Football: West's Prince doesn't mind lack of attention

NWA Democrat-Gazette/CHARLIE KAIJO Bentonville West High School wide receiver Jackson Prince (7) runs the ball as Fayetteville High School wide receiver Jon Conley (6) tries to tackle him in the second half during the game between Fayetteville High School and Bentonville West High School on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Bentonville High School in Bentonville.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/CHARLIE KAIJO Bentonville West High School wide receiver Jackson Prince (7) runs the ball as Fayetteville High School wide receiver Jon Conley (6) tries to tackle him in the second half during the game between Fayetteville High School and Bentonville West High School on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Bentonville High School in Bentonville.

CENTERTON -- The less attention Jackson Prince draws to himself on the football field, the better he likes it.

The Bentonville West senior wide receiver does his best work when opposing defenses place their priority on stopping Wolverines teammate Jadon Jackson, and Prince has learned to do it in a variety of ways.

At a glance

JACKSON PRINCE

SCHOOL Bentonville West

CLASS Senior

POSITION Wide receiver

HEIGHT 5-11

WEIGHT 190

NOTABLE Has 29 receptions for 504 yards and three touchdowns this season. … Best single-game performance came during a 38-28 win over Fayetteville when he had seven catches for 112 yards, including a touchdown catch that put the Wolverines ahead to stay. … Also handles West’s punt returns and averages more than 21 yards in kickoff returns.

Today’s Matchup

Conway at Bentonville West

Tiger Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Conway 8-3; Bentonville West 9-1

ON THE AIR bentonvillesportsne… livestream

BETWEEN THE LINES These teams haven’t met, but they have three common opponents. Conway lost to Springdale High but defeated Bentonville High and Rogers High, while West defeated Springdale and Rogers and lost to Bentonville. … Conway QB Andrew Hreha passed for 15 TD passes in the regular season but had four in last week’s win over Rogers. … Wampus Cats RB Michael George has rushed for 1,781 yards and 22 TDs this season, but he sat out of last week’s playoff game with an injury. He’s expected to return this week after practicing Monday. … LB Garett Fusilier leads Conway’s defense with 106 tackles, but had only one assisted tackle against Rogers. … West QB Will Jarrett eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark passing in the Wolverines’ loss to Bentonville and has 28 TD passes with only 3 interceptions. … Junior WR Jadon Jackson leads West’s receiving corps with 57 catches for 1,171 yards and 14 TDs, and he also has four rushing TDs. … LB Levi Rutherford, who just started playing football this season, is the leader in a close race for the Wolverines’ leading tackler with 88, followed by LB Kendall Young with 84 and LB Hunter Swoboda with 83.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Conway — QB Andrew Hreha (Sr., 6-2, 200), RB Michael George (Sr., 5-8, 185), RB/CB Brennan Clark (Sr., 5-8 185), LB Garett Fusilier (Sr., 5-10, 212), Zach Freedle (Sr., 6-0, 225). Bentonville West — QB Will Jarrett (Jr., 6-0, 160); WR Jadon Jackson (Jr., 6-1, 170); OL Michael Toney (Sr., 6-2, 299); WB/LB Hunter Swoboda (Sr., 6-4, 225), DB Jason Gloeckler (Sr., 6-0, 160).

HOOTEN’S RANKINGS Conway is No. 6 in Class 7A. Bentonville West is No. 4

HOOTEN’S LINE Bentonville West by 3.

OUR TAKE Bentonville West 42, Conway 33.

— Henry Apple • @NWAHenry

"I can play a lot of positions," Prince said. "I play inside receiver or outside receiver, and I have to know every position because I'm helping the wide receiver corps, making sure they know what they are doing and staying focused.

"A lot of teams are focusing on Jadon most of the time, and that allows the other receivers to open up. That gives the rest of us opportunities to get those touches, get into the end zone and a lot of yardage. That's a good asset for us."

Like many Bentonville West players, Prince benefited from solely focusing on one position this season after many had to play both offense and defense last year because of the Wolverines' lack of depth. He immediately showed his impact this season when he caught five passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns in West's season-opening win over Pryor, Okla.

Prince's defining moment, however, came during West's 38-28 victory over defending state champion Fayetteville during a Week 5 game at Tiger Stadium. Prince finished the game with seven receptions for 112 yards, and he had to battle a Purple'Dog defender for the ball and hauled in a touchdown pass that broke a 28-28 tie and put the Wolverines ahead for good.

"Jackson just played lights out when Fayetteville was trying to go one-on-one against him," West coach Bryan Pratt said. "I wouldn't say he's a possession guy because we will throw it over the top with him, but he is a guy during short-yardage stuff or comeback stuff, you can bet money on him.

"He's one of the guys when teams try to double-team Jadon, he's going to take advantage of it. He's caught a lot of balls, and he's very coachable. The kid's going to do anything we ask him to do. He puts the team first with no complaints."

Prince enters today's Class 7A state quarterfinal game against Conway with 29 receptions for 504 yards and three touchdowns, and none of it comes easy. He's had to make a number of catches while diving for the ball, and it's hard to determine if he or Stefan Banda leads the team in diving catches.

"I think I had a couple of those in our last game against Bentonville," Prince said. "I think that's the way it works out."

Prince also provides the Wolverines an added bonus with his ability to field punts and return them when given the opportunity. His numbers -- 10 punt returns for 37 yards -- aren't outstanding in that department, but what is hidden there is the yardage he's saved West's offense by simply fielding the ball for a fair catch instead of taking a chance and letting the ball bounce.

"I think Jackson's most valuable thing is what he does on punt returns," Pratt said. "He catches them. When you let the ball go and hit the ground, there's an average of about 18 yards that you lose because of it, and we've had guys in the past that won't go and catch them.

"He's pretty fearless back there, and he has no problem running after the ball and catching them. That has given us a lot of yards. Instead of the offense having to start inside the 20, he can catch the ball and put us out around the 30 or 40. So he's very valuable in the special teams aspect as well."

Sports on 11/16/2017

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