happens.
Besides the Tigers/Cardinals clash, Pea Ridge visits Harrison, Dardanelle hosts Clarksville, and Alma travels to Shiloh.
Varsity basketball gearing up for 2022-23 season
Trent Loyd's boys and Heath Neal's girls are gearing up to launch the new basketball season next week.
The season begins with four consecutive home games led off with 5A Alma coming to town Nov. 8. Two days later, Rogers Providence comes calling, with Centerton's Lifeway Christian visiting on Nov. 16 with Subiaco's boys ending the home stand the next day on Nov. 17.
The boys and girls will have slightly different schedules, both of which I'll put out there next week.
With one of the best basketball venues in the state regardless of class, and with the public's fear of crowds subsiding, this will be a good year to come out and support the hardwood Hawks.
Current 5A West
Football Standings
Shiloh^6-0
Prairie Grove^5-1
Harrison^4-2
Farmington^4-2
Alma^3-3
Pea Ridge^1-5
Dardanelle^1-5
Clarksville^0-6
MaxPreps/CBS
5A Football state poll
Nov. 1, 2022
1. Shiloh^8-1
2. Robinson^8-1
3. Camden^8-1
4. LR Mills^8-1
5. LR Parkview^7-2
6. Valley View^8-1
7. Farmington^6-3
8. Hot Springs^6-3
9. Wynne^7-2
10. Magnolia^6-3
11. Prairie Grove^7-1
12. Harrison^6-3
13. Pine Bluff^6-3
14. Morrilton^7-2
15. Vilonia^5-4
16. Batesville^6-3
17. Beebe^5-4
18. Nettleton^7-2
19. Alma^6-3
20. Batesville Southside^4-4
21. PB White Hall^2-7
22. Maumelle^3-6
23. PB Watson Chapel^1-8
24. Texarkana^3-6
25. HS Lakeside^2-7
26. Dardanelle^3-6
27. Pea Ridge^3-6
28. Forrest City^1-8
29. Brookland^2-7
30. Clarksville^0-9
31. Hope^1-8
32. DeQueen^0-9
33. Paragould^1-8
•••
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].