FAYETTEVILLE -- August Carlson is a young man of few words, both on and off the basketball court.
Soft spoken in his demeanor, Carlson has let his game do the talking during the past two seasons with the Fayetteville Bulldogs.
7A-West Conference
Boys
^^Conf.^Overall
Team^W-L^W-L
Fayetteville^4-0^15-2
Bentonville^3-1^10-6
Fort Smith Northside^2-2^10-8
Fort Smith Southside^2-2^10-8
Springdale Har-Ber^2-2^9-8
Springdale High^1-3^11-6
Rogers Heritage^1-3^10-8
Rogers High^1-3^7-10
Girls
^^Conf.^Overall
Team^W-L^W-L
Fort Smith Northside^4-0^19-1
Springdale High^4-0^11-5
Bentonville^2-2^13-3
Fayetteville^2-2^11-6
Rogers High^2-2^9-8
Springdale Har-Ber^1-3^11-7
Rogers Heritage^1-3^6-11
Fort Smith Southside^0-4^3-15
Monday’s Scores
Boys
St. Anthony’s, N.J. 72, Bentonville 50
Tuesday’s Scores
Girls
Springdale High 69, Bentonville 59
Fayetteville 64, Springdale Har-Ber 54
Rogers Heritage 51,Fort Smith Southside 47
Fort Smith Northside 56, Rogers High 47
Boys
Bentonville 78, Springdale High 74 (OT)
Fayetteville 71, Springdale Har-Ber 49
Rogers Heritage 55, Fort Smith Southside 40
Fort Smith Northside 76, Rogers High 49
Friday’s Games
Rogers Heritage at Fayetteville
Springdale Har-Ber at Fort Smith Southside
Fort Smith Northside at Springdale High
Bentonville at Rogers High (Girls)
El Dorado at Bentonville (Boys)
Saturday’s Games
Rogers at Bentonville (Boys)
ON THE WEB
For more on August Carlson, see the full video at www.nwadg.com and at www.ARPreps.com.
MORE ON THE WEB
More sports can be found at ARPreps.com including blogs, conference standings, weekly notes and much more. Here is the complete schedule to view updated content at ARPreps.com:
Mondays
• Weekly team reports and conference standings
Tuesdays
• Video features on Class 6A/7A female athletes produced by area high school students
• 7A-West Conference girls and boys power rankings
• State prep basketball scores
Wednesdays
• Video features on Class 5A and below athletes produced by NWA Democrat-Gazette staff
• Weekly swimming/diving report with video
Thursdays
• State prep basketball report
• Weekly wrestling report with video
Fridays
• Video features on Class 6A/7A male athletes produced by area high school students
• State prep basketball scores
Saturdays
• Weekly recaps with video highlights
7A-WEST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL LEADERS
Conference games only
^BOYS
TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^4^277^69.3
Bentonville^4^276^69.0
Springdale Har-Ber^4^253^63.3
FS Northside^4^236^59.0
Springdale High^4^234^58.5
FS Southside^4^221^55.3
Rogers High^4^218^54.5
Rogers Heritage^4^207^51.8
TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^4^193^48.3
FS Northside^4^222^55.5
Rogers Heritage^4^225^56.3
FS Southside^4^229^57.3
Bentonville^4^248^62.0
Springdale High^4^261^65.3
Springdale Har-Ber^4^263^65.8
Rogers High^4^281^70.3
LEADING SCORERS
BOYS^G^PTS^AVG
Malik Monk, Bentonville^3^101^33.7
Payton Willis, Fayetteville^4^81^20.3
Seth Hawley, FS Southside^4^75^18.8
Tevin Brewer, FS Northside^4^67^16.8
Tyler Robinson, Bentonville^4^66^16.5
Josh Breathitt, Fayetteville^4^64^16.0
Lexus Hobbs, Rogers Heritage^4^63^15.8
Milacio Freeland, Rogers High^4^61^15.3
Avery Benson, Springdale Har-Ber^4^56^14.0
Jake Benninghoff, Rogers High^4^55^13.8
Tyrell Perry, FS Northside^2^23^11.5
Ishine McFarlane, Springdale High^4^45^11.3
Tyrone Mahoney, FS Southside^4^41^10.3
Dane Olsen, Rogers Heritage^4^41^10.3
