Friday, December 18, 2015

2015 Arkansas High School Football State Champions

7A State Champions
Fayetteville Bulldogs (12-2)
Helmet image from MG's Helmets
  • Fayetteville 58, Lawton Eisenhower (OK) 6
  • Fayetteville 53, North Little Rock 14
  • Fayetteville 56, Muskogee (OK) 21
  • Fayetteville 46, Fort Smith Northside 19
  • Fayetteville 67, Fort Smith Southside 21
  • Fayetteville 70, Springdale 21
  • Springdale Har-Ber 47, Fayetteville 43
  • Fayetteville 59, Rogers Heritage 0
  • Fayetteville 63, Rogers 10
  • Bentonville 37, Fayetteville 26
  • Fayetteville 67, West Memphis 36
  • Fayetteville 30, Bryant 24
  • Fayetteville 31, Bentonville 21
  • Fayetteville 28, Springdale Har-Ber 7

6A State Champions
Pine Bluff Zebras (13-0)

Helmet Image from MG's Helmets
  • Pine Bluff 28, Fort Smith Northside 7
  • Pine Bluff 50, Watson Chapel 13
  • Pine Bluff 41, North Little Rock 17
  • Pine Bluff 40, Texarkana 0
  • Pine Bluff 42, Little Rock Parkview 0
  • Pine Bluff 40, Lake Hamilton 0
  • Pine Bluff 35, Little Rock Hall 0
  • Pine Bluff 34, El Dorado 27
  • Pine Bluff 49, Sheridan 7
  • Pine Bluff 41, Benton 28
  • Pine Bluff 42, Russellville 21
  • Pine Bluff 52, Jonesboro 14
  • Pine Bluff 28, Greenwood 21

5A State Champions
  Pulaski Academy Bruins (14-0)

Helmet Image from MG's Helmets
  • Pulaski Academy 40, Highland Park (TX) 13
  • Pulaski Academy 35, Wynne 21
  • Pulaski Academy 70, Warren 40
  • Pulaski Academy 56, Jennings (MO) 12
  • Pulaski Academy 41, Little Rock McClellan 30
  • Pulaski Academy 49, Beebe 13
  • Pulaski Academy 48, Jacksonville 13
  • Pulaski Academy 60, Little Rock Mills 7
  • Pulaski Academy 50, Little Rock Fair 6
  • Pulaski Academy 36, Sylvan Hills 14
  • Pulaski Academy 56, Vilonia 14
  • Pulaski Academy 78, Hope 44
  • Pulaski Academy 42, Little Rock Christian 7
  • Pulaski Academy 50, Little Rock McClellan 30

4A State Champions
Nashville Scrappers (15-0)
Helmet Image from MG's Helmets
  • Nashville 32, Hope 31
  • Nashville 32, DeQueen 13
  • Nashville 69, Watson Chapel 48
  • Nashville 49, Arkadelphia 28
  • Nashville 13, Fountain Lake 12
  • Nashville 69, Waldron 7
  • Nashville 37, Ashdown 18
  • Nashville 44, Mena 0
  • Nashville 56, Malvern 14
  • Nashville 42, Bauxite 21
  • Nashville 56, Crossett 13
  • Nashville 48, Shiloh Christian 23
  • Nashville 42, Warren 37
  • Nashville 42, Pea Ridge 20
  • Nashville 39, Prairie Grove 20

3A State Champions
  Harding Academy (14-1)
Helmet Image from MG's Helmets

  • Harding Academy 43, Highland 6
  • Vilonia 47, Harding Academy 20
  • Harding Academy 40, Heber Springs 12
  • Harding Academy 29, Atkins 12
  • Harding Academy 43, Barton 13
  • Harding Academy 48, Perryville 14
  • Harding Academy 56, Marianna 16
  • Harding Academy 2, Rose Bud 0 (Forfeit)
  • Harding Academy 50, Mayflower 12
  • Harding Academy 41, Bald Knob 27
  • Harding Academy 53, Booneville 21
  • Harding Academy 42, Centerpoint 20
  • Harding Academy 22, Danville 14
  • Harding Academy 49, Prescott 36
  • Harding Academy 33, Rivercrest 18

