FOOTBALL
William Hawkins
SCHOOL Prairie Grove
HEIGHT 6-4
WEIGHT 305
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Hawkins played a huge role in Prairie Grove's long playoff runs the past two seasons as a three-year letterman for the Tigers. ... Hawkins averaged six pancake blocks and five knockdowns per game in the 2017 season when the Tigers shared the 4A-1 Conference title.
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Blaze Brothers
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 173
COLLEGE Pittsburg (Kan.) State
THE SCOOP The two-way starter was a defensive back and receiver for the Wildcats as a three-year letterman. ... Brothers was a two-time all-state selection and a member of the All-NWADG Division I team. ... He is also an all-conference member of the Har-Ber baseball team and carries a 3.52 grade-point average. ... Brothers had 34 total tackles and 3 interceptions, and averaged 16.3 yards on punt returns.
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Payton Copher
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Pittsburg (Kan.) State
THE SCOOP Copher played all over the field for the Wildcats during his three-year career. ... This past season Copher moved from quarterback to running back while also seeing time at receiver and in the defensive secondary. ... Copher is one of the state's top track athletes in the sprints, winning the state 100-meter title last spring. ... Copher carries a 3.7 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. ... Copher rushed for 665 yards on 114 carries and scored 5 TDs ... Had 13 catches for 107 yards and 3 TDs.
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Tevin Eckwood
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 145
COLLEGE Northwest Missouri State
THE SCOOP Eckwood was a lock-down defender for the Wildcats as a free safety. ... He was a two-time all-state selection and a member of the All-NWADG Division I football team in 2017. ... Eckwood is also a track star for the Wildcats, winning the 400-meter state championship last spring. ... Eckwood was a standout on special teams as a kickoff (33.6 return average) and punt returner (12.4 average), with one kickoff return for a touchdown. ... Defensively, he had 54 total tackles and 3 interceptions.
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Matt Scirto
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 150
COLLEGE Hendrix College
THE SCOOP Scirto was a star on and off the field for the Wildcats. ... A three-year defensive back letterman on the football team, Scirto garnered a number of leadership honors as a junior Chamber of Commerce leadership member, earned the Presidential award three times and is a member of the National Honor Society. ... Scirto carries a 3.9 GPA, was the SIFE Award winner and was the runner-up for the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame scholarship. ... Scirto had 46 total tackles and 1 interception.
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Nick Parchman
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Harding University
THE SCOOP Parchman was a top receiver for the Wildcats offensively and a two-year letterman. ... Parchman was second on the team in catches with 25 for 350 yards and 2 TDs.
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Jesus Zizumbo
SCHOOL Springdale Har-Ber
HEIGHT 5-9
WEIGHT 165
COLLEGE Arkansas Tech
THE SCOOP One of the state's top kickers and a standout on the Har-Ber boys soccer team. ... Zizumbo was named to the all-state team in 2015 and 2017 and a selection on the All-NWADG Division I team. ... Zizumbo had 49 touchbacks on 68 kickoffs. ... He was 44 of 47 on extra-points and 6 of 12 on field goals with a long of 54 yards.
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Jakota Sainsbury
SCHOOL Pea Ridge
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Sainsbury quarterbacked the Blackhawks to the Class 4A state semifinals twice and the state title game as a junior, compiling a three-year record of 36-7. ... As a senior, he was 167 of 269 passing for 2,419 yards and 28 TDs with 9 interceptions. ... Also a key member of the Blackhawks' baseball team.
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Jordan Witcher
SCHOOL Pea Ridge
HEIGHT 6-2
WEIGHT 180
COLLEGE Missouri Western
THE SCOOP Transferred to Pea Ridge from Bryant prior to his senior season and had a huge impact in the Blackhawks' 12-2 season. ... Witcher caught 56 passes for 809 yards (14.4 average) and 10 touchdowns.
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Hayden Holtgrewe
SCHOOL Pea Ridge
HEIGHT 6-1
WEIGHT 170
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Was a team leader on both sides of the ball. ... Holtgrewe caught 83 passes for 1,271 yards (15.3 average) and 15 TDs. ... Defensively, he had 52 total tackles and 1 interception as teams avoided his side of the field. ... Holtgrewe was also a star on special teams, averaging 23.6 yards per kickoff return and 14.8 on punt returns with a long of 94 yards and 2 return touchdowns.
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Drew Winn
SCHOOL Pea Ridge
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 180
COLLEGE Pittsburg (Kan.) State
THE SCOOP Set the school single-season rushing record with 2,285 yards on 276 carries (8.3 yards per carry) and single-season touchdown record with 32 in leading the Blackhawks to a 12-2 record. ... Also a threat in the passing game with 16 catches. Over his two-year career, Winn compiled 3,671 yards rushing and 55 TDs. ... Was named the All-NWADG Division II Offensive Player of the Year.