Jack Lindsey, Springdale High^4^40^10.0
Kyler Mahar, Springdale High^4^39^9.8
Jackson Forsey, FS Northside^4^38^9.5
Towayne Bobo, Springdale High^4^38^9.5
Tylor Perry, Springdale Har-Ber^4^37^9.3
Jordan Hemphill, Bentonville^4^37^9.3
Devon Young, Springdale High^4^36^9.0
Zion Releford, FS Southside^4^35^8.8
Tyler Garrett, Springdale Har-Ber^4^35^8.8
Will Allen, Rogers High^4^34^8.5
Seth Stanley, Rogers Heritage^4^34^8.5
Spencer Brown, Fayetteville^4^33^8.3
Gage Griffin, FS Northside^2^16^8.0
Matthew Kaunitz, Sprindale Har-Ber^4^32^8.0
Harrison Heffley, Rogers High^4^32^8.0
Brennon Lewis, FS Northside^4^31^7.8
August Carlson, Fayetteville^4^30^7.5
Asa Hutchinson, Bentonville^4^29^7.3
Jordan Sheppard, FS Southside^4^27^6.8
Marcus Breedlove, Rogers Heritage^4^26^6.5
David Carachure, Springdale High^4^23^5.8
Isaiah Joe, FS Northside^4^22^5.5
Demaunte Youngblood, Fayetteville^4^21^5.3
Drake Wymer, Fayetteville^4^21^5.3
Cole Cooper, Rogers High^4^21^5.3
Will Smith, FS Southside^4^18^4.5
J.P. Brandon, Springdale Har-Ber^4^18^4.5
Tony Casey, Rogers Heritage^4^18^4.5
GIRLS
TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Springdale High^4^266^66.5
FS Northside^4^230^57.5
Bentonville^4^230^57.5
Fayetteville^4^217^54.3
Springdale Har-Ber^4^203^50.8
Rogers High^4^200^50.0
Rogers Heritage^4^188^47.0
FS Southside^4^143^35.8
TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Rogers High^4^182^45.5
Fayetteville^4^183^45.8
FS Northside^4^188^47.0
Bentonville^4^209^52.3
Springdale High^4^215^53.8
Springdale Har-Ber^4^222^55.5
FS Southside^4^239^59.8
Rogers Heritage^4^239^59.8
LEADING SCORERS
GIRLS^G^PTS^AVG
Chasidee Owens, Springdale High^4^71^17.8
Aaliyah Jackson, FS Northside^4^63^15.8
Madison Brittain, Bentonville^4^63^15.8
Kelsey Richmond, Rogers High^4^55^13.8
Maei Mains, Springdale Har-Ber^4^47^11.8
Lauren Hargus, Bentonville^4^47^11.8
Lauren Krissman, FS Northside^4^44^11.0
Maya Hood, Springdale High^4^43^10.8
Madison Sandor, Rogers High^4^43^10.8
Kierra Lang, Springdale High^4^42^10.5
Amber Turner, Rogers Heritage^4^42^10.5
Krista Clark, Bentonville^4^42^10.5
Jasmine Franklin, Fayetteville^4^41^10.3
Desiree Mack, Springdale High^4^41^10.3
Lani Meares, FS Southside^4^40^10.0
Hailey Tiles, Rogers Heritage^4^37^9.3
Maren Johnson, Bentonville^4^37^9.3
Elise Randels, Rogers High^4^36^9.0
Jordan Hardesty, FS Northside^4^35^8.8
Emily Seiler, Rogers Heritage^4^35^8.8
Pink Jones, Fayetteville^4^33^8.3
Kelly Carson, FS Southside^4^31^7.8
Grayce Spangler, Fayetteville^4^30^7.5
Anna Gaddison, Springdale High^4^30^7.5
Kaci Higgins, Springdale Har-Ber^4^30^7.5
Maya Mayberry, Fayetteville^4^27^6.8
Dehring Scudder, Rogers Heritage^4^27^6.8
Lauren Sanford, FS Southside^4^26^6.5
Maegan Bandimere, FS Northside^4^24^6.0
Fatarah Kinnard, FS Northside^4^24^6.0
Khanni Shannon, Springdale Har-Ber^4^24^6.0
Brooke Menke, Rogers Heritage^4^23^5.8
Krislyn Smith, Springdale Har-Ber^4^22^5.5
Samantha Brown, Rogers High^4^22^5.5
Mykelle Williams, Rogers High^4^21^5.3
Lauren Holmes, Fayetteville^4^20^5.0
Caroline Hornor, Springdale Har-Ber^4^20^5.0
Alexia Hernandez, Bentonville^4^20^5.0
Ryann Goodsell, Springdale High^4^18^4.5
Savannah Collins, Springdale Har-Ber^4^18^4.5
Abby Roberts, Bentonville^4^18^4.5
When Carlson does open up, and when his story is revealed, a rather remarkable and unique individual is put on display. One which the Purple'Dogs are glad to have and one quite unlike any Fayetteville has ever had before.
