High School state championship week is here and while there’s still semifinals to be played Monday night, it has been an impressive boys basketball run for schools in Pulaski County.
In the 6A finals that will be played on Thursday, it is an all-county affair as Little Rock Central goes up against North Little Rock. The two schools play in the same conference and North Little Rock only has two losses, but both to Central.
In the 5A semifinals, Jonesboro beat Little Rock Parkview, while Maumelle defeated Sylvan Hills.
So there’s a guaranteed state champion from Pulaski County in 6A, and teams from the county up for the title in 5A with Maumelle and Mills in 4A. The Comets were co-champs last season.
Historically, that’s about right as Pulaski County schools have dominated.
Since 1990, schools from Pulaski County have claimed 53 state championships, mostly in the state’s two largest classifications.
In those 40 years, there’s been nine public school champions and all the county’s private schools, but Central Arkansas Christian, have also claimed state basketball championships for a total of 15 schools that have at least one trophy.
The only public school still open in that time frame that didn’t win a championship is Oak Grove/Maumelle even though the Hornets have had a remarkable run of success in basketball since the school opened in 2011. Over the last 10 seasons, Maumelle has made the state tournament nine years, played for the title back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, made the semifinals in back-to-back years in 2020 and this year. They’ll be going for that elusive ring at 7 p.m. on Saturday against Jonesboro in the final high school game of the year.
Little Rock Southwest opened this year and is the result of the consolidation of McClellan and Fair but those two schools combined for a total of four state championships.
The only schools not really in the mix for titles have been the various charter schools that have opened in the last decade or two.
Even in last year’s topsy-turvy state finals that mostly ended up being cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns, Pulaski County was still well-represented as Central, Jacksonville and Mills were all declared co-champs in their respective classifications.
In the last 40 years, there’s only been eight years where no Pulaski County school didn’t win a title.
Most recently it was 2019, but the late 80s and early 90s saw some rough patches with a three-year drought from 1989 to 1991 and a two-year span in 1985 and 1986.
Of those 53 titles, Little Rock Parkview has claimed 11 to lead the pack but Little Rock Hall isn’t far behind with 10.
Overall, North Little Rock will be playing for its 15th state title, while Central will be up for its 20th.
Pulaski County schools and their titles
Parkview, 11
Little Rock Hall, 10
Baptist Prep, 6
North Little Rock, 4
Little Rock Central, 3
Little Rock Fair, 3
Mills, 3
Jacksonville, 3
Episcopal Collegiate, 3
Pulaski Academy, 2
Pulaski Robinson, 1
Sylvan Hills, 1
Little Rock Catholic, 1
Little Rock Christian, 1
Little Rock McClellan, 1
Year-by-year since 1980
2020 - LR Central, Conway co-champs, Jacksonville, West Memphis co-champs, Mills, Magnolia co-champs
2019 – None
2018 – North Little Rock, LR Parkview, Baptist Prep
2017 – Mills, Baptist Prep, Episcopal Collegiate
2016 – LR Parkview, Arkansas Baptist
2015 – North Little Rock, LR McClellan, Episcopal Collegiate
2014 – North Little Rock, Episcopal Collegiate
2013 – North Little Rock, LR Hall, Jacksonville
2012 – LR Hall, LR Parkview, Sylvan Hills
2011 – LR Hall, LR Parkview
2010 – LR Hall, LR McClellan
2009 – Arkansas Baptist
2008 – LR Catholic, LR Hall
2007 – None
2006 – LR Parkview
2005 – LR Christian
2004 – Mills
2003 – LR Fair, Pulaski Academy
2002 – LR Parkview, Pulaski Academy
2001 – LR Hall
2000 – LR Fair
1999 – LR Central, Arkansas Baptist
1998 – LR Parkview
1997 – Arkansas Baptist
1996 – LR Fair
1995 – LR Parkview
1994 – None
1993 – LR Parkview
1992 – LR Parkview
1991 – None
1990 – None
1989 – None
1988 – LR Parkview
1987 – Pulaski Robinson
1986 – None
1985 – None
1984 – LR Hall
1983 – LR Hall
1982 – LR Hall
1981 – LR Hall
1980 – LR Central
State Finals set
The Arkansas Activities Association announced the schedule for state championship games in Hot Springs.
It will be three days of games starting this Thursday and continuing through Saturday.
Each day will feature four games, with the first starting at 10 a.m., followed by another at 1 p.m., then 4 p.m. and finally 7 p.m.
The day-by-day follows:
Thursday
6A Girls | Fort Smith Northside vs. Fayetteville, 10 a.m.
6A Boys | Little Rock Central vs. North Little Rock, 1 p.m.
1A Girls | Rural Special vs. Norfork, 4 p.m.
1A Boys | Greers Ferry West Side vs. Viola, 7 p.m.
Basketball: Winners take all for Pulaski County schools
Basketball: Winners take all for Pulaski County schools
Basketball: Winners take all for Pulaski County schools
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High School state championship week is here and while there’s still semifinals to be played Monday night, it has been an impressive boys basketball run for schools in Pulaski County.
