Hartford’s 28-game skid ends
The last time Hartford won a game was 2008, and Joe Hays was a teacher at Greenwood. Now, that’s all in the past.
Hartford snapped the state’s longest losing streak, 28 games, with Friday night’s 24-19 victory at Haileyville, Okla. Hartford, a Class 2A school 24 miles south of Fort Smith, hadn’t won since Nov. 7, 2008, when it beat now-defunct Little Rock Lutheran 41-3.
“I had an inkling we would do it,” said Hays, in his second season as Hartford’s coach.
Hartford’s losing streak began Nov. 14, 2008, with a 55-12 loss at Bigelow in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.
Hartford didn’t play in 2009 because of insufficient player numbers and financial problems, finished 0-8 in 2010, 0-9 in 2011 and 0-8 last fall.
Hartford (1-2) opened with losses at Hector (49-8) and at Decatur (44-0) in 4-2A play.
“We’ve been working hard to perfect what we can do,” Hays said. “If you worry about what other people are doing, you can’t do the simple things.”
Hays, 38, said he worked behind the scenes with Greenwood’s program late in 2007 and in 2008, soaking up knowledge from Coach Rick Jones, who has led the Bulldogs to six state championships and a 41-game winning streak heading into Friday night’s 7A/6A-Central opener at Fort Smith Northside.
“I learned a lot from him in an awfully short period of time,” Hays said, specifically pointing to organization and conducting an off season program.
Hayes said the Hustlers have only 17 players but added that the program isn’t in danger of folding, like 2009.
“We’ll play football as long as I’m the coach here,” Hays said.
Hartford hosts Mountainburg on Oct. 4.
Class 2A Marvell now has the state’s longest losing streak at 28 games.
EAST POINSETT COUNTY Costly victory
East Poinsett County Coach Brian Weathers said standout senior running back/wide receiver/ linebacker Tristan McDaniel will be in a walking boot for 4-6 weeks after fracturing his fibula in last week’s 40-24 victory over Hazen.
Weathers said McDaniel was injured on the first play of the game.
“When your leader, your heart and soul, goes down like that, you definitely get to see what you are made of as a team,” Weathers said in an email. “I could not be prouder of our effort and the way we responded.”
As a junior, McDaniel caught 23 passes for 421 yards and 6 touchdowns and had 136 tackles, 2 sacks and 1 interception.
The Warriors are No. 5 in Class 2A. EPC (3-0) opens 3-2A play Friday night at Cross County (3-0). Cross County is led by sophomore tailback Anfernne Davis, who in only 5 career games has rushed 80 times for 778 yards and 13 touchdowns.
JUNCTION CITY
Milestone for Dancy
Junction City sophomore tailback Jaqwis Dancy surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards in Friday night’s 13-8 victory at Bearden.
Dancy set career highs for attempts (39) and yards (246) as the Dragons, top ranked in Class 2A, won their 17th consecutive game.
Dancy, a major college prospect, has carried 210 times for 2,241 yards and 20 touchdowns in 18 career games. He has rushed for at least 100 yards 14 times.
Dancy, 5-11, 181 pounds, was a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Sophomore team after rushing 144 times for 1,620 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He was MVP of the Class 2A state championship game after helping Junction City to a 27-26 victory over Bearden.
Dancy has rushed 66 times for 621 yards and 5 touchdowns this fall.
Junction City (3-0, 2-0 8-2A) goes for its 20th consecutive conference victory Friday night at home against Strong.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/25/2013