2A State Champions
McCrory Jaguars (13-0)
Logo Image from Fearless Friday
  • McCrory 24, East Poinsett County 0
  • McCrory 24, Des Arc 22
  • McCrory 52, Marvell 0
  • McCrory 32, Hazen 14
  • McCrory 42, Palestine-Wheatley 14
  • McCrory 40, Brinkley 7
  • McCrory 53, Clarendon 0
  • McCrory 44, Augusta 7
  • McCrory 58, Carlisle 8
  • McCrory 49, Hackett 6
  • McCrory 16, Mount Ida 7
  • McCrory 40, Conway Christian 14
  • McCrory 26, Rison 22

Monday, December 14, 2015

2015 - Playoffs Week #5 Arkansas High School Football Scoreboard

Last Friday and Saturday's games put the final wrap on the 2015 Arkansas high school football season. The state's three smallest school classifications crowned champions in Little Rock. The weekend gave us three fantastic games as Nashville, Harding Academy, and McCrory took home hardware. We want to congratulate all the champions and runner-ups in the six classifications on great seasons.

Like us, the coaches are already starting to look to spring football and summer 7-on-7. As we move into the "off-season," we will have our traditional helmet salute to the state champions, team and individual camp announcements, 7-on-7 tournament previews, and tournament results. We will continue to draw data from high schools around the state of Arkansas and a few other states processed using techniques advanced from those outlined in our book, Saturday Morning Wake-Up Call. Here is an example of the type of information we can provide to coaching staffs. This post provides all the retail outlets for the book if your are looking for a gift for the coach in your life.


4A
  • Nashville 39, Prairie Grove 20

3A
  • Harding Academy 33, Rivercrest 18

2A
  • McCrory 26, Rison 22



Wednesday, December 9, 2015

2015 Playoffs Week #5 Match-ups

We have arrived at the final week of the 2015 Arkansas high school football season. The three smallest school classifications play their state championship games this weekend in Little Rock. You will find the championship game capsules and our picks below. Next week, we will have the state final results and then eventually present our traditional helmet tribute to all 6 state champions.


4A
  • Prairie Grove vs. Nashville
    • Saturday, December 12
    • 6:30 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
The 4A contest features two conference champions in the Prairie Grove Tigers and the Nashville Scrappers. The Scrappers are familiar with deep runs in the playoffs over the 15 years having won three straight titles from 2005-2007. Nashville ended Prairie Grove's playoff run last year and looks to end it again to finish a perfect 15-0. The Tigers have won 13 straight since an opening game loss to Farmington and have dominated during their playoff run. Prairie Grove is looking to win its first ever state title in football.

OUR PICK: Nashville over Prairie Grove in a 42-35 game.



3A
  • Rivercrest vs. Harding Academy
    • Saturday, December 12
    • 12:00 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
The 3A title game also features two conference champion in the Harding Academy Wildcats and the Rivercrest Colts. The Wildcats only loss on the year was to 5A Vilonia in the second week. Harding Academy has been absolutely dominant since that loss. The Colts are riding high on close playoff wins including the take-down of the 3A favorite Smackover last week. Both teams have won state titles in the last five years so they expect to win. This should be a fantastic game at high noon on Saturday.

OUR PICK: Harding Academy over Rivercrest, 38-28.


2A
  • Rison vs. McCrory
    • Friday, December 11
    • 7:00 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
Like the other championship games this weekend, the 2A championship features the conference champions in the Rison Wildcats and the McCrory Jaguars The Jaguars are looking cap off an undefeated season for their first ever title. McCrory's only close playoff game was a 9-point win over Mount Ida in the rain and cold a couple of weeks back. The Wildcats look to extend the 2A-8 state title streak that extends back to 2011 and includes conference mates Strong and Junction City. Rison is looking for its first state title since 2004.

OUR PICK: Rison over McCrory in a 34-27 game.


