FAYETTEVILLE — Brice Gahagans needed just two carries to set the Fayetteville career rushing record Friday.
That was the good news.
That Figures
2 — Interceptions thrown by Austin Allen through four games this season
112 — Receiving yards for senior Cole Harris in Fayetteville’s 27-13 win Friday
126 — Rushing yards for junior running back Brayden Cook on Friday
2006 — The last season Fayetteville had been 1-0 in the 7A/6A-West Conference
The bad news for Gahagans and the Bulldogs was those two carries was all the 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior tailback would get in Fayetteville’s 27-13 win against Van Buren.
After scoring on a 10-yard draw play with 11 minutes left in the second quarter to pass Renardo Mahone as the school’s all-time leader rusher with 2,098 yards, Gahagans next time out on the field would be his last on the night. Taking a kickoff return following a Van Buren score, Gahagans suffered what coach Daryl Patton described as an apparent knee injury.
“He might be out a couple of weeks,” Patton said. “It’s tough because he set the school rushing record tonight, and he’s also two touchdowns away from setting the TD record as well.”
Junior Brayden Cook filled in for Gahagans the rest of the way and rushed for 126 yards on 20 carries.
Gahagans rushed for 981 yards as a sophomore and 1,034 yards last year. Through four games this season he has been limited to 87 yards while battling numerous injuries.
Play of the Night: With Fayetteville needing a play to put the game away, quarterback Austin Allen found Jase Rapert on a play-action pass across the middle for a 35-yard touchdown play with 1 minute, 10 seconds left in the third quarter that finally put the game out of reach to extend Fayetteville’s lead at the time to 24-13.
Injury Update: Linebacker Brooks Ellis did not play for the second week in a row with a dislocated kneecap, but could be ready for next week. The Arkansas commit was not dressed out for Friday’s game.
Players of the Game: Cook was a workhorse in the backfield when little else was working at times in the Fayetteville offense. Cole Harris also added seven receptions for 112 yards.
Notable: Fayetteville is 1-0 in the 7A/6A-West Conference for the first time since 2006 ... Kicker Ryan Starr was successful on both field goal attempts Friday, after the Bulldogs originally had not planned to use Starr to kick field goals due to a groin injury ... Fayetteville announced at halftime an official name change at Harmon Field. The new name is Lewis Automotive Group Field at Harmon Stadium.
The Lingo: “I think on paper a lot of people thought Fayetteville was going to have their way with us. But I was proud of the way we played.”
— BROOKS COATNEY
Van Buren coach
Up Next: The Battle of the Bulldogs is next week with Fayetteville set to visit Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium to play Springdale High. The Red’Dogs lost at Rogers High 47-42 on Friday to drop to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the 7A/6A-West.