Lunney nurtures success

Bentonville is one of Arkansas' elite high school football programs, winning three state championships in the past nine seasons.

It's also developing a reputation outside the state.

Coach Barry Lunney has said going outside of Arkansas to find nonconference opponents has almost become a necessity for the Tigers, but he added that it's good for the Tigers to play a regional and a national schedule to help them prepare for the rugged 7A-West Conference.

"It helps us and exposes our weaknesses," said Lunney, whose Tigers open the 2014 season ranked as the No. 1 team overall and the No. 1 team in Class 7A by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "It shows us where we have strengths."

Bentonville's season-opening opponent, Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst, will have played two games already before traveling to Northwest Arkansas on Sept. 5 to face Bentonville.

"You see as much improvement between week one and week two, and they'll be playing their third game," Lunney said. "We're going to be really challenged by them."

Bentonville travels to Broken Arrow, Okla., on Sept. 12 and hosts Bergen (N.J.) Catholic in its final nonconference game Sept. 19 at Tiger Stadium.

Bentonville returns nine starters from its 2013 state championship team.

The Tigers will be led by junior quarterback Kacey Ford, 6-5, 242 pounds, who completed 108 of 186 passes for 1,854 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. He started the final 12 games for Bentonville and already has received a scholarship offer from Louisville.

"He's picked up where he's left off," Lunney said. "We've certainly given him more plays to work with. Last year we were very good in our running game. We limited him somewhat, then we gave him more."

Ford will be helped by senior running back Dylan Smith, 5-10, 200, who rushed for 1,430 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2013. Smith ran for 600 yards as a sophomore while backing up Tearris Wallace.

"He's got good vision," Lunney said. "He makes the cuts, wonderful balance. He knows how to block in the passing game."

Senior Cody Scroggins is the Tigers' top receiving target. Scroggins, who has orally committed to play baseball at the University of Arkansas, had with 45 receptions for 803 yards and 6 touchdowns a year ago.

"I've coached a lot of football players," Lunney said. "I don't know that we've had a guy that might mean more for a football team than Cody. He's a very gifted athlete. He catches balls and makes people miss. His quickness is better than his speed."

Seniors Ean Pfeiffer, 6-5, 295, and Mitch Williams, 6-3, 280, lead a strong offensive line. Pfeiffer has orally committed to Vanderbilt and Williams is expected to receive several Division I offers, Lunney said.

The Tigers lost senior defensive tackle Javier Carbonell for the season after he injured his shoulder during fall camp. Carbonell, 6-3, 285, has orally committed to Arkansas State after making 75 tackles last season.

"He's just so valuable," Lunney said.

Lunney said senior Jeff Stout, who played on Bentonville's junior varsity team last season, will replace Carbonell on the Tigers' defensive front.

Bentonville has two solid linebackers in Hekili Keliiliki, 6-2, 230, and Harrison Rooney, 6-1, 215. Keliiliki also sees time in Bentonville's offensive backfield and has been offered a scholarship by Stanford. Rooney, who has orally committed to Air Force, led the team last season with 116 tackles.

The pieces are in place for the Tigers to make a run at a fourth state championship under Lunney and its fifth overall.

"That's what you hope your program breeds," Lunney said. "They know the history and the tradition and the expectations."

Sports on 08/24/2014