The state’s biggest school remains the state’s best school in terms of overall high school athletic excellence.
Fueled by seven state championships during the 2012-2013 school year, Class 7A Bentonville scored a record 1,132 points to claim its third consecutive Arkansas Democrat-Gazette all-sports title.
Bentonville also became the first school with five overall all-sports titles since the Democrat-Gazette began compiling rankings during the 2001-2002 school year.
Two-time overall champion Fayetteville, which also competed with Bentonville in the 7A/6A-West Conference, finished second with 1,038 points.
Rankings were based on a scoring table that awarded points for team performance in 25 state championship events conducted during the 2012-2013 school year, including 21 recognized by the Arkansas Activities Association.
Based on figures the AAA used to classify schools for the 2012-2014 cycle, Bentonville is the state’s largest school with an enrollment of 2,591.
Following Fayetteville in the overall rankings were Class 4A champion Valley View (922.5 points), Class 7A Rogers (919.5) and Jonesboro, which scored 907 points to win the Class 6A title.
The point total for Valley View, a booming school in southwest Jonesboro, was a record for a non-Class 7A, 6A or 5A school.
Mountain Home (877), Benton (854), Bryant (852.5), Conway (849) and Russellville (836.5) completed the top 10.
Conway has won four overall all-sports titles. Russellville was the two-time defending Class 6A champion.
Little Rock Christian scored 732.5 points to win the Class 5A all-sports title.
Harding Academy won its fourth all-sports title in Class 3A with 692.5 points.
Conway Christian scored 412.5 points to top Class 2A/1A schools.
Bentonville only failed to score in two sports it didn’t compete in - weightlifting and gymnastics.
The Tigers won state championships in boys cross country, boys swimming and diving, boys indoor track and field, girls outdoor track and field, boys tennis, wrestling and girls soccer.
Bentonville also finished state runner-up in football, girls cross country, girls swimming and diving, girls indoor track and field, boys outdoor track and field and girls bowling.
Bentonville won eight state championships duringthe 2011-2012 school year when it scored a record 1,099 points.
It also captured overall allsports crowns in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008.
Sports, Pages 34 on 07/28/2013