Best of West ready to settle rest in 7A final

Fayetteville quarterback Austin Allen.

Fayetteville quarterback Austin Allen.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

— Daryl Patton went from Fayetteville’s football coach to more like a boxing promoter shortly after the Bulldogs beat North Little Rock 30-28 in last week’s Class 7A semifinals.

It was the tale of the tape: Fayetteville vs. Bentonville.

Patton reminded his team that Bentonville is 37-1 the past three seasons, that Fayetteville is 31-9 during the same period, that each team has a state championship and each has a state runner-up finish.

“This is it,” Patton said. “Whoever wins, the other one can’t say anything about it.”

The rubber match in this heavyweight battle takes place at 6:30 p.m. today at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock when top-ranked Bentonville (12-0) meets No. 2 Fayetteville (9-3) in the Class 7A state championship game.

It will be the third consecutive meeting in the final between the 7A-West powers - a first since the fusion of the state’s two largest classifications following the 1982 season.

Bentonville beat Fayetteville 49-28 in 2010. Fayetteville won 29-28 in overtime last year, ending the Tigers’ 25-game winning streak.

The Tigers haven’t lost since, a streak highlighted by a 24-17 victory over the Bulldogs on Nov. 2 to win the outright 7A/6A-West championship.

“I think a lot of people, this is a game they wanted to see again,” Patton said. “I think if it had been us vs. Fort Smith Northside or Fort Smith Southside, it would have still been a state championship game, but they wanted to see the best in Bentonville.”

One play - Fayetteville won the 2011 state championship in overtime on a two point pass from quarterback Austin Allen to Tyler Tuck - separates Bentonville from a 38-game winning streak.

The Tigers are still seeking their fourth state championship since 2001 and their third in the past five seasons under Coach Barry Lunney, who also led Bentonville to the Class 7A crown in 2008.

Bentonville is nationally ranked in at least six polls, including No. 14 by USA Today and No. 21 by Rivals.

Fayetteville began the season in the Rivals High Top 100 before stumbling to an 0-2 start with losses to Memphis University School (42-20) and Jefferson City, Mo. (49-39).

But the Bulldogs are 9-1 in their past 10 games, and a victory today would give Fayetteville three state championships in the past six seasons.

Patton guided Fayetteville to the Class 7A title in 2007, the school’s first state championship recognized by the Arkansas Activities Association.

“I think both programs, right now, are going through some real special times,” Lunney said. “That’s exciting.”

Like last year’s final, the Nov. 2 meeting went down to the wire.

Fayetteville led 17-7 midway through the third quarter before Bentonville took the lead for good on a trick play, a 38-yard touchdown pass from senior tailback Garrett Kaufman to senior wide receiver Trey Perkins with 11:25 remaining.

“They were very aggressive,” Lunney said. “We couldn’t sit around and let them be aggressive in the secondary. But for us, it still goes back to being able to run the football. We’ve got to be able to run it and keep Austin off the field.”

Bentonville senior Tearris Wallace, the 7A-West’s all-time leading rusher with 4,628 yards, was MVP of the 2010 final with 191 yards and five touchdowns.

Allen was the MVP last year after throwing for 376yards and four touchdowns. Allen has thrown for 7,473 yards the past two seasons.

“It doesn’t get old being here,” Patton said. “It sure beats the alternative. We could be taking up equipment or something.”

CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Fayetteville (9-3)

COACH Daryl Patton, 10th season, 84-35-2 ASSISTANTS Wendell Harris, linebackers; Daryl Anderson, cornerbacks; Mark White, offensive linemen; Eric Arrington, wide receivers; Zak Clark, quarterbacks; Trey Selmon, defensive tackles; Drew Yoakum, tight ends; Jeb Huckeba, defensive ends; Tim Miller, running backs; Brian Early, safeties; Joe Thoma, place-kickers/punters MASCOT Bulldogs CONFERENCE 7A/6A-West RECORD 9-3, 6-1 7A/6A-West, second RANKING No. 2 in Class 7A, No. 2 overall ENROLLMENT 1,859 (based on 2012-2014 classification cycle; seventh among 16 Class 7A schools) PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Austin Allen, 6-1, 210, Sr.; LB Brooks Ellis, 6-2, 220, Sr.; WR/FS Alex Brignoni, 6-0, 190, Sr.

OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE FORMATION Multiple/4-2-5 LEADING RUSHER Brayden Cook, 98 carries, 429 yards, 6 touchdowns LEADING PASSER Austin Allen, 214 of 338, 3,395 yards, 29 touchdowns LEADING RECEIVER Jordan Dennis, 61 receptions, 974 yards, 10 touchdowns; Cole Harris, 61 receptions, 1,109 yards, 6 touchdowns LEADING TACKLER Brooks Ellis, 47 unassisted, 61 assisted

Bentonville (12-0)

COACH Barry Lunney Sr., eighth season, 77-18 ASSISTANTS Barry Lunney Jr., offensive coordinator, quarterbacks; Robbie Jones, co-defensive coordinator, cornerbacks; David Pollard, co-defensive coordinator, inside linebackers; Rick Rachel, running backs; Kevin York, wide receivers; Rob Coleman, outside linebackers; Jody Grant, safeties; Tony Cherico, defensive line; Aaron Danenhauer, offensive line MASCOT Tigers CONFERENCE 7A/6A-West RECORD 12-0, 7-0 7A/6A-West, first RANKING No. 1 in Class 7A, No. 1 overall ENROLLMENT 2,591 (based on 2010-2012 classification cycle; first among 16 Class 7A schools) PLAYERS TO WATCH RB/P Tearris Wallace, 5-10, 211, Sr.; RB/LB Garrett Kaufman, 6-1, 225, Sr.; S Nate Gneiting, 6-1, 175, Sr.

OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE FORMATION One back, Pistol/3-4 LEADING RUSHER Tearris Wallace, 276 carries, 1,712 yards, 25 touchdowns LEADING PASSER Reese Dollins, 132 of 184, 1,873 yards, 23 touchdowns LEADING RECEIVER Trey Perkins, 30 receptions, 544 yards, 6 touchdowns LEADING TACKLER Garrett Kaufman, 87 unassisted, 35 assisted

Sports, Pages 28 on 12/01/2012