HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Giving ball to Day safe, exciting for North Little Rock

Alex Day (22) has rushed for 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, helping lead North Little Rock to Friday’s Class 7A championship game against Fayetteville.
Alex Day (22) has rushed for 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, helping lead North Little Rock to Friday’s Class 7A championship game against Fayetteville.

When North Little Rock lost to Bentonville in the second round of last year’s Class 7A playoffs, Alex Day — then a junior — already turned his attention to the 2016 season.

“We knew we had something special coming back,” Day said.

Day, a senior running back for the Charging Wildcats, was prophetic.

The Charging Wildcats (12-0) are in the Class 7A state championship game Friday night against Fayetteville (11-1) at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock after advancing with playoff victories against Cabot and Bryant.

Day, 5-10, 195 pounds, has been the Charging Wildcats’ mainstay despite missing three games because of a knee injury and a concussion.

He has rushed for 1,360 yards and 19 touchdowns on 154 carries in 9 games — 7 regular-season games and 2 playoff games.

Day has been particularly productive during North Little Rock’s playoff run, with 323 rushing yards and six touchdowns, including 133 yards and 3 touchdowns in last Friday’s 46-13 rout of Bryant in the Class 7A semifinals.

Health is not an issue for Day, who missed the season’s first two games with a knee injury and week 10 against Cabot after suffering a concussion the previous week.

“I’m 100 percent ready to go for Friday,” Day said. “I can’t wait.”

Day rushed for 1,847 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Between last season and this season’s statistics, North Little Rock Coach Jamie Mitchell said he believes Day can play at the collegiate level. Day has received interest from Arkansas State and Southeast Missouri State, among others.

“He averaged 9.9 yards per carry last year. He’s averaging almost 9 yards a carry this year,” Mitchell said. “I don’t understand what recruiters are looking for. The guy can play. He’s not a little guy. It’s frustrating when you want those things for your kids and they’re being passed over. All he can do is keep doing it on the field and he’ll be on the big stage Friday night. A huge night there wouldn’t hurt.”

Day is averaging 113.3 yards per game and 8.8 yards per carry as he’s helped North Little Rock’s offense become one of the best in the state.

“He’s a bowling ball,” Mitchell said. “He’s hard to tackle. He’s got great strength. He’s got good enough speed. What he’s meant to us is invaluable. He’ll be remembered as a great player here.”

One of Day’s top attributes is his ability to take care of the ball.

In two years as North Little Rock’s No. 1 running back, Day has fumbled only once — on the Charging Wildcats’ first and final offensive play in a 32-25 overtime loss to Little Rock Catholic on Sept. 4, 2015.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” North Little Rock Coach Jamie Mitchell said. “When you have a guy who holds on to the football and refuses to give it away, and you add his ability, you have a special player.”

If North Little Rock wins Friday night, it would be the first state championship since Ole Main and Northeast high schools merged into North Little Rock in 1990.

It would also be the first state championship won by a Class 7A team in central Arkansas since Little Rock Central in 2004. Day was short and to the point when answering what it would mean to win a state championship for North Little Rock.

“Legends forever,” Day said.

Alex Day’s

game-by-game statistics

OPPONENT;C-YDS-TD

Maumelle;DNP

LR McClellan;DNP

LR Parkview;8-44;2

LR Central;11-165-1

at Conway;23-152-1

FS Southside;14-163-2

at LR Catholic;18-305-3

at FS Northside;27-168-2

Bryant;8-40-2

Cabot;DNP

Cabot^;23-190-3

Bryant^;22-133-3

TOTAL;154-1360-19

Sports on 12/01/2016

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