Fairview Shutouts Get Pledge

LITTLE ROCK — Fairview shutouts get pledge

There’s now a little added incentive for Camden Fairview’s defense.

Fairview Coach Buck James said an anonymous donor has pledged $1,000 for every shutout the Cardinals, No. 1 in Class 5A, record this fall.

The money, James said, is earmarked for former Cardinals defensive lineman Khiry Neal, who is paralyzed.

Fairview (3-0) has recorded shutouts the last two weeks in victories over Hamburg (44-0) and Warren (42-0).

“That’s really sort of inspired our team, our 2’s and stuff when they get in there,” James said, referring to reserves.

James said he didn’t learn of the idea until Sept.

7, when Fairview was onthe field at Hamburg.

Jones said the donor didn’t want to be identified, but added the person was seeking a way to help Neal and the team, also.

A promising 6-4, 275-pound defensive tackle, Neal played in the Class 5A state championship game as a freshman in 2009 before contracting a freak staph infection shortly after the start of fall practice in 2010.

Neal is a quadriplegic.

James said Neal can use the money anyway he chooses, including to attend college.

“We only have one or two shutouts a year,” James said. “But it’s given us a little more incentive to try and play better.”

James said Warren Coach Bo Hembree was aware of the $1,000 shutout pledge and probably could have scored late in thesecond half, which was played under the Arkansas Activities Association sportsmanship rule because Fairview led 42-0 at halftime.

Instead, James said Hembree, a close friend, substituted liberally in the second half, when the clock ran continuously.

“He really showed a lot of class,” James said.

Fairview opens 5ASouthwest play Friday night at home against Hot Springs Lakeside. The Cardinals have won 19 consecutive conference games.

STUTTGART Let’s play two

Stuttgart (3-0) swept two games last week, beating Valley View 34-19 on the road and Dumas 49-13 on Friday night at home.

The Valley View game was played Sept. 10, three days after originally scheduled because of severe weather.

“It was different,” Ricebirds Coach Billy Elmore said. “It was a quick turnaround, but it was all mental. Ijoked with the players.

I said, ‘We’re like a basketball or a baseball team. We don’t have as long to prepare.’ It was different.”

Stuttgart, No. 3 in Class 4A, hosts Southside Batesville (2-0-1) in Friday’s 2-4A opener.

Stuttgart won atSouthside Batesville last year, 18-0.

The Southerners returned nine starters from a 4-6 team, but received an enormous boost in the offseason when senior running back Jordan Childress and senior wide receiver/defensive back Emprea Childress transferred from Batesville.

The cousins helped Batesville reach the Class 5A state championship game last fall.

Jordan Childress, 5-8, 190 pounds, has a chance to finish as one of the 10 greatest rushers in Arkansas high school history. He has carried 626 times for 4,380 yards and 54 touchdowns in his career and has rushed for at least 100 yards 24 times, including 142 yards in Friday night’s 57-20 victory over Melbourne.

Emprea Childress, 6-0, 170, ran 6 times for 60 yards and caught 8 passes for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns against Melbourne.

“They’re good football players and they’ve got a good football team,” Elmore said. “It probably helped with our focus a little bit.

Our kids certainly respect what they’re doing and what their team does. In that sense, it’s kind of helped a little bit.” LONOKE Getting defensive

After reaching the Class 4A state championship game in 2009, Lonoke missed the postseason the following season and slipped to 3-8 last fall.

Jackrabbits Coach Doug Bost said defensive struggles led to last year’s downturn.

Lonoke allowed 33.5 points per game, comparedto 18.9 in 2009 and 22.2 in 2010.

Lonoke opened with a 44-35 loss to Star City but has rebounded to beat Beebe (14-7) and Little Rock McClellan (38-6) the past two weeks.

“We changed a little bit of personnel and a little bitof scheme and it’s been a whole lot better for us,” Bost said.

“Definitely focused in on defense.

That’s where we’ve got to do to get better.”

Senior Blake Gooden, who had a team-high 90 tackles last fall, including 50 unassisted, was moved from safety to linebacker after the Star City game, Bost said.

“It’s worked out so far for us,” Bost said. “That’s definitely been a big emphasis for us - stopping the run. That’s kind of what’s bothered us last year.”

Offensively, Lonoke is led by junior quarterback Grant Dewey, who has completed 29 of 48 passes for 516 yards and 4 touchdowns this season.

Senior running back Eric Williams has rushed 43 times for 298 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Junior wide receiver Blake Mack has caught 9 passes for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns. Mack, 6-2, 180, is a college prospect.

“Doing real good,” Bost said of Mack.

PULASKI ACADEMY Unlucky seven

Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said the Bruins were without seven starters in Friday night’s 30-21 loss at Class 7A West Memphis, adding it was unquestionably the worst injury report in his coaching career.

“I’ve never went into a game without seven starters,” said Kelley, who has led the Class 5A Bruins to three state championshipsin the last decade.

Among those out were senior All-Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry (concussion), senior wide receiver Daniel Vogel (concussion), senior running back Cody Adcock (knee) and senior safety Sutton Bartlett (broken arm).

Senior quarterback Lawson Vassar went down with an ankle injury late in the first half and didn’t return.

Despite the attrition, Pulaski Academy led 21-13 early in the fourth quarter.

“I was really proud of our kids,” Kelley said. “With 11 minutes left in the game, we’re ahead with that many starters out. We had guys step up and make plays.

Very, very disappointed in the loss, as were the kids, but in the end it’s going to be a good thing for us because we’re getting those kids experience.”

Pulaski Academy (1-2) opens 5A-Central play Friday night at home against North Pulaski.

Kelley said Vassar suffered a torn ligament in his ankle and “probably won’t dress” Friday night.

Henry and Vogel will play, Kelley said.

Adcock tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the season opener at West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade, but will try to play “a few snaps this Friday and see what happens,” Kelley said.

“Cody’s looked pretty good in practice, too, to be honest with you,” Kelley said. “I don’t know if I’m thinking that’s with a torn ACL he looks good, or he just looks good. But he looks good to me.”

Kelley said before the season that he believed Adcock would be a 1,000-yard rusher this fall.

Kelley said Bartlett hopes to return against Helena-West Helena Central on Sept. 28.

Friday night’s game will also mark the dedication of Rector Field at Joe B.

Hatcher Stadium.

Pulaski Academy renamed Rector Field in the offseason to honor the late Joe Hatcher, a former president of the school.

Coaches

Please call the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with football game reports before 10:30 p.m. each Friday night this fall.

Please call 1-800-272-4650 or (501) 378-3411. We need records, score by quarters, scoring plays and top rushing, passing, receiving and defensive performances.

The Democrat-Gazette also will publish statistics each Friday throughout the regular season.

E-mail statistics to: [email protected]