LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Week’s 11-year run in Fayetteville ended Thursday night with the football game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The All-Star games will be held for the next five years at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The Arkansas Activities Association’s 19-member board of directors voted two weeks ago toaward the games to UCA for the next cycle.
Joey Walters, deputy director of the AAA, said Thursday before the All-Star football game that since the All-Star games are held in conjunction with the AHSCA coaches clinic, the coaches needed a more convenient location than Fayetteville to assemble and Conway fit the bill.
UCA did not have the facilities to accommodate All-Star week until recently.
“We had bid this out five years ago, and housing almost 500 kids, dorm space was an issue,” Walters said of the UCA campus. “Now they have done such a great job with their facilities and their campus that they have the ability to host something this big now.”
Some of the other issues that hurt Fayetteville’s bid to keep the games were sparse crowds and the lack of available space on the Arkansas campus to hold practices.
“When you have a small crowd in a big stadium, it looks like nobody is here,” said Fayetteville Coach Daryl Pattion, who served as the West team’s football coach Thursday night and directed All-Star Week for the AHSCA this year.
“In Conway, having all the facilities right there on campus will be a bigbenefit.”
West starting quarterback Dallas Hardison of Bentonville said he felt fortunate to be a part of the last All-Star football game to be played in Razorbacks Stadium, at least for now.
“It’s always been a dream growing up around here to play in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium,” Hardison said. “I’ve been watching Hogs games here all my life.”
All in the family
West Memphis Coach Lanny Dauksch served as an assistant for the East All-Star team Thursday night under Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman.
It was Dauksch’s ninth All-Star game. Three of those appearances were as a head coach, but Thursday’s game had to rank at the top of Dauksch’s All-Star appearances.
That’s because he got a chance to coach hisson, West Memphis wide receiver Cody Dauksch, this time.
“It is very special,” Lanny Dauksch said. “It’s been special the last three years.
I’ve talked to other coaches who coached their sons, and they say sometimes it’s been good and sometimes it hasn’t been as good.
“For him to be able to finish his career here with me on the staff is wonderful.”
Cody Dauksch helped lead West Memphis to the Class 7A state quarterfinals this year and signed to play at Central Arkansas.
Besides playing wide receiver, Cody Dauksch started several games at quarterback this season.
Dauksch, who caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Michael Ludwig of Heber Springs with 5:33 left in the first quarter, said he enjoyed competing against his father in All-Star practices while Lanny Dauksch worked with the East’s defensive units.
“He’s kind of been on the defensive side so far and I’ve been on the offensive side,” Cody Dauksch said.
“This week we’ve kind of been going at it a little bit, and that’s always fun.”
Cody Dauksch is actually following in the footsteps of his older sister, Megan, as an All-Star participant.
Megan Dauksch, a recent Arkansas Tech graduate, served as a water girl for her father’s team at the All-Star game four years ago.
Getting ready
Arkansas Razorbacks signee Defonta Lowe of Bearden made his mark for the East team late in the first half Thursday night.
Lowe intercepted a pass by Kenrick Burns of Fort Smith Southside with 53 seconds left in the half, setting up a 30-yard field goal by Jace Denker of Bryant to give the East a 24-14 halftime lead.
“It’s an honor,” Lowe said of playing on his future home field. “I’ve been here for a few weeks, so it’s nothing new.
“It’s a great experience.”
Sports, Pages 22 on 06/22/2012