OPINION| RICK FIRES: Arkansas teams find success in border battles for high school football

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Does everyone agree the state of Texas is the ultimate when it comes to high school football in America?

If you don't, then you're going against the vast majority of those who closely follow high school football. I don't need convincing, and I'm reassured in my belief each December while watching the Texas High School football playoffs on TV.

The quality of play is outstanding and many participants are already signed to top college programs from around the country.

You won't find Arkansas ranked anywhere near states like Texas, California and Florida, the top-tier producers of college and NFL talent. But I've long argued the quality of high school in Arkansas is underrated, especially for a state that ranks 33rd in population, according to data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

So, when a team from Arkansas gets an opportunity against a heavyweight from Oklahoma or Texas, for example, it's a chance to shout to the non-believers from the top of Mount Magazine.

Fayetteville did that on Friday with a 30-23 comeback victory at Broken Arrow, Okla. There were some other notable wins for Arkansas teams as well, including Pulaski Academy's 60-36 victory over Madison (Miss.) Ridgeland Academy and Bryant's 42-21 win over St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers. Locally, Gravette defeated Jay, Okla., 45-6, and Rogers gave Muskogee, Okla., all it wanted before falling 33-28 to the defending Class 6A-II champions from the Sooner State.

Fayetteville will have another opportunity to hoist the flag for Arkansas football when the Bulldogs host Texarkana, Texas on Sept. 20. If you don't think these type games are important to the players for state pride, think again.

"We take these games seriously because I think Arkansas football is underrated," Fayetteville senior receiver Charlie Graves said. "Even with those Texas teams, they may have the attitude 'no Arkansas team can mess with us,' but we want to show them we do belong, that Arkansas football is good football."

Oklahoma is also good football, and fans were treated to a fantastic game when Tulsa Union beat Bentonville 42-35 in overtime at Tiger Stadium on Aug. 30.

I worked in Fort Smith for six years and remember Barry Lunney saying he didn't know how good his Southside teams were until after their games with opponents from the Tulsa area, where the quality of football is excellent. Southside often won those games and went on to successful seasons in Arkansas' largest classification.

Border battles with Louisiana almost always involves teams from south Arkansas. But Springdale High garnered plenty of attention when Jarrell Williams, then Gus Malzahn, began scheduling non-conference games with Evangel Christian at a time when the Shreveport, La.-based school was a national power.

The Springdale High football team of 2005 is generally regarded as the best ever assembled in Arkansas after the Bulldogs finished 14-0 while outscoring its opponents 664-118. That team opened the 2005 season with a 35-7 win over Evangel Christian, followed by a 46-3 win over Prescott, and a 44-0 shutout over Jenks, Okla.

Those non-conference wins earned the attention of the national pollsters and Springdale finished ranked as high as No. 2 in the country in 2005. Respect sought, respect earned, and you do that by facing the best competition available.

Iron sharpens iron, as some coaches say.

The border batters between high school teams from Arkansas with those in Texas and Oklahoma, and sometimes Missouri, can take on added significance with the Longhorns and Sooners moving into the neighborhood for college football. Beat them on Friday, then do it again on Saturday in the SEC.

The results of non-conference games with high school teams from neighboring states don't mean much when the playoffs start in November. But bragging rights can last for a year or longer, which makes these games worthwhile for the players, coaches and fans of the teams.

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OPINION| RICK FIRES: Arkansas teams find success in border battles for high school football

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