Arkansas

Arkansas high school football Top 25 rankings (9/2/2024)

Published

2 years ago

September 2, 2024

Arkansas high school football Top 25 rankings (9/2/2024)

We survived the first week of Arkansas high school football season. There were lighting delays, cancellations, surprises and thrillers. We got a little bit of everything in Week Zero. Eight of the teams in the Top 10 won last week. Five other ranked teams lost, but three of the four were either to ranked teams or teams that were in a higher classification.

Below is this week’s SBLive/High School on SI Arkansas Top 25.

Little Rock Parkview(1-0)

The Patriots represented Arkansas well in defeating Melissa High School, one of Texas’s top Class 5A Division II teams on their home field.

Senior running back Monterrio Elston scored two rushing touchdowns to fuel the 27-20 Saturday night.

Elston, a Kansas State commit, rushed for a game-high 158 yards on 13 carries and scored on runs of 68 and 61 yards.

Parkview will be a favorite in every game they play the rest of the season, including next week’s home opener against Class 5A upstart Maumelle and the week after at home against 7A power Bryant.

2. Fayetteville (1-0)

The Bulldogs had little problem with Cabot, running past the Panthers 48-13. Senior transfer QB Garyt Odom passed for more than 300 yards in the road win. Fayetteville hits the road one more time this nonconference season to play Broken Arrow, Okla. in the Tulsa area this week.

3. Bryant (1-0)

Three Jordan Walker touchdown passes in the fourth quarter saved the Hornets in a 52-42 win vs. Saline County rival Beton in the Salt Bowl. Despite forcing seven turnovers, Bryant trailed 28-24 to start the fourth quarter, but Walker promptly connected with Kamauri Austin, on the first of two TD strikes, and Bryant never trailed again. The Hornets make the long trip to St. Louis this week to face Christian Brothers College. CBC, who played for a state title last fall, rolled past Sacred Heart-Griffin 45-0 last week.

4. Greenwood (1-0)

The Bulldogs flexed their offensive muscle in a 70-35 win at Bentonville West. Four-star junior QB recruit Kane Archer led the way completing 25-of-29 passes for 287 yards and 3 TDs. He also ran 11 times for 113 yards and a TD. Senior receiver Isaiah Arrington, who received a scholarship offer to Southeast Missouri State this summer, caught 9 passes for 142 yards and a TD. Junior running back Wesley Raggio ran 9 times for 142 yards and three scores.

Greenwood travels to River Valley Rival Fort Smith Northside Friday night where they will be the heavy favorite.

5. Conway (1-0)

The Wampus Cats officially welcomed senior transfer QB Grayson Wilson to the lineup with a 42-20 win at Jonesboro. Wilson, a University of Arkansas commit, was 9 of 13 passing for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns. The win was a nice tune-up for a big early showdown against No. 6 Bentonville at home this week.

6. Bentonville (0-1)

The inexperienced Tigers showed some resolve falling behind Oklahoma large-school power Union last week and eventually dropping a 42-35 overtime decision. We give Bentonville the grace of playing a tough out-of-state opponent and leave them at No. 6.

The Tigers don’t have time to hang their heads, as they travel to central Arkansas to play No. 5 Conway Friday night.

7. Pulaski Academy (1-0)

PA continued its dominance of Joe T. Robinson in a 35-21 season-opening win. It gets a bit tougher this week as the Bruins travel to Mississippi to face Magnolia State private-school power Madison-Ridgeland. PA knocked MRA off 45-43 with a last-second field goal last season. MRA is already 3-0 on the season with an early start to the season on Aug. 15.

8. Benton (0-1)

When the Panthers took a 28-24 lead on Bryant in the Salt Bowl game, things were promising. However, Benton, who coughed up seven turnovers, allowed Bryant to complete three TD passes and take control of the game. Benton made the final score 52-42 with a TD with no time left, but Bryant had control of the game after taking the lead. Benton has this week off and faces a struggling North Little Rock team in its home opener Sept. 13.

