A reporter for the newspaper I worked for years ago rushed to Osceola after a fire started at the high school.
She was still scrambling for information when the boys basketball coach approached her with some news. Did he know how the fire started or who was responsible?
No, he wanted to report Osceola had won its game before the fire broke out.
So, the Seminoles obviously value winning, regardless of the circumstances.
Osceola is not the dominant program it was under Clinton Gore, who led the Seminoles to 11 conference championships and two state championships with two state runner-up finishes in 17 years. The program has slipped in recent years since Gore left, but Osceola (5-5) is still dangerous enough to give Greenland (9-1) all it can handle in tonight's Class 3A state playoff game.
Osceola doesn't have standout players on its roster like Korliss Marshall (Arkansas), Jonathan Adams (Arkansas State) and David Barrett (Arkansas), who played for nine years in the NFL with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. But the Seminoles do have senior Brenden Parker, a rugged player at running back and linebacker.
Greenland will try to regroup after losing its first game, 18-13, last week to West Fork. The Pirates are capable of a quick recovery, especially at home against an opponent that must travel across the state for tonight's game.
Just looking at the records, this game says Greenland. But tradition and the speed advantage says Osceola.
RICK'S PICK Osceola
Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).
CLASS 7A
Springdale at CONWAY
West Memphis at FAYETTEVILLE
FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE at North Little Rock
Little Rock Catholic at FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE
CLASS 4A
Jonesboro Westside at PRAIRIE GROVE
Lincoln at DARDANELLE
Dover at SHILOH CHRISTIAN
Trumann at PEA RIDGE
Gravette at PULASKI ROBINSON
CLASS 3A
CENTERPOINT at Elkins
LAST WEEK 12-3 (80 percent)
OVERALL 128-33 (79 percent)
Sports on 11/13/2015