Vanderpool Has Big Night For Tigers

By Ryan Malashock

Posted: November 22, 2009 at 4:11 a.m.

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BENTONVILLE — Senior wide receiver Sheldon Vanderpool missed Bentonville’s first two games this season — and much of preseason practice — with a nagging ankle injury.

But he still managed to develop into the go-to receiver Bentonville coach Barry Lunney hoped he could become. Vanderpool caught four passes for 114 yards in Bentonville’s season-ending 27-24 loss Friday night at home to Fort Smith Southside in a Class 7A playoff quarterfinal game.

Despite playing in nine of 11 games, he still finished the season tied with senior Tyler Trudo for the team lead in receptions (15). Vanderpool, called “Scooby” by friends and teammates, posted team-highs of 366 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

“He had a great night,” Lunney said. “He’s a senior who has been in our program all the way through, and it was wonderful to see his development. He works so hard, and he can make plays. You could see that (Friday). He can go get the football.

“I’m just so thrilled for him to get to finish his career the way he did. Unfortunately, I hate that it was in a loss.”

Bentonville didn’t rely heavily on its passing game Friday night. But when junior quarterback Pearson Gean did decide to throw, the Tigers’ receivers performed well, Vanderpool said.

Gean threw for 245 yards and two scores. He paid dearly for two interceptions that led to 14 points, however.

“For the most part, the passing game felt great out there,” Vanderpool said. “We were moving the ball a lot. (Pearson) threw it well and the receivers were making (catches).”

Vanderpool’s first catch in Friday’s game, a 27-yarder, didn’t come until the first play of Bentonville’s last first-half possesssion. Bentonville went his way early in the second half, though. Gean and Vanderpool hooked up for a 54-yard reception on the third play of the third quarter. He caught passes of 16 and 17 yards later in the quarter.

The last time Vanderpool posted that much receiving yardage came in Bentonville’s first game last season, a 42-3 victory at Conway. Vanderpool caught four passes for 126 yards that night and finished the 2008 season with 17 receptions for 387 yards and three touchdowns.

After emerging from a solemn Bentonville locker room, Vanderpool refused to sulk. He felt sad like his coaches and teammates, but Vanderpool decided to go around the locker room and console as many underclassmen as he could.

“It kind of is (hard to believe) that it’s over. Everyone’s real down,” Vanderpool said. “We just have to keep moving on. I’m staying positive. I tried to cheer up the guys who have at least another year. There’s a lot of them on this team.”

NOTES: Bentonville’s loss snapped a 15-game home winning streak since losing 24-17 to Fayetteville in the semifinals of the 2007 Class 7A playoffs. ... Junior wide receiver Austin Molitor also caught four passes Friday night against the Rebels. He had four catches for 53 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown. ... Turnovers hurt the Tigers, but penalties also thwarted them Friday night. Bentonville’s offense committed key holding penalties in Southside territory on each of its first two fourth-quarter possessions.

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