Tigers’ Dollins Piles Up Wins, Not Statistics

Dollins
Dollins

— Reese Dollins knew he wasn’t going to have the passing numbers some quarterbacks enjoy, but that didn’t keep the Bentonville senior from setting a few personal goals before the season started.

PROFILE

Reese Dollins

SCHOOL: Bentonville

CLASS: Senior

HEIGHT: 5-10

WEIGHT: 175

NOTABLE: Has completed 132 of 148 pass attempts for 1,872 yards and 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions. ... Threw for a season-high four touchdowns in Bentonville’s playoff victory over West Memphis. ... Has thrown only one interception since the beginning of 7A/6A-West Conference play, a span of nine games and 127 pass attempts. ... Has not keyed on one receiver as three players have caught at least 20 passes this season.

“I did want to be an above 70-percent (completion) passer, which might have been a high goal,” Dollins said. “I felt like I could that, and I wanted to be a 2,000-yard passer at the end of the season.”

He’s on track to meet both standards today when Bentonville takes on Fayetteville for the Class 7A State Championship at 6:30 p.m. today in Little Rock. He enters the game hitting 132 of 184 passes (71.7 percent) for 1,872 yards and 23 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

Bentonville coach Barry Lunney is confident Dollins could have produced the bigger numbers had he been asked to throw the ball more. He didn’t have to, thanks to the Tigers’ strong ground game this season, but more importantly, he performed when he needed to do so.

“His TD-to-turnover ratio has been very good,” Lunney said. “Reese isn’t a runner, but he’s scrambled when he had to, and he kept his eyes up.

“His accuracy has been very good, and what we’ve asked him to do in our offense — which we’ve relied on Tearris Wallace and the offensive line that has gotten better — his decision making has been very good. We haven’t asked him to throw the ball 30 times, but he’s been 9 for 10 in games.”

Dollins has shown off his arm a little more in the playoffs, especially when defenses have been geared to stop Bentonville’s ground game. He has thrown seven touchdown passes in the Tigers’ two playoff wins, and he threw the ball a personal-high 24 times in last week’s game against Fort Smith Southside.

The statistics that have caught the most of his attention — and Lunney, as well — have been Bentonville’s 12 wins and no losses so far this season.

“It’s been an incredible year to go undefeated,” Dollins said. “I would say that is the thing I would look back on as the most memorable things for me. It’s a great achievement for me and my team.

“I’ve felt like I’ve done a pretty good job done managing the offense and being a leader out there. Even in tough times during the season, I was able to lead this team from behind, and I want to be considered one of the key leaders out there.”

The toughest time came during the Nov. 2 game against Fayetteville, when Bentonville trailed 17-7 in the third quarter. Dollins needed only five plays to hit Trey Perkins with a 68-yard touchdown pass and get the Tigers back in the contest.

“He’s been very efficient,” Lunney said. “While getting plays in and out from the sideline, I can’t recall any confusion where he didn’t get the play or didn’t get it off in time.

“He’s been a real good field general, which is what you want your quarterback to be.”

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