LITTLE ROCK — Little Rock McClellan has 14 categories in its weekly offensive goal chart.

Not surprisingly, X’s dominated the first four weeks this fall when McClellan managed only 20 points in losses to Searcy, Central Arkansas Christian, Lonoke and Mills.

Not surprisingly, checks have marked the spots the past two weeks, with the Lions scoring 73 points.

The key to finding the end zone?

The return of senior utility back Akee Johnson, who earned the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Feat of the Week for his performance in Friday night’s 40-32 5ACentral road victory against Helena-West Helena Central at Cad Polk Stadium.

McClellan met a seasonhigh eight offensive goals behind the dynamic Johnson, who rushed 11 times for 71 yards and 1 touchdown, caught 3 passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns, completed his only pass for 50 yards and a touchdown and returned 1 kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown.

Johnson, 5-10, 160 pounds, almost single handily assured McClellan met two of its offensive goals — 5 rushes of at least 15 yards and 7 explosive plays (gains of at least 25 yards) — and broke a 10-game losing streak.

“If he’s not in the game, it makes it more difficult for us to win,” said Walter Camper, the Lions’ interim coach. “Let’s put it like that.”

Johnson missed the first four games this season after he landed awkwardly catching a pass in an Aug. 29 practice and sustained a bruised knee.

Since his return, the Lions are averaging a robust 36.5 points per game.

“The playbook just opens up,” Camper said. “That’s what my offensive coordinator says. He said when No. 5 is in the game, the playbook just opens up because you can put him anywhere.”

Johnson, who concentrated on basketball as a sophomore, rushed for more than 1,000 yards last fall at quarterback in McClellan’s new Pistol formation.

Camper said Johnson is lining up “everywhere” this season, so teams can’t gang up on maybe the fastest player in the Little Rock School District. Johnson said he has been timed in 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily his 4.3 speed,” Camper said when asked what makes Johnson so effective. “It’s his first five steps. I don’t believe anybody in the state of Arkansas — first five steps — is as fast as Akee Johnson’s.”

McClellan never trailed Friday night after Johnson returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown.

Johnson also ran 8 yards for a touchdown and scored on receptions of 16 and 67 yards.

Playing as a wide receiver, Johnson ran a hitch pattern on the 67-yard score. Johnson caught the pass near the line of scrimmage, Camper said, and shook one defender after another while cutting across the field on the way to the end zone.

“He was over there by himself and we saw the cornerback was 10 yards off,” Camper said. “Just threw him a little hitch pass. He makes people miss, and once he makes some people miss, it’s pretty much a touchdown after that.”

No kidding.

In just 32 touches this fall, Johnson has produced 10 touchdowns (4 receiving, 3 passing, 2 on kickoff returns and 1 rushing) and 595 total yards.

McClellan was beaten 57-33 by Jacksonville in Johnson’s 2012 debut.

“To me, he is probably the best athlete in the state of Arkansas, as far as football,” Camper said. “He can score so many ways. He can catch it, throw it, run it, kickoff return, punt return. I’m still waiting for him to score on a punt return. They’re not, basically, punting to him now.”

Johnson said he’s been offered scholarships by Henderson State, Harding University and Arkansas Tech and is drawing interest from Arkansas State and Memphis.

Feat of the Week

NAME Akee Johnson TEAM Little Rock McClellan CLASS Senior POSITION QB/TB/WR HT./WT. 5-10, 160 pounds OPPONENT Helena-West Helena Central THE FEAT Had 304 yards running, throwing, receiving and on returns, and accounted for five touchdowns in a 40-32 victory RUSHING 11 carries, 71 yards, TD PASSING 1 of 1, 50 yards, TD RECEIVING 3 catches, 92 yards, 2 TDs KICKOFF RETURNS 1 return, 91 yards, TD

Roaring Lion

Little Rock McClellan senior utility back Akee Johnson has produced 595 total yards and 10 touchdowns — in just 32 touches — the past two weeks after missing the first four games this fall with a knee injury: RUSHING 16 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD PASSING 5 of 7, 92 yards, 3 TDs RECEIVING 6 receptions, 180 yards, 4 TDs KICKOFF RETURNS 3 returns, 211 yards, 2 TDs

Sports, Pages 25 on 10/10/2012