The regular season has ended, and it’s time for the high school football playoffs to begin in Arkansas.
These next five weeks should be fun.
In Class 7A, I think we’ll see Bryant and Bentonville in the finals at War Memorial Stadium. Teams that could get hot at the right time and make it to the final game are North Little Rock, Springdale Har-Ber and Conway.
In Class 6A, the state champion likely will be one of three teams — Benton, Greenwood or Searcy. If there’s a big upset along the way, either Lake Hamilton, West Memphis or Marion will be the team to pull the upset.
In Class 5A, everyone is looking forward to a Pulaski Academy-Little Rock Christian rematch. Harrison has the ability to mess up those plans with a victory over Pulaski Academy in the second round.
In Class 4A, I think the champion will be either Shiloh Christian or one of three teams from the same conference — Arkadelphia (which has won the past two state titles), Joe T. Robinson or Nashville.
Class 3A is wide open with Rison, Prescott, Osceola, Harding Academy, McGehee, Camden Harmony Grove and Booneville all capable of making deep runs.
Class 2A is also wide open with Junction City, Foreman, Des Arc, Hazen, Fordyce and Magnet Cove all having the talent needed to win a state title.
Here are the updated rankings as the playoffs begin:
OVERALL
- Bryant
- Bentonville
- Little Rock Christian
- Pulaski Academy
- Harrison
- Benton
- Greenwood
- Searcy
- North Little Rock
- Shiloh Christian
CLASS 7A
- Bryant
- Bentonville
- North Little Rock
- Springdale Har-Ber
- Conway
CLASS 6A
- Benton
- Greenwood
- Searcy
- Marion
- Lake Hamilton
CLASS 5A
- Little Rock Christian
- Pulaski Academy
- Harrison
- Valley View
- Maumelle
CLASS 4A
- Shiloh Christian
- Arkadelphia
- Joe T. Robinson
- Nashville
- Warren
CLASS 3A
- Rison
- Prescott
- Osceola
- Harding Academy
- McGehee
CLASS 2A
- Junction City
- Foreman
- Des Arc
- Hazen
- Fordyce