FAYETTEVILLE -- Cody Hammer still gets reminded of his high school football days from time to time.
Usually the conversation comes up when he makes the trek back to Fayetteville, where for one season -- and one memorable playoff run in particular -- the Bulldogs used mostly a one-man wrecking crew to claim the school's first Class 7A state championship.
The year was 2007. Fayetteville was actually a prolific passing team for most of that season, with quarterback Blake McDonald throwing for a then-school-record 3,903 yards. But once the postseason rolled around, it was Hammer Time for the Purple'Dogs.
Cody Hammer time. And the Fayetteville junior fullback put on a show.
"I remember we played Bryant in the first round and I ran the ball a couple of times," Hammer said. "Then before we played Bentonville in the semifinals (offensive coordinator) coach (Jared) McBride asked me if I was ready to run."
Against Bentonville, Hammer rushed 16 times for 128 yards and one touchdown as the Bulldogs advanced the their first 7A state title game in school history.
But Hammer was just getting started.
In the championship game against Springdale Har-Ber, McDonald sat on the sideline much of the game with an ankle injury, and Hammer was asked to carry the load. And he did, rushing 34 times for 205 yards -- the third most in school history -- in Fayetteville's 28-7 win to earn MVP honors.
"Even if I didn't win the whole MVP thing, the main deal was winning the whole thing," Hammer said. "Everybody was going crazy on the bus ride home, but I was so tired I just crashed."
Hammer now lives in Westville, Okla., where he raises his two young daughters and works for Baldor Electric. After his graduation from Fayetteville in the spring of 2009, he went to Northeastern State in Tahlequah to continue his football career. But a heart murmur was discovered his freshman season at NSU, forcing him to give up his college football dream.
After many years away from football, Hammer still had the passion to play. So this spring, he teamed up with the NWA Battle, a minor league football team based out of Lincoln.
"I didn't realize how much of a stress reliever it was," Hammer said. "The first practice, just getting out there and hitting someone, I've never been so happy to practice in my life.
"I just really missed the game. It was the same routine. Go to work, go home to my girls. But now I'm taking online classes to finish school and I've got this as a recreation and it's good."
And Hammer will always have that special 2007 Fayetteville season, when for one special playoff run it was Hammer Time.
"Some guys over here in Fayetteville still remember that," Hammer said. "Even if I wanted to forget about that, which I don't, there's still people who bring it up."
Sports on 07/06/2014