In the 6A finals that will be played on Thursday, it is an all-county affair as Little Rock Central goes up against North Little Rock. The two schools play in the same conference and North Little Rock only has two losses, but both to Central.
In the 5A semifinals, Jonesboro beat Little Rock Parkview, while Maumelle defeated Sylvan Hills.
So there’s a guaranteed state champion from Pulaski County in 6A, and teams from the county up for the title in 5A with Maumelle and Mills in 4A. The Comets were co-champs last season.
Historically, that’s about right as Pulaski County schools have dominated.
Since 1990, schools from Pulaski County have claimed 53 state championships, mostly in the state’s two largest classifications.
In those 40 years, there’s been nine public school champions and all the county’s private schools, but Central Arkansas Christian, have also claimed state basketball championships for a total of 15 schools that have at least one trophy.
The only public school still open in that time frame that didn’t win a championship is Oak Grove/Maumelle even though the Hornets have had a remarkable run of success in basketball since the school opened in 2011. Over the last 10 seasons, Maumelle has made the state tournament nine years, played for the title back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, made the semifinals in back-to-back years in 2020 and this year. They’ll be going for that elusive ring at 7 p.m. on Saturday against Jonesboro in the final high school game of the year.
Little Rock Southwest opened this year and is the result of the consolidation of McClellan and Fair but those two schools combined for a total of four state championships.
The only schools not really in the mix for titles have been the various charter schools that have opened in the last decade or two.
Even in last year’s topsy-turvy state finals that mostly ended up being cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns, Pulaski County was still well-represented as Central, Jacksonville and Mills were all declared co-champs in their respective classifications.
In the last 40 years, there’s only been eight years where no Pulaski County school didn’t win a title.
Most recently it was 2019, but the late 80s and early 90s saw some rough patches with a three-year drought from 1989 to 1991 and a two-year span in 1985 and 1986.
Of those 53 titles, Little Rock Parkview has claimed 11 to lead the pack but Little Rock Hall isn’t far behind with 10.
Overall, North Little Rock will be playing for its 15th state title, while Central will be up for its 20th.
Pulaski County schools and their titles
Parkview, 11
Little Rock Hall, 10
Baptist Prep, 6
North Little Rock, 4
Little Rock Central, 3
Little Rock Fair, 3
Mills, 3
Jacksonville, 3
Episcopal Collegiate, 3
Pulaski Academy, 2
Pulaski Robinson, 1
Sylvan Hills, 1
Little Rock Catholic, 1
Little Rock Christian, 1
Little Rock McClellan, 1
Year-by-year since 1980
2020 - LR Central, Conway co-champs, Jacksonville, West Memphis co-champs, Mills, Magnolia co-champs
2019 – None
2018 – North Little Rock, LR Parkview, Baptist Prep
2017 – Mills, Baptist Prep, Episcopal Collegiate
2016 – LR Parkview, Arkansas Baptist
2015 – North Little Rock, LR McClellan, Episcopal Collegiate
2014 – North Little Rock, Episcopal Collegiate
2013 – North Little Rock, LR Hall, Jacksonville
2012 – LR Hall, LR Parkview, Sylvan Hills
2011 – LR Hall, LR Parkview
2010 – LR Hall, LR McClellan
2009 – Arkansas Baptist
2008 – LR Catholic, LR Hall
2007 – None
2006 – LR Parkview
2005 – LR Christian
2004 – Mills
2003 – LR Fair, Pulaski Academy
2002 – LR Parkview, Pulaski Academy
2001 – LR Hall
2000 – LR Fair
1999 – LR Central, Arkansas Baptist
1998 – LR Parkview
1997 – Arkansas Baptist
1996 – LR Fair
1995 – LR Parkview
1994 – None
1993 – LR Parkview
1992 – LR Parkview
1991 – None
1990 – None
1989 – None
1988 – LR Parkview
1987 – Pulaski Robinson
1986 – None
1985 – None
1984 – LR Hall
1983 – LR Hall
1982 – LR Hall
1981 – LR Hall
1980 – LR Central
State Finals set
The Arkansas Activities Association announced the schedule for state championship games in Hot Springs.
It will be three days of games starting this Thursday and continuing through Saturday.
Each day will feature four games, with the first starting at 10 a.m., followed by another at 1 p.m., then 4 p.m. and finally 7 p.m.
The day-by-day follows:
Thursday
6A Girls | Fort Smith Northside vs. Fayetteville, 10 a.m.
6A Boys | Little Rock Central vs. North Little Rock, 1 p.m.
1A Girls | Rural Special vs. Norfork, 4 p.m.
1A Boys | Greers Ferry West Side vs. Viola, 7 p.m.
Friday
2A Girls | Melbourne vs. Salem, 10 a.m..
2A Boys | Marianna vs. Caddo Hills, 1 p.m.
3A Girls | Mayflower vs. Centertpoint, 4 p.m.
3A Boys | Harding Academy vs. Mayflower, 7 p.m.
Saturday
4A Girls | Harrison vs. Farmington, 10 a.m.
4A Boys | Morrilton vs. Mills, 1 p.m.
5A Girls | West Memphis vs. Jonesboro, 4 p.m.
5A Boys | Jonesboro vs. Maumelle, 7 p.m.