The best is always the biggest...

[Dagger]

Most years it is a safe bet that the best competition will come from the largest classification.  It is still early, but if you judge each class by its 4 or 5 top teams, who has the most fierce competition? My money is on 3A, and no I don't have a dog in the fight. Unless we talk 10U, and that is a whole other thread!

[LowerAR]

If your talking best competition then it would be the one that you can't figure out who will win. Since everyone thinks that BK will win it, I would say that 3A isn't it. Bentonville is undefeated 7A, I believe. Benton is on a roll in 6A. Maybe 5A, their are several there. 4A looks like a dog fight to. 

[97softballmom]

Rogers beat Bentonville Tuesday

[SBALL]

If your talking best competition then it would be the one that you can't figure out who will win. Since everyone thinks that BK will win it, I would say that 3A isn't it. Bentonville is undefeated 7A, I believe. Benton is on a roll in 6A. Maybe 5A, their are several there. 4A looks like a dog fight to.

There are 4 or 5 in 3A that just depends on who shows up that day.

[ST]

If you have a GREAT pitcher, you can beat anyone 1-0.Just saying.

At the TOC a few years, Bryant, the eventual champion, only beat Foreman 1-0. That happened on a great bunt.

[BIG_K]

If you have a GREAT pitcher, you can beat anyone 1-0.Just saying.

At the TOC a few years, Bryant, the eventual champion, only beat Foreman 1-0. That happened on a great bunt.

+1 

[SNWA]

Alma beat Bentonville really bad in Van Buren.

[LowerAR]

OK! But I still say BK is the clear front runner in 3A. Benton is in 6A. All the rest are the fun ones to watch, because you never know who will emerge on top. If there is a clear frontrunner then you only watch that one to get beat. I never said anybody couldn't beat anybody else. It can happen sometime without a great pitcher.     

[SBALL]

OK! But I still say BK is the clear front runner in 3A. Benton is in 6A. All the rest are the fun ones to watch, because you never know who will emerge on top. If there is a clear frontrunner then you only watch that one to get beat. I never said anybody couldn't beat anybody else. It can happen sometime without a great pitcher.   

Bald Knob better start hitting like they are capable of or someone may get them when it counts. Look at their past few game scores. Pitching and Deffense seems to be on but not scoring many runs. Can't forget about Paragould they are very strong this year in 5A.

[LowerAR]

OK! But I still say BK is the clear front runner in 3A. Benton is in 6A. All the rest are the fun ones to watch, because you never know who will emerge on top. If there is a clear frontrunner then you only watch that one to get beat. I never said anybody couldn't beat anybody else. It can happen sometime without a great pitcher.   

Bald Knob better start hitting like they are capable of or someone may get them when it counts. Look at their past few game scores. Pitching and Deffense seems to be on but not scoring many runs. Can't forget about Paragould they are very strong this year in 5A.

Well I saw they beat White Hall and they have a good pitcher, nobody really pounds pitchers like that. I would say they are doing fine. When 2 good teams play, the score is supposed to be close. And yea, I think 5A is going to be down to the wire.   

[jacosportsfreak]

  Well said, LowerAR.

[SBALL]

  Well said, LowerAR.

I don't Disagree that they are the team to beat this year. Just don't seem like they are hitting on all cylinders right now.

[jacosportsfreak]

I would agree that they aren't playing their best ball, but they're working on getting there at the right time. The team has had a rough start that was mostly out of their control. They're still trying to figure out which nine need to be in the lineup. There are several freshman working above and beyond team practices to be able to get past the "freshman jitters", and help their team. Things are beginning to settle down and they have good leadership. They should be able to contend when it matters most.

[LowerAR]

While I have never seen them play, so don't take anything I say to seriously, but who have they been playing? I saw they lost to Harding and beat White Hall, and Benton I think, but the point is I believe these are good teams. I assume they have good pitchers and defences, that means folks, it is going to be hard to hit the ball and when you do, somebody's going to rob you. If you want to dominate the entire season you aren't playing anyone. People love big bats, but they are fickle; give me a good defence and a good pitcher and we will play you tight everyday. I think there is a saying that goes, offence wins games and defence wins championships. It still applies.     

[jacosportsfreak]

  Once again, you're spot on.  They have been playing mostly good teams: Harding, WH, Cabot, Rogers, Midland to name a few.  Schedule was designed to play good competition, with the focus on being ready for post season, not necessarily their record.  They did open the season with a loss to a very good Green County Tech team. They've also had several games with good teams (Sheridan, Paragould, GCT) that have been rained out.  They also have some openings on the schedule if there are any quality teams needing some pick-up games.