COMMENTARY: Playoff Pickin’ Time

The opportunity for most people to make fools of themselves comes on New Year’s Eve or during wedding receptions and office Christmas parties.

But guys like me, who make predictions, get to make fools of themselves every week. Yet, the temptation to get a few right is too great to pass up. So, here are your eventual state champions at the outset of the high school football players.

CLASS 7A: Bentonville looks unbeatable but that’s what everyone was saying last year until the state championship game, when the Tigers lost 29-28 to Fayetteville in overtime. Fayetteville is a threat again and North Little Rock is 9-1 with the state’s top running back in Altee Tenpenny,who is committed to Alabama. But Bentonville has something for Tenpenny that a lot of teams seem to overlook these days.

It’s called defense.

RICK’S PICK Bentonville

CLASS 6A: Greenwood reminds me of a professional boxer who can win at any classification and against any opponent, large or small. The defending state champions in Class 5A will blow away the competition in 6A, where nine of the 16 teams have losing records.

How about a Plus-One game between Bentonville and Greenwood at Reynolds Razorback Stadium?

Rick’s Pick Greenwood

CLASS 5A: Picking Bentonville and Greenwood to win state championships is easy. Now comes the hard part, starting in Class 5A where there are a handful of legitimate contenders. Undefeated Camden Fairview and Pulaski Academy are the favorites here but I’ll put $2 in change on Wynne, which is 9-0 on the season.

Besides, picking a team named Wynne just feels so right.

RICK’S PICK Wynne

CLASS 4A: The perception is that teams from Northwest Arkansas are too slow in this class to keep up with teams from other parts of the state. But Farmington did just fine while winning consecutive road games at Heber Springs, McGehee, and Malvern in last year’s playoffs.

I am tempted to pick Prairie Grove but I’ll stick with a traditional winner and select Nashville, especially with Billy Dawson back as head coach.

RICK’S PICK: Nashville

CLASS 3A: No playoff bracket is complete without picking a private school that slings the ball around in a Spread Offense and fights off accusations of running up the score. Pulaski Academy is again a threat in Class 5A but Shiloh Christian didn’t make the playoffs after moving up in classification.

Therefore, I am left with Harding Academy, which lost 35-9 to Charleston in the playoffs last year.

RICK’S PICK: Harding Academy

CLASS 2A: How can you not pull for Decatur, which is in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years? But anyone who’s made a bet at the horse track in Hot Springs knows you don’t bet with your heart.

Sports is the ultimate reality show and the Bulldogs will be long gone when Junction City raises another championship trophy in December.

RICK’S PICK: Junction City

RICK FIRES IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR NWA MEDIA

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