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PREP RALLY | 8.21.2022 4 RICK FIRES NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Few games are more exciting in high school football than a showdown on a crisp Autumn night between powerful teams competing for the same conference championship. That's why those of us who closely follow high school sports in Arkansas are pleased to see Shiloh Christian and Prairie Grove join teams like Farmington and Alma in the 5A-West Conference. There's also a buzz in the 6A-West Conference, where Pulaski Academy and Little Rock Christian move to challenge Greenwood, which has won 10 state titles since 2000. Or, how about the 3A-1 Conference where small-school powers Charleston and Booneville will butt heads for league supremacy? They're all part of the changes prompted by the 2022-24 reclassification cycle in football. Good stuff, for sure, unless you're a coach of the team trying to fend off the newcomers in your conference. The new 5A-West, especially, is the exact opposite of the Big 10 expansion for college football, where league teams will stretch from coast to coast with the addition of Southern Cal and UCLA in 2024. Geography still matters in high school football and the 5A-West greatly reduced its regional footprint with this year's changes. Former league members Greenbrier, Vilonia, and Morrilton have been replaced by Prairie Grove, Shiloh Christian, and Dardanelle, which can travel easily for conference road games at Clarksville and Alma. Still, five of the eight schools in the new 5A-West are located in Northwest Arkansas, including Farmington and Pea Ridge, which preceded Prairie Grove in moving from the 4A-1 Conference to the 5A-West. Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier, who was initially surprised to learn the Tigers had been bumped up to Class 5A, is ready for the new challenges facing the Tigers. "It's not anything new to me," said Abshier, whose team is picked fifth in a preseason poll of the league coaches. "We went from 2A to 3A and from 3A to 4A. Now it's time to move up to 5A. You just go and get ready the best you can, in my opinion. That's what you do." Shiloh Christian, Pulaski Academy and LR Christian are making their moves via the new competitive balance rule passed by the Arkansas Activities Association for private schools last year. You can bet established teams in the 6A-West and 5A-West will stiffen their resolve to avoid being pushed around by the newcomers to their league. Travel can still be an issue for fans in the 6A-West Conference, which stretches from Mountain Home to the North, Lake Hamilton to the South, and Siloam Springs to the far West on the Oklahoma border. The addition of the Little Rock schools is still better for a regional footprint than in previous years when Benton and El Dorado were part of the group. Booneville and Charleston each won conference championships last year when Booneville finished 13-2 and Charleston went 10-1. The distance between the towns is less than 20 miles, which ensures the stadium will be packed when the Bearcats host the Tigers on Oct. 21 at Booneville. The game promises to be just one of the highlights of a new season with plenty of exciting changes for high school football fans in Arkansas. It all starts on Tuesday when Alma and Van Buren renew their longstanding neighborhood rivalry. New conferences elicit excitement for 2022 "We went from 2A to 3A and from 3A to 4A. Now it's time to move up to 5A. You just go and get ready the best you can, in my opinion. That's what you do." – Danny Abshier, Prairie Grove coach Bentonville Springdale Fayetteville Fort Smith Hot Springs Village Hot Springs www.goadvantagetitle.com We've got the winning spirit! Proud to support High School football