We all knew it would eventually come down to this, right?
Actually, no.
Neither Bentonville nor Bentonville West looked like championship material when both teams started 0-3 on the season. There were good reasons, of course, for the bad starts. Injuries. Poor execution. Tough competition.
But here we are. Bentonville West (6-3, 6-0) and Bentonville High (6-3, 6-0) will meet at Tiger Stadium tonight to decide the championship in the 7A-West Conference championship. Just like last year.
Bentonville beat Bentonville West 37-28 in a championship game last year that lived up to the hype and drew statewide attention for Northwest Arkansas' newest rivalry. Bentonville stopped the Wolverines' nine-game winning streak and used the momentum for a playoff run that ended with a close loss to North Little Rock in the championship game at War Memorial Stadium.
Bentonville West's chance for a deep playoff run this year was enhanced last week by the return of senior quarterback Will Jarrett, who was injured in the season-opener against Owasso, Okla. Jarrett threw for 394 yards last week in a 46-10 win over Van Buren, but facing Bentonville in an emotionally-charged game will be a much stiffer challenge.
Bentonville appears primed for tonight's showdown after beating Springdale 42-7 for its sixth consecutive win. The Tigers scored on their first five possessions and sacked Springdale quarterback Will Mueller four times for minus-19 yards in the first half.
So, the matchup most expected at the beginning of the year unfolds tonight in what should be another terrific game. Bentonville West was picked first in a preseason poll of the league coaches, which probably doesn't set well with the team that owns plenty of championship trophies.
RICK'S PICK Bentonville
Other games involving teams from Northwest Arkansas (selections are capitalized).
CLASS 7A
ROGERS at Rogers Heritage
SPRINGDALE HIGH at Van Buren
FAYETTEVILLE at Springdale Har-Ber
Fort Smith Southside at FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE
CLASS 6A
Lake Hamilton at GREENWOOD
RUSSELLVILLE at Siloam Springs
CLASS 5A
HARRISON at Farmington
ALMA at Huntsville
CLASS 4A
Green Forest at BERRYVILLE
GENTRY at Gravette
Prairie Grove at LINCOLN
Shiloh Christian at PEA RIDGE
OZARK at Elkins
DARDANELLE at Mena
Subiaco Academy at Pottsville
CLASS 3A
BOONEVILLE at Cedarville
West Fork at GREENLAND
Charleston at LAMAR
Paris at MANSFIELD
CLASS 2A
MOUNTAINBURG at Hector
HACKETT at Johnson County Westside
Western Yell County at MAGAZINE
LAST WEEK 27-2 (93 percent)
OVERALL 181-45 (80 percent)
Sports on 11/02/2018