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Bailey Soule'
SCHOOL Gravette
HEIGHT 6-2
WEIGHT 260
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Soule' was a do-it-all player for the Lions, playing roles all over the field in a stellar three-year career. ... He scored four rushing touchdowns as a fullback and had one catch as a tight end on offense. ... On defense, Soule' was a force in the middle of Gravette's D-line with 82 total tackles, 19.5 tackles-for-loss, 10.0 sacks and 35 quarterback hurries.
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Chris Childress
SCHOOL Gravette
HEIGHT 6-4
WEIGHT 176
COLLEGE Hendrix College
THE SCOOP Childress was a top player in all three phases for the Lions. ... One of the state's top punters, Childress averaged more than 40 yards per punt and was named to the All-NWADG Division II first team. ... Also handled the kicking duties with 30 of 33 on extra point attempts and 4 field goals with a long of 37 yards. ... Offensively, Childress had 8 catches and on defense, he had 79 total tackles and 3 interceptions.
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Jon Faulkenberry
SCHOOL Gentry
HEIGHT 6-1
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Faulkenberry is likely the most athletic quarterback in Northwest Arkansas regardless of classification. He is a multi-sport standout in football, basketball and track. ... Led the Pioneers to a playoff berth last fall. ... Had an incredible 7 rushing touchdowns against Greenland. ... The dual-threat Faulkenberry passed for 1,789 yards and 15 TDs, and ran for 1,453 yards and 19 TDs. ... Also had 2 interceptions on defense and 1 defensive touchdown.
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Adam Brazell
SCHOOL Bentonville High
HEIGHT 6-6
WEIGHT 230
COLLEGE Central Oklahoma
THE SCOOP Moved to Bentonville during the offseason from Azle, Texas, where he was a defensive tackle, but was turned into an offensive tackle with the Tigers. ... Started at right tackle and was one of three Tigers' offensive lineman to earn all-state honors ... Graded out the highest among Bentonville's offensive linemen at 85 percent with 25 knockdowns. ... Didn't decide on his school of choice until earlier this week as he weighed out a number of offers from colleges and universities.
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Easton Miller
SCHOOL Bentonville High
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 181
COLLEGE Harding
THE SCOOP Earned all-conference honors after being the Tigers' leading ground gainer, finishing with 839 yards and 12 touchdowns on 150 carries before his season ended with a leg injury during the season-finale against Bentonville West. ... Also caught 12 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. ... Surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark in 4 of 10 games, including a 132-yard performance against Conway and a 131-yard outing against Springdale Har-Ber.
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Michael Toney
SCHOOL Bentonville West
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 300
COLLEGE Pittsburg (Kan.) State
THE SCOOP A two-year starter with the Wolverines, where he earned all-state honors last season, and was selected to play in the All-Star football game in June. ... Was the leading blocker for a West offensive unit that averaged 456 yards total offense and more than 42 points per game. ... Graded out at 92 percent this season by the West coaches.
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Hunter Swoboda
SCHOOL Bentonville West
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 225
COLLEGE Ouachita Baptist
THE SCOOP Earned all-state honors after finishing the season as the team's leading tackler with 98 (62 solos, 36 assists), 6 tackles for loss and 2 fumble recoveries. ... Transfered to West from Pulaski Robinson before the season started. ... Started all 11 games after recovering from surgery after breaking two bones in his leg at a football combine in Little Rock. ... Had his best game in his last one as he recorded 15 tackles in a playoff loss to Conway.
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Tyrae Medlock
SCHOOL Bentonville West
HEIGHT 5-8
WEIGHT 160
COLLEGE Southern Nazarene
THE SCOOP Saw limited action on defense and special teams. ... Finished the season with five tackles (four solos, one assists), and three of those came in West's first two games. ... Received offers from a number of small private schools.
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Dotson Schaefer
SCHOOL Fayetteville
HEIGHT 6-4
WEIGHT 235
COLLEGE Texas State
THE SCOOP Had 78 tackles, including 25 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. ... On Leadership Council for Bulldogs at Fayetteville High ... All NWA Democrat-Gazette and NWA Touchdown Club nominee for defensive lineman of the year.
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Layne Hutchins
SCHOOL Springdale High
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 180
COLLEGE Rose-Hulman
THE SCOOP Was a three-year letterman and two-year starter for the Bulldogs and led the team to back-to-back playoff appearances. ... Started 22 consecutive games at quarterback. ... Named the NWA Touchdown Club Student-Athlete of the Year. ... Carries a 4.75 GPA. ... Was 295 of 497 passing for 4,029 yards and 35 TDs in his career. ... Also rushed for 567 yards and 4 TDs.
