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Arkansas high school baseball state championships preview: Class 5A, 4A and 3A

Complete previews and analysis of the Class 3A, 4A and 5A Arkansas baseball title games
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By Kevin Bohannon I Photo by Jimmy Jones

Over the past two days we have taken an in-depth look at each state championship game that will be played at the Benton Athletic Complex this weekend. This is the final part of the series. 

Class 4A

Valley View Blazers vs Harrison Goblins

When: Friday 7:00 pm

Records: Valley View 29-6 Harrison 21-12

Coaches: Valley View: Josh Allison Harrison: Matt Rodden

Road to Benton: Valley View won the 3-4A conference championship, 3rd place in the 4A East regional, defeated Farmington 15-3 in first round, Arkadelphia 12-5 in second round, Shiloh Christian 9-1 in semifinals. Harrison finished 4th in 1-4A district tournament, 2nd in 4A North regional, defeated Star City 14-6 in first round, Pulaski Academy 4-3 in second round, Huntsville 17-11 in semifinals.

Analysis: Valley View is sitting in a very familiar position with 29 wins and playing for a state championship. Coach Josh Allison said the biggest difference in this year’s title run and the 2021 championship team is this year they expected to be here.

“In 2020, we were loaded with seniors and predicted to win it all. We had everyone back and the season was cut short. Last year we were young, and the kids didn’t really have the high expectations,” he said. “This year, they believed they could win it all.”

The Blazer offense started clicking late in the game versus Farmington. Allison saw his team getting to the Cardinals pitcher with hard outs and quality at-bats before the sixth inning explosion.

“We were hitting the ball hard and working the count and having seven and eight pitch at-bats, so it was just a matter of time,” he said.

The Blazers offense never looked back and have played clean baseball since their 12-7 setback to Lonoke in the regional tournament.

Harrison has been a little Jekyll and Hyde this season. They started slow and had some close losses to higher class teams, but coach Matt Rodden knew that would prepare his team for the tough 1-4A conference and the postseason run.

The Goblins ended Huntsville’s 17 game winning streak on April 15th with a 4-2 win then dropped a close 2-1 decision to Shiloh Christian to get the three seed for the district tournament.

They lost to Farmington in the semifinals and would get the four seed for regionals by virtue of its regular-season conference record. The Goblins’ offense exploded for 10 runs in a 10-0 mercy rule win over 4-4A district champion Dardanelle. That was only the beginning, as they defeated Shiloh Christian in the semifinals before dropping a crazy championship game 13-10 to Huntsville. The Goblins offense is one of the best in 4A and they showed why last week in Nashville scoring 35 runs in three games including 17 in the semifinal win over Huntsville. If this Harrison team gets confidence, they can be hard to stop.

Prediction: As potent as the Goblins offense can be, the Blazers have played near perfect baseball since the loss to Lonoke. I am taking the champs in the repeat.

Class 3A

Harding Academy Wildcats vs Ashdown Panthers

When: Saturday 10:00 am

Records: Harding Academy 30-3 Ashdown 26-6

Coaches: Harding Academy: Shane Fullerton Ashdown: Charles Cross

Road to Benton: Harding won the 3-3A regular-season and district championship, won the 2-3A regional tournament, defeated Booneville 10-0 in first round, CAC 10-0 in second round, Paris 9-2 in semifinals. Ashdown won the 7-3A conference championship, 4-3A regional tournament, defeated DeWitt 11-1 in first round, Elkins 6-2 in second round, Haskell Harmony Grove 7-4 in semifinals.

Analysis: The two teams that have held the number the No. 1 ranking in SBLive’s Super 7 poll will finally get to square off after much anticipation. Harding Academy returns every starter from the 2021 state championship team, but coach Shane Fullerton thinks this may be his best coaching job in his career.

“I finally learned when I needed to get out of their way and let them play,“Fullerton said. Injuries have decimated the Wildcats this year with key players missing time at one point or another. Gavin Alveti fractured his orbital bone and missed a week. Kade Smith had a hamate bone injury and missed two weeks. Levi Lang has missed the most and only thrown five innings all season.

