The regular season in Arkansas and Oklahoma is in the next-to-last weekend and highlights included the battle for the 4A-1 Conference championship between Elkins and Gravette, the first conference win for Siloam Springs since the 2020 season and Rogers closing in on an opening round bye for the first time since 2006,

The state volleyball tournaments saw Fayetteville and Farmington fall in their respective championship games while Ozark Catholic repeated last year's run to the state semifinals only to run into defending state champion Hackett.

Conference cross-country meets also ran this week as teams prepared for the state championship at Oaklawn Racetrack in Hot Springs. We speak with Bentonville coach Michael Power and Providence Academy coach Daniel Ramsey on their respective seasons.

The football season enters its eighth week in Arkansas and Oklahoma with the Bentonville-Rogers game living up to its billing with the Tigers defense stopping the Mounties on the final play. Other key contests included Gravette's defense holding off Prairie Grove and Fayetteville claiming the Battle of the Bulldogs against Springdale.

In volleyball, the regular season ended for the larger schools with Bentonville and Farmington claiming conference championships. Huntsville advanced to the finals of the 4A North Region tournament and move on to the state tournament this week. Ozark Catholic returns to the 2A state tournament after reaching the final four the previous year. Coach Peggy Estes speaks about her young squad.

Northwest Arkansas entrants claimed three of the four overall tennis championships this week at Burns Park in North Little Rock with the Rogers trio of Harrison Deer (singles) William Edwards and Aiden Matthews (doubles) would make the most of their second chances after falling in their semifinals the previous week. Fayetteville's Olivia Menendez and Lily Watson won the girls' doubles in a rematch of their 6A title game the previous week.

And the Providence Academy Patriots and Lady Patriots swept the 3A-1 meet in Ekins, placing four of the top five boys' runners and taking the first six spots in the girls' race.

The football season in Arkansas and Oklahoma are at the midway point, and we recap the week's action.

We also recap the state tennis tournaments and hear from Fayetteville coach Darin Phelan, whose teams hosted the 6A tournament and hear from Haas Hall Fayetteville coach Greg Kessman, whose team captured its third consecutive boys' title in Class 3A.

We recap the conference volleyball tournaments, the overall state golf tournaments, and area cross country meets.

We also start our preview of high school basketball with the season for non-football schools starting October 20. We visit with Thaden School boys' coach Greg White, whose team will be one of those who open earlier than the football schools.