CLASS 6A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Cabot (boys); Conway (girls)
DEFENDING CHAMPION Springdale (boys); Fayetteville (girls)
TITLE FAVORITES Conway, Fayetteville (boys); Bentonville, Fort Smith Northside (girls)
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Fort Smith Northside, Bentonville (boys); Bentonville West, Conway (girls)
SLEEPER Springdale Har-Ber (boys); Rogers (girls)
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Bryant vs. Bentonville West (boys); North Little Rock vs. Springdale Har-Ber
NOTEWORTHY The Bentonville Lady Tigers' only defeat was to rival Bentonville West in the regular-season finale. ... Conway's boys have beaten every team on its schedule. The Wampus Cats were beaten by Fort Smith Northside on April 26 -- 25 days after they beat the Grizzlies in their first meeting. ... Bentonville West could meet Bentonville in the second round of the boys' bracket. ... The Conway Lady Wampus Cats were defeated in its first two games but lost only once the rest of the way. ... The North Little Rock boys are in the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
CLASS 5A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE El Dorado
DEFENDING CHAMPION Van Buren (boys), Searcy (girls)
TITLE FAVORITES Russellville, Siloam Springs (boys); Siloam Springs, Searcy (girls)
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Jonesboro, Little Rock Christian (boys); Little Rock Christian, El Dorado (girls)
SLEEPER Van Buren (boys); Hot Springs Lakeside (girls)
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Jonesboro vs. El Dorado (boys); Little Rock Christian vs. Van Buren (girls)
NOTEWORTHY Searcy's girls, the reigning state champions, have kept 11 teams scoreless this season. ... All three of the Jonesboro Golden Hurricane losses were by one goal. ... Hot Springs Lakeside has won nine consecutive girls matches. ... The El Dorado Lady Wildcats have beaten everyone they have faced on their 2021 slate. They split a pair of games with Hot Springs Lakeside. ... The only loss the Benton Panthers were laced with since March 3 was a 4-1 defeat to Little Rock Christian on May 3. They were taken down by both Hot Springs and Bryant in two of their first three games.
CLASS 4A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Joe T. Robinson/Bauxite/Pulaski Academy
DEFENDING CHAMPION Valley View (boys), Pulaski Academy (girls)
TITLE FAVORITES Pulaski Academy, Valley View (boys); Pulaski Academy, Valley View (girls)
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS Clarksville, De Queen (boys); Brookland, Bauxite (girls)
SLEEPER Nashville (boys); Hamburg (girls)
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Valley View vs. Dardanelle (boys); Hamburg vs. Joe T. Robinson (girls)
NOTEWORTHY Valley View boys have captured three state titles since 2013, while the Pulaski Academy girls have seven state championship in the past 19 years. ... The Joe T. Robinson girls endured a three-game losing streak a month ago, but the Lady Senators are unbeaten in their past eight games. ... The Mills boys won their final three games to notch a three-way tie for second in the 4A-East. ... The Hamburg Lady Lions were outscored 19-1 by El Dorado, Jonesboro and Cabot in their first three games. ... The Nashville Scrappers had their eight-match win streak snapped by De Queen on May 5.
CLASS 3A
WHEN Today-Saturday
WHERE Harrison/Bergman
DEFENDING CHAMPION Green Forest (boys), Harding Academy (girls)
TITLE FAVORITES Green Forest, Harding Academy (boys); Harding Academy, Central Arkansas Christian (girls)
OTHER KEY CONTENDERS LISA Academy West, Decatur (boys); Episcopal Collegiate, Green Forest (girls)
SLEEPER Maumelle Charter (boys); Maumelle Charter (girls)
FIRST-ROUND INTRIGUE Episcopal Collegiate vs. Maumelle Charter (boys); Cave City vs. Decatur (girls)
NOTEWORTHY Green Forest's state title last season was the first for the Tigers since 2014. They've won 14 consecutive matches. ... Harding Academy's girls beat Central Arkansas Christian 2-1 in March. Those two are favored to reach the final. ... Buffalo Island Central's boys started 0-2 but lost just one game for the remainder of the regular season. ... Central Arkansas Christian and Episcopal Collegiate each handed the Maumelle Charter a loss. Those were the only two teams to beat the Lady Falcons. ... Thaden's girls lost by a total of 27 goals in two losses to Green Forest.