PEA RIDGE — When Pea Ridge walked off the field at Blackhawk Stadium after a 31-0 loss to Prairie Grove on Oct. 19, many of the Pea Ridge faithful thought that the last football game had been played at the 49-year-old venue.

That loss dashed any conference championship hopes, and it meant that the Blackhawks would have to win their final two games, both on the road, to host a Class 4A playoff game.

But after that loss in a game that was tied 0-0 at halftime, Pea Ridge senior Daniel Beard and the rest of his classmates, many of whom are also three-year starters, got together in the locker room for a chat.

They decided that playing at least one more game at home would be a top goal.

“We wanted to go out with a bang,” Beard said.

Pea Ridge rebounded the next week with a convincing win at Farmington, and the team closed the regular season with a win at Berryville.

That got the Blackhawks a home playoff game, and they didn’t disappoint with a 42-0 win against Monticello in the first round of the playoffs last week. That sets up what will be the final game in Blackhawk Stadium as Heber Springs visits Friday night for a second-round playoff game.

The winner will travel to either Highland of Pine Bluff Dollarway next week.

“We all came together after Prairie Grove, and we all knew we let the momentum get on their side and talked about coming back home again,” Beard said. “We wanted to get another game back here, and we went out and got two more wins to get a home seed.

“This game means a lot. My dad played here. Some of the guys parents played here and graduated here. Everybody jokes about the field, but it is an honor to play the last game here and have it really be a meaningful game.”

Pea Ridge coach Tony Travis said he wasn’t surprised to see the seniors rally the team after the Prairie Grove loss.

“Our seniors got together and said, ‘We are going to play another one here,’” Travis said. “They went out and got that done. To have another home game is awesome. It has created a lot of excitement in the community.”

Pea Ridge is enjoying one of its best seasons ever, and Beard is a big reason why. He plays wide receiver, defensive back and is on all the Blackhawks special teams. He has returned one kickoff for a touchdown and has provided big plays on both sides of the football this season.

“Daniel has had a really good senior year for us,” Travis said. “He has got a lot better catching the ball in his three years here. He is a deep threat with his speed, and he is a weapon on offense.

“Daniel wants to make plays.”

Beard and his fellow seniors won just five games their first two seasons in a Pea Ridge uniform, but they knew that this season could be special. As soon as last season ended, the Blackhawks started preparing for this season.

“We spent a lot of time and dedication on conditioning and hitting the weights to get us physically fit for the season,” Beard said. “We all thought that with all the experience we had, we knew that experience would pay off this year. It has paid off, and we are doing well here in the playoffs.”

And the lights at Blackhawk Stadium will shine bright again on Friday night.