“We have had guys step up, and the leadership and brotherhood on this team just took us to the next level “Fullerton said. The Wildcats have won 25 straight games with their last defeat coming on March 17th against 4A Valley View 5-4. Can they make it 26 in a row and win their fourth title in ten years? T

he Ashdown Panthers would like that answer to be an emphatic “no”. I have long said Ashdown is the one team in a one -ame setting that has the depth and talent to ruin Harding’s championship aspirations. #BeLikeCJ is a hashtag you will see on social media and in the stands this weekend in Benton. It is in memory of Cedrick Harris Jr, a young man that would have been on this Ashdown team this season but was lost in an accident last year. CJ’s spirit is evident every time the purple and gold take the field.

They play with passion and a level of aggressiveness teams only wish they could match. Alex Keilbach and Jaxon Jester led the Panthers to a 10-0 start and No. 1 ranking before getting into conference play and dropping a few games. The Panthers clinched the 7-3A conference championship before the last week of the season but still had games left against 5A Texarkana and conference rival Harmony Grove. They dropped both games by a combined score of 27-6. I have a feeling the best was ahead of them as the Panthers have won their last six games averaging ten runs a game while only allowing three runs per game. I know CJ will be looking down as the Panthers take the field on Saturday.

Prediction: The best two teams in 3A are finally squaring off, and I expect a great game. Walnut Ridge couldn’t get the job done in 2021 but still purchased “3A Public School State Champion” rings, but I feel Ashdown has the horses to end the Wildcats run. With that said, Harding is still the defending champs and until someone proves me otherwise, they are the best team. Give me the ‘Cats.

Class 5A

Van Buren Pointers vs Marion Patriots

When: Saturday 4:00 pm

Records: Van Buren 26-5 Marion 29-5

Coaches: Van Buren: Luke Weatherford Marion: Pete Prater

Road to Benton: Van Buren won the 5A-West conference championship, defeated Maumelle 4-1 in the first round, Jonesboro 4-3 in the second round, Batesville 12-3 in the semifinals. Marion won the 5A-East conference championship, defeated White Hall 10-0 in the first round, Benton 5-0 in the second round, Sheridan 7-0 in the semifinals.

Analysis: Van Buren has gone wire-to-wire as the No. 1-ranked team in the SBLive Super 7 poll. After winning the 2021 state championship and returning a core group of contributors, it was only logical they’d begin on top.

Behind solid pitching of Eli Gilreath, Devin Gattis and Connor Brady in Hot Springs, they’ll have a chance to finish the job against Marion and get a second ring. The Pointers have established themselves as blue-collar workers that know how to win.

Pointers head coach Luke Weatherford will be the first to deflect praise to his assistants and the players, but his humble, calm demeanor is a big reason this team is in the title game once again. No one outside Van Buren thought they had a chance against Jonesboro last year including me.

I was proven wrong when senior Connor Johnson and a potent offense destroyed the Canes to capture their first title. It is hard to believe this team will not do the same. They have the confidence in each other and know how to win.

Marion is appearing in its second title game ever. They have had talented rosters in the past that couldn’t get it done, but there is something different about the 2022 Patriots. Coach Pete Prater has noticed that his group has more resiliency and that was on display last week in Hot Springs when senior ace Chase Armstrong was pulled early in their first-round win over White Hall. Armstrong uncharacteristically hit two batters and did not have his best stuff and was pulled from the game. Prater knew he would be relied upon again should the Patriots need him. Armstrong proved his veteran coach right as he hurled a complete game shutout against Sheridan on 83 pitches. That followed up a complete game shutout from senior Ben Gerard against Benton in the second round. If you have done the math by now, you would notice the Patriots did not allow a run in Hot springs. This sets up a great matchup between the best teams in Class 5A.

Prediction: I like Marion. They have arms for days and can swing it. Any other year, I would take them 9 times out of 10. The problem is, they are playing the defending champions. Van Buren proved me wrong last season and I do not like being wrong. Give me the Pointers.