9. Shiloh Christian (1-0)

The Saints smoked Farmington 42-6 to avenge last season’s 31-28 loss which ended a 40-game conference winning streak. Shiloh travels to west Little Rock for the second time in as many years to face Little Rock Christian Friday night.

10. Harding Academy (0-0)

The Wildcats were idle last week. They kick off the 2024 season at Class 6A Marion, who barely hung on to beat Wynne in its opener.

11. Little Rock Christian

LRCA moves up a spot after edging El Dorado, 21-14 in the opener. The Warriors will have to play better to beat Shiloh Christian next week. The Saints invaded west Little Rock last year and won 43-22.

12. Bentonville West (0-1)

The Wolverines drop two notches after the lopsided loss to Greenwood. The Wolverines hope to rebound this week against Cabot, who took it on the chin to Fayetteville last week.

13. For Smith Southside (1-0)

The Mavericks came from behind to beat rival Northside, 34-27. Southside should remain undefeated aft this week as they play host to hapless Little Rock Central.

14. Wynne (1-0)

Class 5A Wynne proved it was improved after leading the Patriots 14-0 early and 20-14 at halftime. Marion did rally to win 34-28. They will have to play better to beat Harding Academy at home on Friday night.

15. Cabot (0-1)

A lighting delay and blowout made Cabot’s home opener unpleasant. They head Northwest Arkansas to play Bentonville West, who is also licking its wounds. This will be a welcome victory for whoever can secure it.

16. Mountain Home (1-0)

The Bombers started the season with a 43-21 drubbing of West Plains, Mo. The schedule gets a bit more difficult this week playing at rival Harrison, whose game with Branson, Mo. was canceled due to lightning after the Goblins took an early 7-3 lead.

17. Lake Hamilton (0-1)

For the second straight season, Hot Springs Lakeside stung their city rivals. This time, the Wolves fell 34-29. Lake Hamilton entertains struggling Little Rock Southwest this week hoping to even its record.

18. Jonesboro (0-1)

There is no shame in losing to Conway and JHS hung in for a while. The Hurricane welcome another ranked team to Cooksey-Johns Stadium. This week it is Joe T. Robinson.

19. Little Rock Catholic (1-0)

The Rockets came from behind to beat Class 5A Arkansas High 20-15 last week. They are off this week and host Nolan Catholic (Texas) High School at 2 p.m. Saturday Sept. 14.

20. Maumelle (1-0)

The Hornets looked strong blanking Sylvan Hills 36-0. They face a stiff test this week hosting Little Rock Parkview. This game will be a good barometer of how much improved they are from last season.

21. Joe T. Robinson (0-1)

The Senators fought hard in a loss at PA. They face another challenge playing up in class on the road against Jonesboro. These nonconference games will only make Robinson better in the 5A-Central Conference.

22. Valley View (1-0)

The Blazers scored on two turnovers and set up another TD with a turnover in a dominant 42-14 blowout of Poplar Bluff, Mo. The Blazers return home to face Searcy. The Lions routed Batesville 42-18.

23. Pine Bluff (0-1)

The Zebras lost a neutral site game to Millwood (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 14-0, at DeSoto, Texas. Pine Bluff hosts Kibmall (Dallas) Saturday.

24. Warren (0-1)

The Lumberjacks lost a hard-fought game to Class 5A Greenbriar, 41-34. Warren plays host to White Hall, who lost at Sheridan last week, Friday night.

25. Prescott (1-0)

The Curley Wolves rolled over Crossett, 53-10. They play Salem in a 3A showdown Thursday night at Hendrix College at Conway.

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Arkansas

Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI

Published

7 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Report Assesses Access to Primary Care in Arkansas – ACHI

Arkansas has made significant investments to strengthen its primary care physician workforce over the past decade. New medical schools have opened in the state, residency program slots have increased, and loan forgiveness programs have been established to incentivize residency graduates to remain in the state to practice. Despite these efforts, access to a usual source of care (i.e., a place where one goes for routine healthcare needs) remains a challenge for many Arkansans, according to a new report.

