March 12 marked the beginning of the end for high school sports in Arkansas last season.
That's when the Arkansas Activities Association announced the decision to cancel eight state championship games in basketball because of concerns about the spread of covid-19. Finals in Class 1A and 2A at Hot Springs had been completed when the remaining schedule was canceled. Area girls teams from Greenwood in Class 5A, Farmington in Class 4A, and Fayetteville and Bentonville in Class 6A had to settle for going into the record books as co-champions.
Although the decision was understandable at the time, it was still painful for scores of young athletes who were one win away from winning a state championship.
"It was absolutely crushing to look into those kids' eyes and tell them the games were canceled," Fayetteville coach Vic Rimmer said to me last year after he broke the news to his team. "We cried. I cried like a baby.
"Win or lose, you want the opportunity to walk into that locker room a final time and meet with the team after all they've been through. We don't get that closure."
Nearly a year has passed since March 12 and the coronavirus is still with us, although to a lesser degree than the winter months that contributed greatly to over 500,000 deaths in the United States. State tournament games start this week in all classifications and everyone involved with high school basketball in Arkansas are hopeful for a conclusion in the finals at Hot Springs.
It will come too late for Sasha Goforth, the former Fayetteville star who made the PAC-12 All-Freshman team at Oregon State this year. It will come too late for Makenna Vanzant (Farmington/Central Missouri) and Coriah Beck (Fayetteville/Memphis) but maybe not for Maryam Dauda of Bentonville, who hopes for an opportunity to win a state championship before leaving for Baylor to begin her college career.
Athletes just want to play and fans attending state tournament games this week can help by continuing to follow the rules like they've done all season by wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing your hands.
Fayetteville is the site of the Class 6A state tournament, where the Bulldogs (22-5) and Lady Bulldogs (17-6) will take the home court with plenty of momentum after beating Bentonville to win 6A-West Conference championships on Friday. State tournaments this week will also be held at Hot Springs (Class 5A), Morrilton (Class 4A), Clinton (Class 3A), Melbourne (Class 2A) and Greers Ferry Westside (Class 1A).
Keep an eye on the Melbourne girls, ranked No. 1 overall with wins over a handful of Class 6A and 5A schools, including Northside, a power program in girls and boys basketball.
Beginning Tuesday, the Fayetteville boys and girls teams will get to watch teams from the Little Rock area and Northwest Arkansas battle it out before taking the court themselves Friday as No. 1 seeds from the 6A-West. Bentonville, Little Rock Central, North Little Rock, and Bryant are top contenders on the boys side while Northside, North Little Rock, and Bentonville, especially if Dauda is recovered enough from her injury, are the top threats to Fayetteville and its home-court advantage on the girls side.
Anyone who's watched the Fayetteville teams play in recent weeks are not surprised by their status as No. 1 seeds.
"A lot of teams start peaking in December and January and then their seasons are over," Fayetteville boys coach Brad Stamps said. "We're peaking at the right time. I believe in this team. I can't wait for the state tournament."
We're excited as well, coach. Masked up and ready to go.