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Gravette, went on the road and won a playoff game at Pocahontas. It wasn't long ago that the 4A-1 was generally regarded as Shiloh Christian and the seven dwarfs. The Saints domi- nated the league, and the entire 4A class. On occasion another team would make a run, like Gravette's run to the semifinals in 2007 or Farmington's semifinal run in 2011. More recently, Prairie Grove has been the shining light in the conference with two semifinal and one finals ap- pearance since 2012. "A few years ago, people thought the 4A-1 was a doormat they could walk over, but that's not the case anymore," Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier said. When Shiloh Christian was running through the conference with a 21-0 mark from 2008-10, little did the Saints know at the time that the rest of the confer- ence actually benefiting from that. The Saints set the bar and it forced the rest of the programs in the conference to step up their game, not only on the field, but with improved facilities. Over the past seven years, Lincoln and Pea Ridge have opened new stadiums, Gentry has a new indoor facility and Gravette has a college-worthy field house and weight room to go with an already modern sta- dium. "Shiloh dominated for a while and I think everybody expected that," said Gravette coach Bill Harrelson. "But now everybody has raised their game. There's no question that everybody saw what the standard was to get to the semifinals or the finals and saw what it would take to bring your program to that level." That improvement reached its zenith last season with the three semifinalists. Achieving that level again would be a tall order, but the 4A-1 from top to bottom has clearly proven it's an elite league. 4A-4 ConferenCe While the 4A-1 gets the glamour, the 4A-4 is not without its elite programs, and that starts with the conference fa- vorite this season, Booneville. Cell: (918) 801-2955 Offi ce: (479) 736-1353 LICENSED IN OK, AR, AND MO. 217 S Gentry Blvd Gentry, AR 72734 TAMMY CURRY MANCIA tammycurrymancia.crye-leike.com 33 PreP rAlly: Class 4A Thursday, augusT 31, 2017 4A-1 v Continued from Page 31 NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANTHONY REYES • @NWATONYR Britton Caudill (22) of Pea ridge delivers a big hit to Jaret russ (11) of shiloh Christian on dec. 2 at Blackhawks stadium in Pea ridge. russ returns for the saints this season. see 4A-4, Page 35