Published February 12 by the Milbank Memorial Fund, the report, “Investing in Primary Care: The Missing Strategy in Americaâs Fight Against Chronic Disease,” evaluates statesâ primary care performance. Among its findings is that 18% of Arkansas adults report not having a usual source of care, which is comparable to the national estimate of 17%. That means that nearly 1 in 5 Arkansans do not have a consistent way of interacting with the stateâs healthcare system.

Access to a Usual Source of Care

Nationwide, the report finds that among adults with chronic disease, having a usual source of care is associated with lower odds of hospitalization and lower total spending on health care. These findings are particularly relevant for Arkansas, where chronic disease prevalence remains high. The most recent Americaâs Health Rankings report from the United Health Foundation ranked Arkansas 44th among all 50 states and the District Columbia for its percentage (15%) of adults with three or more chronic conditions â such as arthritis, diabetes, or cancer â in 2023, with the top-ranked state having the lowest percentage.

The Arkansas Primary Care Payment Improvement Working Group, established under Act 483 of 2025, is currently examining primary care investment in the state. The group, which includes a representative from ACHI, is tasked with measuring current primary care spending, evaluating the adequacy of the primary care delivery system, and recommending spending targets for Medicaid and commercial insurers. These efforts align with national recommendations to track and increase primary care investment, an issue we highlighted in a previous post.

Arkansasâs Primary Care Workforce

The countryâs primary care workforce supply is another focus of the Milbank report. The report estimates that Arkansas had 58 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents in 2023, below the national average of 68 per 100,000 residents. The Milbank report also finds that 29% of Arkansas physicians were working in primary care in 2023, compared to 27% nationally.

The stateâs higher-than-average share of physicians choosing primary care is encouraging, but long-term retention and geographic distribution remain challenges. ACHI developed the Arkansas Primary Care Physician Workforce Dashboard, an interactive tool that allows users to view data on primary care physicians practicing in Arkansas. The dashboard â which uses a broader definition of âprimary care physicianâ than the Milbank reportâs â shows that per capita rates of primary care physicians vary widely between urban and rural counties, and that two counties, Montgomery and Newton, had no active full-time primary care physician in 2022. The dashboard also shows that 26% of fill-time primary care physicians in the state were 60 or older in 2022, raising concerns about future supply as many approach retirement.

The Milbank report finds that in communities with higher levels of social deprivation â measured by the social deprivation index, a composite indicator of socioeconomic hardship â primary care physician availability in Arkansas is lower on average than in similarly deprived communities nationwide. Given the high burden of chronic disease among Arkansans, this is a concerning finding.

Recommendations

States that invest in primary care, as highlighted in the Milbank report, experience downstream improvements in population health and lower healthcare costs. Arkansas has established the infrastructure to evaluate and potentially increase those investments. ACHI will continue to track physician supply, distribution, and access to help inform primary care policy discussions.

Find more information about Arkansasâs healthcare workforce on our topic page.

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Arkansas

Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena

Published

19 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Arkansas to honor Nolan Richardson with statue outside arena

Myron MedcalfMar 5, 2026, 12:03 AM ET
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- Covers college basketball
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

Multiple Authors

Former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, who led the Razorbacks to the 1994 national title, will be immortalized with a statue outside Bud Walton Arena, the school said Wednesday.

Richardson was on the court at halftime of No. 20 Arkansas’ 105-85 win over Texas in the team’s regular-season home finale Wednesday night when athletic director Hunter Yurachek surprised him and told him the school had commissioned a statue to commemorate his achievements.

Per the school’s announcement, work on the statue is set to begin soon.

