PEA RIDGE --"The game," as it's simply referred to around here, is all anyone in this little town wanted to talk about on Wednesday.
School will let out early Friday and residents will line Weston Street holding signs, cheering and waving as Pea Ridge (13-1) heads to Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium for the Class 4A state football championship against Warren (14-0).
Pea Ridge’s Playoff Run
Pea Ridge’s playoff scores heading into Friday night’s Class 4A state title game in Little Rock.
• Defeated Arkadelphia, 30-24
• Defeated Nashville, 53-28
• Defeated Hamburg, 36-24
• Defeated Shiloh Christian, 30-24
Source: Staff report
It will be the first title game appearance in Pea Ridge football history. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday.
"We're walking on air. I don't know whether to laugh or cry," said Amanda Trammell, the mother of senior defensive end Seth Trammell. "All the time and money we put into it, it's worth every second when they walk on the field. It's the best feeling in the world. I couldn't be prouder of these boys."
Some Pea Ridge businesses have Blackhawk in the name, while others display prominent window signs out of pride for the team. Many of them will provide cash, snacks and other goodies in gift bags for players on Friday. Trammell said it's all a part of the generous outpouring from the community.
The Pea Ridge High School parking lot Wednesday was full of vehicles marked up with sentiments of "Go Hawks!" and "Take State!!" In the school and the public library there were murmurings of the championship game.
"When I was in Pee Wee (football), they would tell us we'd make it to state one day, but I always thought it was just something they say," left guard Beau Tucker German said.
It started to dawn on German that the championship was a possibility when Pea Ridge defeated Nashville in the playoffs.
German said he's "trying to get his game-ready focus on by not listening to big talk around me and believing that we're here because we're a good team and just have faith in myself."
Stephen Neal is in his first year as Pea Ridge's coach. Neal was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Tulsa Union before coming to Pea Ridge.
Neal said he didn't want to change the training program much and instead focused on driving up the tempo of practice and adding weekly character lessons that come with homework. The lessons are based on a popular graduation speech made by Naval Admiral William H. McRaven and are designed to teach the players excellence, humility and perseverance, Neal said.
"Each team has its own personality, but I think this one's is overcoming adversity better than other teams," Neal said.
The Blackhawks' motto is "Good to Great," symbolizing they had a good foundation, but wanted to take their performance to the next level. Blackhawks parent Robert Wood thinks the championship game appearance is a sign the Blackhawks are doing just that.
"A lot of Saturday mornings while everyone else is sleeping in, they're putting in lots of hard work," Wood said. "I enjoy watching the kids play and take pride in what they do. They've really lived up to 'good to great' this year."
When the Pea Ridge football team formed in 1963, J.C. Beaver played center. Beaver was the first in his family to be on a team, and though he and his friends knew what it was, some of them had never even touched a football.
"It's come a long way," said Beaver, who still attends every home game.
"What I see makes you proud and you become a part of it throughout the years," he said.
Many parents of this year's junior and senior Blackhawks predicted the team would be champions, said Dickie Winn, whose son Drew is a junior running back and cornerback.
"It's been a magical season, it's just flowed perfect. They have the talent to do it and played to the highest level they can play," Winn said. "Ever since they were in second and third grades, we knew they would be amazing in high school."
About eight years ago, one of the Blackhawks parents created a Facebook page that predicted a state championship win in 2016, and it's stayed active and updated ever since. Winn believes that prediction will come true.
And if it does?
"I plan to storm the field in 28 degree weather without a shirt on and do cartwheels on the field," Dickie Winn said.
NW News on 12/08/2016