Arkansas high school football: Class 5A playoff outlook
Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of stories previewing the Arkansas high school football playoffs from Class 2A-7A.
Is Little Rock Parkview in line to repeat as Class 5A state champions?
So far, there is a lot of evidence that the Patriots, who play their home games at War Memorial Stadium, will not have to play on another team’s home field for the rest of the season.
Parkview (10-0), which is ranked No. 1 in SB Live’s Arkansas rankings, have outscored its opponents 435-109 and was the only team to defeat 5-time defending Class 7A state champion Bryant, ending the Hornets’ 54-game winning streak against in-state competition with a 28-27 victory over Sept. 8.
While the Patriots have a lot of things going their direction, there are others in 5A, who deserve attention. Shiloh Christian (8-2), which lost 31-21 to Parkview in last year’s state championship game, has won eight state championships, and is looking for its first at the 5A level, after winning four at 4A from 2008-2020. Trips to War Memorial Stadium have become a tradition for the Saints, who’ve been in the state finals 13 times since 1997.
There are other talented teams in 5A. Pine Bluff (8-2) overcame a 24-21 double-overtime loss to Mills which cost them 23 players in a post-game fight for one game, rallied to win the 5A-Central. Valley View (9-1) lost to defending 4A runner-up Harding Academy but won the 5A-East. Farmington (7-3) handed it Shiloh Christian its first conference loss in 40 games to win 29-28 on Oct. 20.
FAVORITE
LITTLE ROCK PARKVIEW
All signs point to Little Rock Parkview, which has dominated the opposition with seven games ending under the Arkansas Activities Association’s sportsmanship rule that many starters were taken out of the game early in the second half. The Patriots have 12 starters back including senior quarterback Eric McGehee (1,350 yards passing with 14 touchdowns and 3 interceptions), running back Cameron Settles (528 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns), multi-purpose threat Monterrio Elston (553 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns and 44 receptions for 707 yards and 9 touchdowns; Omarion Robinson, who has returned 4 kickoffs for touchdowns and has 13 tackles on defense; three returning offensive linemen in guard Alex Robinson (6-3, 308), center Cache Williams (5-10, 245) and senior Josh Moody (6-3, 235) and defensive standouts Ramsey Cummings (57 tackles); linebacker Montavion Goins (57 tackles) and linebacker Jakore Smith (43 tackles).
DARK HORSES
SHILOH CHRISTIAN
The playoffs can never be mentioned without the Saints, whose only other loss was to Lincoln Christian (Okla.) 20-14 on Sept. 15. The Saints manhandled 6A-West runner-up Little Rock Christian, 43-22 when Bo Williams rushed for 433 yards and 6 touchdowns. Williams has rushed for 1,189 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season. Quarterback Evan Baker has thrown for 1,385 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 577 yards and 15 touchdowns. Carter Holman has caught 35 passes for 540 yards and 8 touchdowns. Carter Henley leads the Saints with 93 tackles with 5 for losses.
PINE BLUFF
The Zebras have Courtney Crutchfield, who recently de-committed from Arkansas. He has 710 yards receiving, averaging 20.3 yards per catch with 9 touchdowns. Senior Marquez Brentley has rushed for 504 yards and 4 touchdowns. The defense, has given up 28 points in the past three games and came up with a goal-line stand to preserve a 21-14 win over White Hall on Oct. 13 when the Zebras were minus 23 players from after the post-game fight the previous week against Mills.
MILLS
The Comets (8-2) had a chance to win the 5A-Central, but lost 36-33 to Vilonia. Mills has talented playmakers in quarterback Achilles Ringo (2,605 yards passing and 20 touchdown passes; 399 yards rushing); running back Rodney Jackson (592 yards rushing) and receivers Akyell Madison (50 receptions for 946 yards and 8 touchdowns) and Javian Love (40 receptions, 612 yards and 5 touchdowns). The defense is led by Charleston Collins (78 tackles, 12 sacks and 27 for losses) and Kamarrian Ferguson (5 interceptions).
FARMINGTON
The Cardinals overcame non-conference losses to 7A-West members Rogers (38-3) and Springdale (42-38) and have won five in a row since 56-35 loss to Alma on Sept. 29 with one of them being the victory over Shiloh Christian. Ayden Lester has thrown for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns. Luke Elsik has rushed for 512 yards and 9 touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 370 yards and 3 touchdowns. Strong safety Charlie Mobley leads the defense with 73 tackles.
VALLEY VIEW
Senior Carson Turley threw for 1,554 yards with 21 touchdowns against 4 interceptions while rushing for 864 yards and 8 touchdowns. T.J. Starks caught 31 passes for 513 yards and 8 touchdowns. The Blazers have scored 387 points on the season. Defensive players to watch are linebackers Brian Huff (61 tackles) and Dax Webb (60 tackles).
BEST FIRST-ROUND MATCHUP
HOT SPRINGS AT SHILOH CHRISTIAN
This game has the potential to be high on excitement. The Trojans (8-2) outscored the opposition 355-213, with 123 of those points being scored by Parkview, Magnolia and Lakeside. Shiloh has outscored the opposition 473-181 and was held under 20 points once and that was the 20-14 loss to Lincoln Christian.
Both teams have plenty of offensive playmakers. Hot Springs has Matthew Contreras (1,291 yards with 21 touchdowns against 2 interceptions and 208 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns); running back Perry Jones (644 yards and 6 touchdowns. Wide receiver T.J. Brogdon caught 44 passes for 746 yards and 13 touchdowns).
BEST POTENTIAL MATCHUP
MILLS AT PARKVIEW, SECOND ROUND
Assuming Parkview beats Alma and Mills beats Wynne, an inter-city matchup between Parkview and Mills, which features last year’s state champion and the runner-up from the 5A-Central with a lot of talent in players like Ringo, Collins, Madison and Love for Mills and McGehee, Settles, Elston and Robinson for Parkview. For football fans in Little Rock, this could be a matchup that is fun to watch.
-- Jeff Halpern
