LITTLE ROCK — The 8-2A Conference has placed at least one team in the state championship game five of the past six years.
Now, Junction City appears poised for another trip to Little Rock this fall.
The Dragons, No. 1 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Class 2A Super Six, return 14 starters from a team that finished 9-2 and reached the semifinals.
Junction City was eliminated 29-19 by conference rival Strong, which won the state championship, which was the 8-2A’s third in four years.
“We were happy we were able to go as far as we did, but definitely wanted to go just a tad bit more,” Junction City Coach David Carpenter said.
Carpenter led the Union County school to state championships in 2003, 2008 and 2009 and to the title game in 2006.
The 2012 Dragons, Carpenter said, have as much speed as some of the best teams the school has had the past decade.
“That’s always a good thing,” Carpenter said. “We’re just waiting to see how they go.”
The bulk of Junction City’s38-man roster is made up of sophomores and juniors who were part of unbeaten junior high teams the past two years.
Quarterback/safety Shaquille Hunter, 5-11, 160 pounds, headlines the senior class.
Hunter threw for 416 yards last fall and equaled a single game school record by making four interceptions in the regular-season game with Strong.
Carpenter said Hunter is “pretty steady” directing a Wishbone attack that emphasizes power over option trickery.
“He’s a good runner,” Carpenter said. “Hopefully, we’ll get him a little more involved in that part of the offense this year. He throws the ball well. We just don’t throw it a whole lot.”
Carpenter said inexperience at running back is Junction City’s biggest question mark.
Sophomore halfback Jaqwis Dancy, 6-0, 175, was slated to move up after last year’s junior high season but “rolled his ankle” and didn’t see any varsity action, Carpenter said.
Dancy is among the team’s fastest players and won the Class 2A state championship in the high jump (6 feet, 3 inches) last spring as a freshman.
Carpenter said both lines are a strength.
Among the returning starters are senior offensive tackle Levi Howe, 6-2, 305; senior offensive tackle Derek Cole, 6-1, 210; senior center Will Houston, 6-0, 215, and sophomore nose guard Taylor Mason, 6-3, 260.
Mason started as a freshman late last season and is the team’s strongest player, Carpenter said.
Another sophomore scheduled to start is defensive end Jamario Bell, 6-6, 225.
“With our lines being as experienced as they are, and having pretty good size across there, we’re hoping they carry us a long way,” Carpenter said.
Junction City schedule
DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 31 at Earle
Sept. 7 at Rison*
Sept. 14 Bearden*
Sept. 21 at Strong*
Sept. 28 Hampton*
Oct. 4 at Spring Hill
Oct. 12 at Woodlawn*
Oct. 19 Parkers Chapel*
Oct. 26 at Hermitage*
Nov. 2 Norphlet*
*8-2A game
Dragons glance
MASCOT Dragons CONFERENCE 8-2A ENROLLMENT 144 (based on 2012-2014 classification cycle; 23rd among 49 Class 2A football-playing schools)
HEAD COACH David Carpenter (17th season, 158-40) ASSISTANTS Brad Smith, defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator; Michael Barrett, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, strength coach; Kendall Hutcheson, quarterbacks, wide receivers, defensive backs 2011
RECORD 9-2, 6-0 8-2A, first PLAYOFF RESULTS Beat Mineral Springs 21-20 (OT) in second round, beat Magazine 9-3 in quarterfinals, lost 29-19 to Strong in semifinals.
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB/S Shaquille Hunter, 5-11, 160, Sr.; C/LB Will Houston, 6-0, 215, Sr.; LB Hayden Smith, 5-9, 180, Sr.
RETURNING OFF./DEF.STARTERS 6/8 OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE FORMATION Wishbone/ 3-4
Sports, Pages 15 on 08/21/2012