Cross County earns their first state title in 41 years

Cross County Ends Forty One Year Drought with 2A State Championship Victory

The Arkansas Activities Association 2A state championship kicked off at 12 PM on December 5 2025, and when it was over, Cross County stood on top of Arkansas high school football for the first time since 1984. With a 20 to 14 win over East Poinsett County, the Thunderbirds claimed their second football state championship in school history and snapped a forty one year title drought.

MVP Delivers When It Matters Most

Cross County playmaker number 1 earned MVP honors after piling up 150 yards and scoring a touchdown. He supplied the spark that carried the Thunderbirds on a day where yards were tough to come by and every possession mattered.

Quarter by Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter:

• Cross County set the tone early with 12 points, while EPC answered with 6 to stay within reach.

Second Quarter:

• Cross County struck again with 8 points and slammed the door defensively. EPC was shut out heading into halftime.

Third Quarter:

• Defense dominated on both sides. Neither team scored as field position and clock control became the story.

Fourth Quarter:

• EPC made a late push with 8 points, but Cross County held firm and closed out the championship.

By the Numbers

Total yards

• Cross County 263
• EPC 214

First downs

• Cross County 14
• EPC 9

Penalties

• Cross County 4 for 30 yards lost
• EPC 9 for 61 yards lost
• Cross County’s efficiency and discipline helped offset EPC’s late surge. The penalty margin played a major role as EPC repeatedly stalled its own drives.

A Championship Four Decades in the Making

When the final horn sounded, Cross County players and fans erupted in a celebration forty one years in the making. The Thunderbirds not only claimed the 2025 Arkansas 2A state championship, they brought home the school’s second football state title and delivered the program’s biggest moment since 1984.

A hard fought defensive battle and a historic finish that will be remembered for generations in Cherry Valley.