"It's amazing to me what (August) can do," Fayetteville boys basketball coach Kyle Adams said. "I look back at the (Fort Smith) Northside game and they're going for a lay-up, and he comes running in for a block. He's just an amazing athlete and he's really bought into what we're trying to do with our program, and being a part of it, being a Bulldog on and off the floor. That's the main thing."
Carlson is a home-school student who takes advantage of a rule change by the Arkansas Activities Association three years ago which now allows home-school athletes to participate in public school sports in the districts in which they live. After starting on his Northwest Arkansas Hornets home-school team as a freshman, Carlson decided to make the transition to the Bulldogs before last season, and the move wasn't easy.
"I probably decided about halfway through my freshman year with the NWA Hornets (to play for Fayetteville)." Carlson said. "I just decided it would be a better opportunity, with better competition and better exposure.
"It was difficult because I had a lot of friends on the home-school team. I knew a couple of guys here through summer teams, so it was kind of difficult at first. But they all accepted me here."
While Carlson's adjustment to new teammates and making new friends took time, the 6-foot-4 forward looked capable of playing at the Class 7A level almost right from the start. With a great shooting touch and a deceptive athletic ability, he contributed right away in his first year with the team and averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting a team-best 59 percent on field goal attempts.
This season, Carlson averages 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, hits 89 percent of his free throws and a team-leading 56 percent on field goals.
"People are surprised when I tell them he's our leading field-goal percentage player," Adams said. "He's led us in efficiency the last two years as far as shooting the basketball.
"So people don't understand that he can play. He's not just a rebounder, he's not just an athlete, but he can play the game. He does get overshadowed sometimes by Payton (Willis) and other guys, but he's an integral part of our success."
The most impressive part of Carlson's skill set might be his pure athletic prowess. With an ability to run up and down the court, jump leaps and bounds and dunk as well as anyone around, he's prone to wow and amaze unsuspecting opponents and fans.
"I think (my game) does surprise (teams)," Carlson said. "But I had to work hard to become that way. I didn't just show up and I could jump and dunk. I did a ton of stuff with vertical work to become that way, and stuff with running and speed and things like that. And we have our trainer Paige (White) who helps a lot."
As special as Carlson can be on the court, it's his many accomplishments outside the gym which help him stand out. He earned Eagle Scout honors this past August, working towards the distinctive honor for seven years. This summer, after completing school -- since Carlson is considered a senior in eligibility -- he will begin a two-year mission trip with his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
"One of the highlights of my year, he and (former Fayetteville basketball player) Blake Young invited me to the ceremony where they became Eagle Scouts," Adams said. "I had never been to anything like that and it was very impressive. It speaks to the outstanding type young man August is."
No doubt Carlson is a one-of-a-kind athlete in the Fayetteville basketball program. But in case there's any other home school athletes who are considering the move into public school sports, he has a message.
"I would suggest to anyone that's home schooled, play sports for a public school," Carlson said. "If you want better exposure, better competition, play for public schools."
Sports on 01/22/2016