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Brayden Johnson
SCHOOL Alma
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 212
COLLEGE Ouachita Baptist
THE SCOOP A two-time all-state selection for the Airedales and selected most outstanding wide receiver in the 5A-West Conference and a first-team selection on the All-NWADG Division I team. ... In 2017, caught 85 passes for 1,180 yards and 16 TDs. ... In his career, caught 220 passes for 2,926 yards and 26 TDs. ... Selected to the West all-star team for this summer's game.
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Garrison Jensen
SCHOOL Alma
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Ouachita Baptist
THE SCOOP Was a force on both sides of the ball for the Airedales as the rare quarterback-linebacker combo. ... A two-time all-state selection. ... Played quarterback for the first time in 2017 and passed for 2,430 yards and 27 TDs to go along with 1,051 rushing yards and 18 TDs. ... Selected for the AHSCA All-Star Game this summer.
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Jacob Gray
SCHOOL Farmington
HEIGHT 6-2
WEIGHT 190
COLLEGE Henderson State
THE SCOOP Gray caught 17 passes for 212 yards, an average of 12.5-yards-per-catch with 4 touchdowns. ... He was named Outstanding tight end for the 5A West Conference twice, winning the honor as both a junior and a senior. ... Gray plans to major in business management.
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Layne Evans
SCHOOL Elkins
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 170
COLLEGE Culver-Stockton
THE SCOOP Huge impact player on both sides of the ball for Elkins in helping the Elks reach the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. ... In 2017, caught 66 passes for 1,074 yards and 10 TDs. ... Defensively, had 104 total tackles, 3 tackles-for-loss, 3 interceptions and 1 forced fumble. ... Was named all-state.
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Dalton Stewart
SCHOOL Elkins
HEIGHT 6-1
WEIGHT 260
COLLEGE Missouri Valley
THE SCOOP Offensive and defensive lineman helped pave the way for the Elks high-powered offense. ... Was named to the all-conference team and the winner of the Burlsworth Character Award. ... Recorded 35 tackles in the 2017 season.
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Ethan Cox
SCHOOL Elkins
HEIGHT 6-2
WEIGHT 240
COLLEGE Missouri Valley
THE SCOOP Starting offensive tackle graded out 91 percent for the season and started all 12 games for the Elks. ... Was named all-conference.
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BASEBALL
Luke Johnson
SCHOOL Shiloh Christian
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 225
COLLEGE Pittsburg (Kan.) State
THE SCOOP A two-year starter as a pitcher/first baseman for a team that played in two straight state championship games, winning the title in 2016. ... At the plate, Johnson has batted .345 with a .412 on-base percentage over two seasons with 40 RBIs. ... On the mound, he has 38 strikeouts and a 4.03 ERA.
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Connor Clark
SCHOOL Shiloh Christian
HEIGHT 6-0
WEIGHT 175
COLLEGE Independence (Kan.) Community College
THE SCOOP Clark has been a key cog on teams that back played in back-to-back state championship games, winning the state title in 2016. ... As a pitcher over the past two seasons, Clark has 85 strikeouts and a sterling 2.75 ERA. ... At the plate, the infielder has a .383 batting average with 24 RBIs and a .430 on-base percentage.
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SOFTBALL
Natalie Scherrey
SCHOOL Van Buren
COLLEGE Ranger (Texas) Junior College
THE SCOOP The outfielder has been a key member of Van Buren's program as a .263 hitter. ... She will end her career as one of the top players in program history in put-outs and assists by an outfielder. ... She will also be in the top 10 in career innings played.
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VOLLEYBALL
Carley Galloway
SCHOOL Fayetteville
HEIGHT 5-6
COLLEGE Graceland (Iowa) University
THE SCOOP Member of three-time state champions at Fayetteville High. ... Started her senior season at Libero and led the team in receptions and digs.
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BOYS SOCCER
Tyler Guentz
SCHOOL Bentonville West
HEIGHT 5-9
COLLEGE Harding
THE SCOOP Becomes the first boys soccer player from West to sign a national letter of intent. ... Was the Wolverines' co-captain and their leading scorer during their inaugural season. ... Was a member of Bentonville High's state championship team as a sophomore in 2016.
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GIRLS SOCCER
Alissa Carlson
SCHOOL Bentonville West
HEIGHT 5-7
COLLEGE Northwestern Oklahoma State
THE SCOOP Becomes the first girls soccer player at West to sign a national letter of intent. ... Became the first Lady Wolverine to score a goal (Feb. 28, 2017, vs. Green Forest) and record a hat-trick in a match. ... An all-state player who scored 17 goals in West's first 12 matches, but a stress fracture sidelined her for the remainder of the season.
Sports on 02/08/2018