HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Repeats, tough beats

Fayetteville, Greenwood, Junction City add to trophy cases already filled; Glen Rose, Bearden endure cruelest of endings

Close games were the norm during the six Arkansas High School football championships held the past two weekends at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. But no game ended with as much disparity of emotion as Friday night’s Class 2A Championship Game between Junction City and Bearden. Junction City’s Dorian Evans (6), caught a game-winning 30-yard touchdown, pulling down a tipped pass on the game’s final play, to give Junction City a 27-26 victory.
Close games were the norm during the six Arkansas High School football championships held the past two weekends at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. But no game ended with as much disparity of emotion as Friday night’s Class 2A Championship Game between Junction City and Bearden. Junction City’s Dorian Evans (6), caught a game-winning 30-yard touchdown, pulling down a tipped pass on the game’s final play, to give Junction City a 27-26 victory.

— The Arkansas high school football season began with Stuttgart playing at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Aug. 27.

It ended Saturday night at War Memorial with Stuttgart winning the Class 4A state title, the last of six champions crowned the last two weekends by the Arkansas Activities Association.

Familiar names like Fayetteville, Greenwood and Junction City again finished on top, while Camden Fairview won its first state championship.

A recap of the championship games:

CLASS 7A FAYETTEVILLE 31, BENTONVILLE 20

ATTENDANCE 7,983 MVP Austin Allen, QB, Fayetteville

Fayetteville (10-3) became the first school in the state’s largest classification to repeat as state champion since Little Rock Central in 2003-2004 with its victory over Bentonville (12-1). The 7A-West powers met in the final for the third consecutive year, a first since the state’s largest two classifications merged after the 1982 season.

Bentonville had won both regular season meetings the last two years.

Fayetteville senior quarterback Austin Allen completed 19 of 28 passes for 198 yards and rushed 10 times for 53 yards and 1 touchdown.

Allen gave Fayetteville the lead for good, 14-7, on a 12-yard touchdown run with 6:59 left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs extended the lead to 21-7 when junior cornerback Jordan Dennis returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown 17 seconds later.

Senior quarterback Reese Dollins completed 18 of 29 passes for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Tigers.

CLASS 6A GREENWOOD 51, PINE BLUFF 44

ATTENDANCE 8,142 MVP Drew Morgan, UB/S, Greenwood

Greenwood (14-0) extended its winning streak to 38 games - equaling the third-longest in Arkansas high school history - by holding off Pine Bluff.

It was the third consecutive state championship for the Bulldogs, but their first in Class 6A.

Greenwood won Class 5A state titles in 2010 and 2011.

The Bulldogs were led by senior utility back/safety Drew Morgan,who rushed 9 times for 83 yards and 1 touchdown, caught 4 passes for 87 yards and 1 touchdown, made 7 unassisted tackles and intercepted 1 pass.

Junior quarterback Jabe Burgess completed 14 of 22 passes for a game-high 396 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Senior quarterback Rickey Clements ran 15 times for 143 yards and 1 touchdown and completed 13 of 26 passes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Zebras (12-2).

Greenwood became the first school since the modern playoff era began in 1968 to win three consecutive state championships on two occasions.

Greenwood has won seven state championships since 2000 and six under Coach Rick Jones.

CLASS 5A CAMDEN FAIRVIEW 28, BATESVILLE 10

ATTENDANCE 5,852 MVP Matthew Ollison, QB, Camden Fairview

After losing in the final in 2009 and 2010, Camden Fairview (14-0) captured its first state championship in school history by beating Batesville.

The Cardinals trailed 10-0 at halftime but dominated the second half behind junior quarterback Matthew Ollison, who finished 10 of 12 passing for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Junior utility back Deion Holliman scored on runs of 37 and 31 yards in the game’s final five minutes.

Fairview finished with a 311-177 advantage in total yardage.

Batesville (10-4) was led by senior quarterback Jacob Hardin, who threw for 162 yards and a touchdown.

The Pioneers had 145 total yards at halftime.

CLASS 4A STUTTGART 28, OZARK 7

ATTENDANCE 8,233

MVP Dontrell Brown, QB, Stuttgart Senior quarterback Dontrell Brown rushed 30 times for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns as Stuttgart (13-1) beat Ozark to capture its seventh state championship recognized by the Arkansas Activities Association.

The Ricebirds were dominant from the start and out gained the Hillbillies

409-119.

Stuttgart had 10 tackles for 58 yards in losses.

The Hillbillies (12-3) were playing for their first state championship since 1992.

Stuttgart Coach Billy Elmore joined Barry Lunney of Bentonville and Chris Wood of Springdale Har-Ber as active coaches who have won Arkansas Activities Association-recognized state championships at different Arkansas schools.

Elmore won the Class 3A state championship in 2007 at Glen Rose.

CLASS 3A HARDING ACADEMY 49, GLEN ROSE 45

ATTENDANCE 5,326 MVP Will Francis, QB, Harding Academy

Senior quarterback Will Francis threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Caleb Spears with six seconds remaining to play as Harding Academy rallied to beat Glen Rose.

Francis completed 35 of 48 for a career-high 499 yards and 4 touchdowns.

It was the fifth Arkansas Activities Association-recognized state championship for the Wildcats (14-0).

The Beavers (13-2) had taken 45-42 lead on a 12-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Collin Hunter to junior wide receiver Kyle Petersen with 1:11 left to play.

But Francis directed a game-winning seven-play, 73-yard drive.

Harding Academy finished with a 544-429 advantage in total yardage.

CLASS 2A JUNCTION CITY 27, BEARDEN 26

ATTENDANCE 3,998 MVP Jaqwis Dancy, RB, Junction City In perhaps the most dramatic finish in state finals history, senior quarterback Shaquille Hunter threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Dorian Evans with no time remaining in Junction City’s victory over 8-2A rival Bearden.

Hunter had given Junction City (14-1) a final chance on fourth down after spiking the ball to stop the clock with 0.9 seconds left.

Hunter then threw a pass for junior wide receiver Jarkell Brown, who was covered by junior safety Quentin Wilson about 2 yards deep in the end zone.

Both players were battling for the pass when it was tipped into the hands of Evans, who made the reception about 4 yards in the end zone.

Bearden (12-3) took a 26-21 lead on a 35-yard fourth-down scramble by sophomore quarterback Jamond Young with 53 seconds remaining.

Young rushed 28 times for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns and completed 10 of 18 passes for 143 yards and 1 touchdown.

Junction City sophomore running back Jaqwis Dancy ran 10 times for 67 yards and returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown.

It was the fourth state championship since 2003 for the Dragons.

Bearden also lost in the final in 2007 and 2009.

Sports, Pages 20 on 12/10/2012

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