SPRINGDALE -- Ty Storey has mastered the trip up I-49 from Charleston to Northwest Arkansas over the past few years.

Most of the relatively short, hour-plus drives have been so the highly touted quarterback can visit the Arkansas campus. The trips grew more frequent after Storey, a senior, verbally committed to the Razorbacks last June.

"I can't even count (how many)," Storey said.

But this weekend Storey was in Northwest Arkansas with his high school team as Charleston competed in the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 Showcase hosted by Shiloh Christian. The regular season opener is less than two months away and Storey and the Class 3A defending state champion Tigers are gearing up for another year of big throws and bigger scores.

"That's what it's all about, just getting back to high school," Storey said. "That's what I'm really focused on right now is just winning another state championship."

Storey was one of the main draws at the 7-on-7 showcase, a home-state commit who chose the Hogs over offers from some of college football's elite programs, including Alabama, Oklahoma and Auburn. He'd camped at Arkansas and also attended an Elite 11 competition already this summer, but this weekend was about improving with his high school teammates.

And to no surprise, he impressed at the two-day event, leading Charleston to a few impressive wins in a 5-2 pool play Friday, including a 26-9 victory over Class 7A Springdale Har-Ber. The Tigers entered Saturday as the Pool B No. 2 seed.

But his head coach is more proud of what the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has displayed in between pinpoint passes.

"I feel like you've got something special when your hardest workers are your leaders," coach Greg Kendrick said. "And he's one of the hardest workers we've got. He's a leader. He's a coach on the field. He and I think alike. We talk alike. He's my eyes out there. ... The area I'm most proud of him is his leadership ability. He's always been a leader, but he really understands the impact he has not only on the field, but off it in the community."

Storey's leadership and strong right arm will make Charleston a threat to capture a second straight state title and fifth in 10 years a year after a 15-0 season in which he threw for 4,241 yards and 52 touchdowns. He should be even more dangerous with more leeway to run the offense entering his senior season, his third year as a starter.

"I'm giving him more freedom than I've ever given a guy in terms of adjusting plays and route calls," Kendrick said. "And he's taken that and ran with it. Because he really has a grasp of what we're trying to do after two years in it. But he also understands a lot better defensive coverages and how to attack defenses."

He's working with a receiving corps tasked with replacing several top receivers, including Farm Bureau Awards 3A Offensive Player of the Year Chance Shelby and all-conference selection Colton Ward.

"I feel really comfortable with all of them," Storey said. "We're losing a lot. But we'll recover. We've got to have some guys step up. But we'll be all right."

Charleston should be fine as long as Storey is taking snaps.

"God truly gifted him," Kendrick said. "And he's using the talent God's given him."

Sports on 07/14/2014