Arkansas high school football: Class 5A predicted order of finish

Breaking down the four 5A conferences

Harding Academy head coach Neil Evans / Photo by Tommy Land

With the Arkansas high school football season about a month away, the SBLive staff is looking at each class's conferences. We will predict the order of finish in each league. In this installment, we predict Class 5A.

5A-CENTRAL

1, Joe T. Robinson

2. Maumelle

3. Pine Bluff

4. White Hall

5. Searcy

6. Beebe

7. Jacksonville

8. Watson Chapel

Why Joe T. Robinson?

The Senators faltered a bit last year, losing three of four games when former quarterback Quinten Murphy was injured late in the season, but the Senators are primed for a run this year. Veteran coach Todd Eskola boasts some talented returners and welcomes some key transfers in former North Little Rock quarterback Tyson Braddon and former CAC running back Kevin “Deuce” Williams.

5A-EAST

1. Harding Academy

2. Valley View

3. Wynne

4. Nettleton

5. Batesville

6. Brookland

7. Greene Co. Tech

8. Paragould

Why Harding Academy?

You can make a case for defending conference champion Valley View, but the Wildcats have taken three of four from the Blazers since losing a one-point game in 2021 and will pull out a win at home on Oct. 6, which will most likely be for the league title. Moving up from 4A to this league is tough, but the Wildcats are a championship program, winning state titles four of the past five seasons. With 15 returning starters and UCA commit Owen Miller at quarterback, Harding Academy sets up a deep playoff run with a league title.

5A-SOUTH

1. LR Parkview

2. Camden Fairview

3. Hot Springs Lakeside

4. Hot Springs

5. Magnolia

6. Arkansas High

7. Hope

8. De Queen

Why Parkview?

The Patriots are one of the best teams in the region, boasting at least seven Division I recruits. Parkview might be tested in its opener at Melissa, Texas, and the next week in a home game against Class 7A Bryant, but they might not have a close one after that and will cruise to a conference title and their third consecutive Class 5A state title.

5A-WEST

1. Farmington

2. Greenbrier

3. Harrison

4. Morrilton

5. Alma

6. Vilonia

7. Pea Ridge

8. Clarksville

Why Farmington?

Former Cardinals head coach J.R. Eldridge decided to pursue private business after finishing 22-11 in three seasons. He doesn’t leave the cupboard bare for 72-year-old Tommy Tice, who came out of retirement in May to take the job. Tice, who is third on the Arkansas high school football all-time wins list, has only eight returning starters, but he does inherit key players such as junior quarterback Ayden Lee. Tice is a proven winner and will add to his win total and trophy case with a hard-fought conference title with Greenbrier and Harrison challenging.

--Nate Olson | nate@scorebooklive.com | @ndosports