North Little Rock had its foot on the gas from the start and didn't let up until motoring into the Class 7A state championship game for the second consecutive year.
Senior quarterback David Chapple completed 6 of 10 passes for 190 yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran for two more scores, in a 49-14 victory over Conway in an all-7A-Central semifinal game Friday night at North Little Rock Stadium.
North Little Rock (12-0) will face Bentonville in the Class 7A final next Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
North Little Rock, which faced Bentonville in an August preseason scrimmage, is trying to become the first central Arkansas program to capture a state championship in the state's largest classification since 2004. Bentonville has been among the 7A-West elite, winning four state titles during that span.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Results + recaps, photos and more]
"I guarantee you, they will be a very formidable opponent," said North Little Rock Coach Jamie Mitchell, whose team was beaten 53-19 by Fayetteville in last year's final. "They're carrying all the attitude and confidence. The West has just been dominant. Trust me, that weighs on us and feeling like we need to be able to pull this thing off is hugely important."
North Little Rock beat Conway 24-14 on Sept. 29, but the playoff rematch was one-sided.
The Charging Wildcats scored on their first play from scrimmage -- an 80-yard pass from Chapple to junior tight end Drew Martin -- and touchdowns on their next four possessions to lead 35-7 at halftime.
North Little Rock took the opening possession of the second half 74 yards in 13 plays, capped by Chapple's 23-yard pass to senior wide receiver Deontae Montgomery for a 42-7 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Chapple added his second 1-yard touchdown run for a 49-7 lead with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Chapple had given North Little Rock a 21-0 lead on a 62-yard touchdown pass to Martin with 2:52 remaining in the first quarter. Martin was behind the secondary on both of his touchdown receptions.
On the first score, North Little Rock shifted late to a three-wideout set (two players lined up to one side) and Chapple, from the Shotgun, found Martin alone over the middle near midfield.
It was a play, Mitchell said, that North Little Rock had planned to run all week.
"We wanted to take some shots," Mitchell said. "Boy, that's been such a big part of us this year. But how we get to those shots has been a big thing. If we can disguise some things and cover some things and give some smoke and mirrors, and then take those shots, we become that much more effective."
North Little Rock sophomore tailback Brandon Thomas ran 16 times for 166 yards and 2 first-half touchdowns (37 and 28 yards).
Chapple made it 35-0 on a 1-yard run with 4:52 remaining in the first half.
The Charging Wildcats finished with 492 total yards, including 302 rushing, on 49 plays.
Conway (9-4) totaled 325 yards.
Senior quarterback Andrew Hreha completed 13 of 23 passes for 267 yards and 1 touchdown. Senior tailback Michael George was limited to 62 rushing yards on 16 carries. He entered with 2,055 yards this fall.
"Not much to say," Wampus Cats Coach Clint Ashcraft said after being denied his 100th career victory. "They're a good football team."
Sports on 11/25/2017