Hunter: Last pass one to remember

CONWAY - Six months later, the play still doesn’t have a name.

“We just call it ‘the pass,’ ” Junction City Coach David Carpenter said.

But that pass - a 30-yard touchdown from quarterback Shaquille Hunter to wide receiver Dorian Evans - is the most famous play in Junction City history and maybe the most noteworthy in an Arkansas high school state championship game.

The touchdown pass, which came off a deflection in the end zone, occurred on the final play of the game and gave the Dragons a 27-26 victory over Bearden and their third Class 2A title since 2008.

“It was almost like a dream,” said Hunter, who will be a member of the East All-Star team for the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star football game Friday night at Estes Stadium on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas.

That dream lasted 53 seconds as Hunter directed Junction City, trailing 26-21, on a five-play, 67-yard game-winning drive.

He scrambled 31 yards on first down, then completed a 6-yard screen pass to wide receiver Saylor Hall to the 30. Junction City used its final timeout with 23 seconds remaining.

Hunter scrambled again on second down, but was tackled for no gain near the sideline with about 10 seconds remaining.

Hunter hustled the Dragons to the line and spiked the football to stop the clock with just 0.9 seconds remaining.

“It’s really coaching,” Hunter said. “You’ve got to think fast, and they’ve been there and taught me. We work on two-minute drills. We go through it all the time in practice. We’re used to it.”

Hunter said Junction City had worked on the final play a week earlier - two receivers go to the end zone and one tries to tip it to the other.

“It happened the exact same way in practice,” Hunter said.

On the final play, Hunter lofted the pass toward wide receiver Jarkell Brown, who was shadowed by three defenders about 2 yards deep in the end zone.

The pass ricocheted off the hands of the scrum of players and into the hands of Evans, who was about 5 yards deep in the end zone.

“Really, when I threw it, I thought it was going to be picked,” Hunter said. “Automatically, I said, ‘Pick.’ I didn’t even want to look at it. I didn’t even see the catch.”

Hunter said he slumped after releasing the pass and placed his hands on his knees.

“Then everybody went crazy,” Hunter said. “I was in shock.”

It may have been Hunter’s final career pass since he will play cornerback in Friday night’s game.

Hunter, 5-10, 160 pounds, plans to walk on at Arkansas, where he will also play cornerback.

Hunter shattered every major single-season school passing record last fall, completing 86 of 178 for 1,508 yards and 27 touchdowns.

“Not disappointed about not playing quarterback,” he said. “I like cornerback because that’s what I’m going to play in college. I would rather get used to it.”