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