“Coach Richardson’s impact on the game of basketball and our state is immeasurable,” Yurachek said in a statement. “He represented Arkansas with a toughness and intense work ethic that endeared him to our fans while changing the lives of numerous athletes, coaches and staff under his direction. His ’40 minutes of Hell’ changed college basketball and led to the 1994 national championship that changed Arkansas and our university forever. Coach Richardson will stand tall outside the arena for the rest of time.”

BUILD THE STATUE. LIVING LEGEND. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/2nJPh1d6zo
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) March 5, 2026

Richardson coined the phrase “40 Minutes of Hell” in reference to the ferocious, full-court defense his Arkansas teams played during his tenure (1985-2002). Between Arkansas and his first Division I job at Tulsa, Richardson amassed 508 wins (389 with the Razorbacks), reached the Final Four three times and secured Arkansas’ only national title.

Richardson also was a member of the Texas Western (now UTEP) teams that preceded the school’s victory over Kentucky in 1966, when five Black players started an NCAA championship game for the first time and won. That game paved the way for Black players to compete at schools that had previously rejected them.

Richardson, one of six SEC coaches to win a national title since 1990, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

After Wednesday’s game, current Arkansas coach John Calipari joked that he’s contractually obligated to clean the statue once it’s finished.

“Which I will do in a pleasant way because I love it,” he said. “He’s been so good to me since I’ve been here.”

Richardson and Arkansas were not on good terms when they divorced in 2002. But the two sides have repaired the relationship over the years. The university renamed the floor at Bud Walton Arena “Nolan Richardson Court” in 2019. Richardson praised Calipari’s hiring in 2024 after he left Kentucky, and he has been around the program since Calipari’s arrival.

“He should have been had a statue, I think,” said Trevon Brazile, who finished with 28 points on his senior night Wednesday. “They won the national championship.”

Added Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 28 points and 13 assists against the Longhorns: “It’s great to see that for sure. Coach Richardson is a big part of our team. He’s been to a couple of our practices, so it’s always good to see [him]. He’s a legend.”

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Arkansas

Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Autopsies rule Arkansas mothers death a suicide; twin children’s deaths homicides

BONANZA, Ark. (KATV) — According to our partners at 40/29 News, autopsies show that Charity Beallis died by suicide, and her six-year-old twin children died by homicide.

Beallis and the children were found on December 3, 2025, in their home in Bonanza. All three had gunshot wounds.

Records show that Beallis and her husband were in the process of divorcing when the murders happened. 40/29 reports that Beallis’ son has asked that their divorce be considered final, while her husband, Randall Beallis, has asked the court to dismiss the divorce proceedings.

The news release listed the following evidence:

— An examination of the transcripts of the deposition of Mrs. Beallis in the divorce/custody case and the final hearing on the case on 12-2-2025, reveal that she wished to be reconciled to her estranged husband, which did not happen. Mrs. Beallis, after being represented by four different attorneys, represented herself in the contested divorce/custody hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, Mrs. Beallis was ordered to begin joint custody of her children with her estranged husband.

–Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband was a driver of a Tesla electric vehicle at that time. Tesla has compiled location data on Tesla vehicles, and according to the information provided by Tesla, Mrs. Beallis’ estranged husband’s vehicle was not near the residence in Bonanza on the night in question. Also, the estranged husband’s phones did not “ping” any of the cell towers proximately related to Ms. Beallis’ location.

–Information from the home security alarm company shows the alarm was deactivated by Mrs. Beallis by her phone (she had exclusive access to the security system) at around 10 pm on the night in question. Even though deactivated, the alarm company was able to provide information showing no doors or windows to the home were opened during that time. When law enforcement arrived after 9:30 am on 12-3-2025, there were no doors or windows open, and they had to use a key to enter the home. SCSO rigorously tested the functioning of each door and window and found them to be operating properly.

The court released an order on Wednesday stating that it does not have jurisdiction to rule on those motions regarding the divorce. Beallis’ body has been released to her son, while the children are with Randall Beallis.

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