Neal gets worthy advice

Pea Ridge seeks title with first-year coach

First-year Pea Ridge Coach Stephen Neal talks with his team during the Blackhawks’ practice at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Tuesday. Pea Ridge will make its first appearance in a state title game Friday night at 7 p.m. when it faces Warren.
First-year Pea Ridge Coach Stephen Neal talks with his team during the Blackhawks’ practice at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Tuesday. Pea Ridge will make its first appearance in a state title game Friday night at 7 p.m. when it faces Warren.

When the Pea Ridge coaching position opened in January, Stephen Neal took the advice of one of Arkansas' greatest high school coaches.

Neal received a phone call from former Bentonville coach and Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer Barry Lunney, who told him how ecstatic he was about the Blackhawks program and the job that former coach Tony Travis had done.

State championship schedule

All games at War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

FRIDAY

CLASS 4A

Pea Ridge (13-1) vs. Warren (14-0), 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

CLASS 2A

Mount Ida (13-1) vs. Hampton (13-0), noon

CLASS 3A

Prescott (14-0) vs. Charleston (13-0), 6:30 p.m.

It was enough for Neal to move from one of Oklahoma's powerhouse football programs at Tulsa Union to Pea Ridge, a Class 4A school 35 miles north of Fayetteville.

Pea Ridge hired Neal in March, and the Oklahoma native has the Blackhawks (13-1) in the Class 4A state championship game for the first time, facing Warren (14-0) on Friday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

"This window opened," Neal said. "If you're supposed to do something and you're supposed to go somewhere, you have a responsibility to follow that leading. My wife, Jessica, and my family are very blessed to have this opportunity."

Neal spent nine seasons at Tulsa Union, including five seasons as associate head coach and defensive coordinator. At Union, Neal was part of four Oklahoma Class 6A state championship teams (2008-11). He also served as head coach for four years at Tulsa Edison, six years at Apache Junction, Ariz., and three years at Tulsa Nathan Hale.

"I learned so much from [Union] Coach [Kirk] Fridrich and learned so much from that community," Neal said. "This position presented itself."

The cupboard wasn't bare at Pea Ridge when Neal arrived.

The Blackhawks advanced to the Class 4A semifinals a year ago, losing to eventual state champion Nashville. They returned 14 starters (9 offense, 5 defense) this season, including senior running back Zaine Holley and junior quarterback Jakota Sainsbury. Holley has rushed for 1,483 yards and 19 touchdowns while Sainsbury has passed for 1,940 yards and 17 scores.

"It makes us a lot better coaches than what we are," Neal said, joking. "Very seldom are you able to come into a first year with an established program. We get to come in here and ride the wave for the year. Keep as much stability and continuity as possible."

Pea Ridge has 24 seniors this season, and Neal said this season's finals appearance is a special one for his upperclassmen.

"This senior class has played together since the second and third grade in the Pea Ridge Football League," Neal said. "Between them growing up through that league, their coaches who were there and their parents who supported them, they get to practice at War Memorial Stadium in their senior year. Things couldn't get a whole lot better for them."

The transition has been an easy one for the Blackhawks, senior tight end/free safety Britton Caudill said.

"It's been pretty smooth," Caudill said. "They make it easy on us. They're great coaches. They use our athletes to their potential."

The Blackhawks finished second in the 1-4A Conference behind Prairie Grove, which handed them their only loss this season on Oct. 14 by a score of 42-21. Neal said the 1-4A helped his team get ready for the Class 4A playoffs, where the Blackhawks have defeated Arkadelphia, defending state champion Nashville, Hamburg and conference rival Shiloh Christian.

"We feel like we were tested, week in and week out," Neal said. "At Union, we had tremendous teams there. There were some years we would go through the year with a lot of talent. But we would never be tested, and it would bite us in the playoffs."

Pea Ridge practiced at War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday. It's a special time for the Blackhawks, Neal said, and he hopes it ends with the program winning its first state championship.

"They're extremely excited," Neal said of his players. "The community is excited. The school is excited. It's a good thing for our kids and our program. It's a great thing for our community and our school."

Sports on 12/07/2016

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