FAYETTEVILLE — Springdale Har-Ber and Fayetteville put on one of the most entertaining regular-season games in Arkansas a year ago, only to muddle through a turnover-filled Class 7A state championship game.
However it looks this time around, the No. 1 Wildcats (6-1) hope to make amends for their state runner-up finish of a year ago when they host the defending state champion and No. 2 Bulldogs (6-1) on Friday night.
Har-Ber won a thrilling 47-43 matchup over then-undefeated Fayetteville a year ago before falling 28-7 in the title game. This season, the Wildcats have lost only to Oklahoma power Jenks and appear as though they have the makeup to win the school's second state championship.
First, however, there's that little matter of Friday's rematch with the Bulldogs — whose only loss this season under first-year coach Bill Blankenship came to No. 5 Bentonville last month.
No. 1 SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 31, No. 2 FAYETTEVILLE 30
(1) Springdale Har-Ber 31, (2) Fayetteville 30
(3) North Little Rock 28, (8) Fort Smith Northside 20
(4) Greenwood 33, Benton 30
(5) Bentonville 27, Rogers High 21
(6) Pulaski Academy 41, Little Rock Parkview 7
(7) Cabot 24, Bryant 21
(9) Jonesboro 35, Searcy 20
(10) Russellville 30, Texarkana 13
CLASS 6A
(1) Greenwood 33, (5) Benton 30
(2) Russellville 30, Texarkana 13
(3) Jonesboro 35, Searcy 20
(4) Pine Bluff 31, Marion 14
CLASS 5A
(1) Pulaski Academy 41, Little Rock Parkview 7
(2) Wynne 34, Paragould 10
(3) Sylvan Hills 38, Little Rock Fair 3
(4) Morrilton 28, Vilonia 13
(5) Greenbrier 33, Clarksville 10
CLASS 4A
(1) Nashville 30, Mena 17
(2) Warren 34, Monticello 14
(3) Pulaski Robinson 37, Bauxite 13
(4) Prairie Grove 35, Gentry 10
(5) Ashdown 33, Arkadelphia 28
CLASS 3A
(1) Charleston 30, Atkins 10
(1) Prescott 29, Harmony Grove 20
(3) Bald Knob 37, Marianna 13
(4) Glen Rose 34, Centerpoint 20
(5) Fordyce 24, Drew Central 7
CLASS 2A
(1) England 31, (3) Hector 30
(2) Mount Ida 27, Dierks 17
(4) Danville, idle
(5) Hampton 20, Bearden 14
LAST WEEK: 24-3 (89 percent)
SEASON: 158-30 (84 percent)