Remember the game "Which one of these things is not like the others?"
We can apply it to Class 6A, where Pine Bluff, Greenwood and El Dorado are ranked 1-2-3 by the brothers Hooten at Hootens.com. Pine Bluff, El Dorado and Greenwood have combined to win the last six state championships. Standing at No. 7 in the poll is Siloam Springs, which annually struggles to compete in football.
Siloam Springs is a "tweener" program, too small to compete exclusively in a football conference with 7A teams and too large to be placed in Class 5A. Coach Bryan Ross does a good job with the Panthers, and he's received a boost this year from Peyton Hillis, a former NFL player, who joined the team as a volunteer assistant.
Something appears to be brewing at Siloam Springs, which could be 3-0 heading into next week's 7A/6A-Central Conference opener at Conway.
The Panthers first have to get past Claremore, Okla., which beat Rogers High 18-7 last week. Siloam Springs took care of the Mounties, 18-6, to open the season.
It's dangerous to compare scores, but there's a quiet optimism at Siloam Springs, where they opened a new $5.8 million stadium. Hillis has had an impact on senior Ricky Hughes, who rushed for more than 100 yards in wins over Rogers and Harrison. The Siloam Springs defense also appears improved with its 16-0 shutout last week against Harrison.
It's much too early to label Siloam Springs as the surprise team in Northwest Arkansas. But the Panthers should be 3-0 and ranked among the leaders next week when the 6A poll is released.
RICK'S PICK Siloam Springs
Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).
CLASS 7A/6A
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER at Conway
Muskogee, Okla. at FAYETTEVILLE
Tallahassee (Fla.) Rickards at BENTONVILLE
JEFFERSON CITY, MO. at Rogers
ROGERS HERITAGE at Pulaski Robinson
BIXBY, OKLA. at Springdale
Lake Hamilton at FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE
Fort Smith Northside at GREENWOOD
Harrison at ALMA
CLASS 5A/4A
Farmington at VAN BUREN
PRAIRIE GROVE at West Fork
SHILOH CHRISTIAN at Tulsa (Okla.) Victory Christian
Green Forest at BERRYVILLE
Gentry at GREENLAND
Jay, Okla. at GRAVETTE
Elkins at HUNTSVILLE
CEDARVILLE at Lincoln
Paris at PEA RIDGE
CLASS 2A
MOUNTAINBURG at Decatur
LAST WEEK: 15-4 (80 percent)
OVERALL: 22-12 (65 percent)
Sports on 09/18/2015