Sunday, December 6, 2015

2015 - Playoffs Week #4 Arkansas High School Football Scoreboard

We have 3 new state champions to congratulate after this weekend's action. The Fayetteville Bulldogs avenged a regular season loss to Springdale Har-Ber to win the 7A state championship. This is the third time that Daryl Patton's Bulldogs have beaten the 7A West conference regular season champion to win the state championship. The Pine Bluff Zebras knocked off the Greenwood Bulldogs in a highly anticipated match-up of two 12-0 teams. This game was a bi-polar struggle in that the first half featured an offensive explosion while both defenses pitched shutouts in the second half. In 5A, the Pulaski Academy Bruins capped off a perfect season against the Little Rock McClellan Lions. The 5A game had a controversial touchdown in the last half minute of the game.

The state finals are now set for 2A, 3A, and 4A. We will publish our state championship previews for those games later in the week. The scores from the weekend are below. Our correct winners are in BLUE while the misses are in RED. We were 5 of 9 (55.6%) for the week. During the playoffs, we are 98 out of 121 (81.0%).



7A
  • Fayetteville 28, Springdale Har-Ber 7

6A
  • Pine Bluff 28, Greenwood 21

5A
  • Pulaski Academy 50, Little Rock McClellan 30

4A
  • Prairie Grove 61, Arkadelphia 42

  • Nashville 42, Pea Ridge 20

3A
  • Rivercrest 15, Smackover 13
  • Harding Academy 49, Prescott 36

2A
  • Rison 38, England 22
  • McCrory 40, Conway Christian 14


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

2015 Playoffs Week #4 Match-ups

It is hard to believe that it is Championship Week in the 2015 Arkansas high school football  season for classes 5A, 6A, and 7A. The other three classifications are playing semi-final games this week. The state championship game capsules with date and game time are below. Below the game capsules, you will find with our picks for winners of the class 2A-4A semi-final games in BOLD. The semi-final games will all be played at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 4.


7A
  • Springdale Har-Ber vs. Fayetteville
    • Saturday, December 5
    • 6:30 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
The Har-Ber Wildcats and Fayetteville Bulldogs will travel from Northwest Arkansas to Little Rock to play a rematch of the game that decided the 7A West title earlier this year. Har-Ber won the regular season match-up in a 47-43 thriller. Fayetteville is very familiar with the environs as they play in their 5th state championship game in the last 6 years. The Wildcats are looking for the first title since 2009. We look for another great game to match the regular season tilt.

OUR PICK: Har-Ber over Fayetteville in a 45-42 game.

As a curiosity, why must these teams (separated by 10 miles) travel an average of 150 miles to Little Rock to play a 6:30 pm Saturday kickoff?


6A
  • Greenwood vs. Pine Bluff
    • Saturday, December 5
    • 12:00 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
The 6A game has all the makings of an instant classic in War Memorial this weekend as the Greenwood Bulldogs and Pine Bluff Zebras have been pointing toward this game all season. Both teams have dominated competition during the regular season and continued that trend through the playoffs. Pine Bluff is looking to defend the 2014 state title while Greenwood is attempting to win its 7th title in Coach Rick Jones 12th season at the helm.

OUR PICK: Greenwood over Pine Bluff in a 52-45 game.


5A
  • Pulaski Academy vs. Little Rock McClellan
    • Friday, December4
    • 7:00 pm
    • War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock)
The 5A state championship also features a regular season conference rematch as the Pulaski Academy Bruins take on the Little McClellan Lions. The Bruins won the earlier game 41-30 - their closest contest this season. The Lions are riding high as this is their deepest playoff run since the mid-1990's. Pulaski Academy looks to extend a 26 game winning streak and cap it off with back-to-back state titles.

OUR PICK: Pulaski Academy over McClellan in a 48-28 game.


4A
  • Arkadelphia @ Prairie Grove
  • Pea Ridge @ Nashville


3A
  • Rivercrest @ Smackover
  • Prescott @ Harding Academy


2A
  • England @ Rison
  • Conway Christian @ McCrory