ALL-NWADG DIVISION II FOOTBALL

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Booneville's Carson Ray is the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Division II Football Player of the Year. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Booneville's Carson Ray is the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Division II Football Player of the Year. Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CARSON RAY

SCHOOL Booneville

CLASS Senior

HEIGHT 5-6.5

WEIGHT 201

THE SCOOP Powered the Bearcats to an unbeaten season (15-0) and the Class 3A state championship. ... Rushed for 1,750 yards and scored 33 touchdowns despite sitting out the second half of most games. ... Rushed for 165 yards in the 35-0 title game against Osceola, despite missing time in the game after a blow to the helmet. ... Rushed for more than 100 yards in nine of Booneville's 15 games. ... Had fewer than 10 carries in four games. ... Rushed for a season-high 176 yards against Lamar. ... Scored four touchdowns in the 34-31 semifinal win against Prescott. ... Also started at linebacker on defense and recorded 54 tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and three interceptions. ... He is the son of former Booneville star running back Alan (Gator) Ray, who was an all-state fullback for the Bearcats. Collectively, father and son scored more than 100 touchdowns.

DID YOU KNOW? Ray plans to enroll in a technical college and study to be a licensed electrician. He is a student in a robotics class through the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

QUOTABLE "I never hear the end of it. 'Are you Gator's boy?' I give him a lot of crap about missing a PAT that was important to get them in the state championship game. I can tell him now, 'Hey, I got a ring,' because he did not get one."

-- Chip Souza • @NWAChip

Sports on 12/30/2018

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