Conference play begins with a bang Friday, and nowhere will fireworks fill the night air more than at Smith-Robinson Stadium in Greenwood.
That's where Greenwood opens 6A-West Conference play against Shiloh Christian, which is coming off a 72-0 victory over Bethany, Okla. Greenwood and Shiloh Christian are elite programs, so much so that even a less than dominant performance can raise concern for some. I heard talk that Greenwood may not be as good this year because the Bulldogs beat Springdale Har-Ber by only one point, 43-42.
Don't be fooled. I covered Har-Ber's win over Farmington three weeks ago and watched a much-improved team under Aaron Danenhauer, the Wildcats' first-year head coach. I'm convinced Har-Ber will more than double its wins after finishing 2-9 last season.
It's not often teams that played for a state championship the previous year open conference play the next season against each other. Greenwood beat Shiloh Christian 28-17 in conference play then turned the Saints away 61-35 in the Class 6A state championship game at War Memorial Stadium last December.
Greenwood is 3-0 this season, while Shiloh Christian's only loss was a 41-30 setback to Tulsa (Okla.) Lincoln Christian, the two-time defending Class 3A state champion in the Sooner State.
Friday's game will showcase two of the best quarterbacks in the state with senior Kane Archer for Greenwood and junior Cole Creighton for Shiloh Christian. Archer, who led Greenwood to a 13-0 record last year, has already passed for over 800 yards in three games this season, and Creighton has already thrown for more than 1,000. Both teams are loaded with plenty of playmakers, and defense is not a foreign concept for programs that have won as many state championships as Greenwood and Shiloh Christian.
I watched Shiloh Christian play Greenwood's britches off last year in conference play, and I expect the Saints to be competitive again Friday. But, man, oh, man, how do you pick against a program that has won 71 straight at home and with a quarterback who is 29-0 as a starter?
You don't.
RICK'S PICK Greenwood
(Other games involving teams in our coverage area. The picks are capitalized)
CLASS 7A
FAYETTEVILLE at Bentonville West
ROGERS at Fort Smith Northside
SPRINGDALE at Rogers Heritage
BENTONVILLE at Springdale Har-Ber
CLASS 6A
Shiloh Christian at GREENWOOD
Siloam Springs at LAKE HAMILTON
Fort Smith Southside at MOUNTAIN HOME
RUSSELLVILLE at Van Buren
CLASS 5A
HARRISON at Alma
Pea Ridge at Farmington
MORRILTON at Greenbrier
Clarksville at VILONIA
CLASS 4A
Gentry at ELKINS
PRAIRIE GROVE at Green Forest
BERRYVILLE at Huntsville
Gravette at LINCOLN
Lamar at CLINTON
Dover at DARDANELLE
Pottsville at MENA
Waldron at OZARK
CLASS 3A
BOONEVILLE at Cedarville
West For at CHARLESTON
MANSFIELD at Hackett
Greenland at LAVACA
PARIS at Danville
CLASS 2A
Magazine at BIGELOW
Mountainburg at CONWAY CHRISTIAN
Mountain Pine at HECTOR
MOUNT IDA at Johnson County Westside
LAST WEEK 9-6 (66 percent)
OVERALL 63-26 (71 percent)
