Soccer programs the envy of Class 6A

It's becoming an annual tradition around the third week of May -- Siloam Springs soccer teams playing for state championships.

And it's one I don't see letting up anytime soon.

For the sixth straight year, Siloam Springs will have at least one team representing our town in the state soccer championships at Razorback Field in Fayetteville on the campus of the University of Arkansas. For the third time in four years, both the boys and girls teams will be playing for state titles.

Overall, Friday's games will be the soccer program's 10th and 11th appearances combined -- seven for the boys and four for the girls -- in the championships.

This past weekend, at the Class 6A state tournament in El Dorado, I got to visit with other coaches and sportswriters from across the state about soccer and how Siloam Springs is viewed.

All the 6A programs down there are trying to get to where Siloam Springs is now, with the one exception being the Panthers' and Lady Panthers' opponent on Friday in the state title games -- Russellville.

Russellville has won state titles in boys and girls soccer, including the last two in boys soccer.

Let's hope we're crowning a new boys champion Friday night.

The Panthers haven't won a state title in Class 6A yet, having come up one goal short twice -- in 2013 against Searcy and last year against the Cyclones. Siloam Springs' last state title came in 2012 in Class 5A.

These seniors were just wrapping up their eighth-grade seasons that year.

The Panthers are long overdue on their state ring, and I know they'll fight and claw on Friday to finish the job.

Meanwhile, the two-time defending state champion Lady Panthers are facing a Russellville team that reminds me a lot of Siloam Springs in 2014 when they won their first title. The Lady Cyclones are young and they believe, especially after defeating Siloam Springs 3-2 in Russellville on April 12.

And the Lady Panthers? They're out to prove that the loss to Russellville earlier this year was a result of them not playing their best.

Are you making plans to come cheer on the Panthers and Lady Panthers? If not, you should. Razorback Field is a nice facility that is an enjoyable place to watch soccer.

Siloam Springs traditionally has had great support for its teams in the state title game. My hope is that the crowd this year will be the best yet.

At the end of the day, win or lose for both teams, neither should have anything to hang their head about. Siloam Springs soccer is in a very elite group, not only in Class 6A, but in the state of Arkansas overall.

-- Graham Thomas is the managing editor for the Herald-Leader. He can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.