LITTLE ROCK — Player’s condition ‘improved ’
Camden Fairview dedicated last Friday’s 37-36 Class 5A nonconference victory over Watson Chapel to sophomore defensive lineman Khiry Neal, who has been hospitalized in Little Rock for more than a month because of a staph infection.
Fairview Coach Buck James said players and cheerleaders signed their names and the score on a pair of Neal’s size 18 shoes and presented the memento to him Saturday in his room at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
“That was something that Khiry wanted,” James said. “He was really excited about that.”
A hospital spokesman said Neal was in fair condition Thursday afternoon.
Neal, 6-4, 275 pounds, had spent much of the past six weeks in critical condition since being flown to Children’s Hospital on Aug. 8.
James said Neal, who began complaining of back pain Aug. 6, is no longer in intensive care.
“He’s been moved to the rehabilitation wing,” James said.
“They’re putting him through intense physical therapy and trying to get where he can speak and sit up in the chair and try to get everything ready where he can start moving.”
James said Neal can only move his head and still needs a ventilator to breathe, although it has been “reduced.”
“I would say he’s much improved,” James said. “But he’s still got a lot of rehabilitation to go through to get back to where he wants to get to.”
Neal was initially treated for a back injury, but his condition worsened and a staph infection was discovered, James said.
James said players are remembering Neal by wearing stickers with his jersey number, 96, on their helmets.
Fairview (2-1) moved to No. 1 in Class 5A following its victory over Watson Chapel.
Lamar junior offensive lineman Tyler Davenport was in serious condition Thursday afternoon at Children’s Hospital.
Davenport has been hospitalized since Aug. 11 after collapsing at the end of practice from heat stroke.
CABOT
Ground control
One of Cabot Coach Mike Malham’s trademark lines is, “We’re going to have do a good job of hanging on to it” to have a chance to win.
The would appear to be particularly pertinent tonight when Cabot (2-1) opens 7A/6A-Central play at No. 2 Conway (3-0).
Conway, which has scored 143 points in 144 minutes this fall, may have the most dynamic offense in the state’s largest classification since Springdale’s 2005 juggernaut.
“They’ve got weapons everywhere,” Malham said.
“They’ve got more speed. … If it was a track meet, we might as well just stay here. They look good on film, I’ll tell you that.”
Malham said Cabot must continue to run effectively to keep Conway’s high-scoring attack grounded.
Cabot rushed 82 times for 393 yards two weeks ago against Pulaski Academy and had morethan 250 yards in last week’s 28-10 home loss to No. 1 Springdale Har-Ber.
“I hope we can hang on to it a little bit,” Malham said.
HAZEN
Title talk
Hazen won its first conference championship since 1985 last fall.
A victory tonight would give the Hornets (3-0) a major boost for their second consecutive 6-2A title.
That’s because Hazen, No. 6 in Class 2A, is hosting Des Arc, which along with Carlisle is considered the Hornets’ biggest conference roadblock.
“You look at it, ‘Well, do you get the first tough one out of the way or do you want to wait until the end?’ ” Hazen Coach Joe Besancon said. “Around here, they’re considered one of our biggest rivals. It’s them and Carlisle. A lot of folks around here … you can go 2-8 and if you beat Carlisle and Des Arc, they’re happy.”
Hazen ended McCrory’s 14-game regular-season winning streak last week, 42-12.
The victory pushed Hazen’s regular-season winning streak to 13.
Hazen finished 12-1 last fall,losing 30-19 to Spring Hill in the playoff quarterfinals.
Among 14 returning starters is junior running back/linebacker Matt Tenison, 5-8, 185 pounds.
As a sophomore, Tenison rushed 114 times for 854 yards and 12 touchdowns and made 51 tackles, including 13 for loss.
Tenison leads the Hornets in rushing (447 yards) and tackles (41) this fall.
Junior quarterback Devin Bonds has rushed 28 times for 244 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Des Arc (1-2) counters with senior running back/linebacker Cody Robinson, a college prospect.
Des Arc was beaten 8-6 last week by Class 3A power Harding Academy.
“That says something about their defense,” Besancon said.
“Offensively, we’re going to have to bring our ‘A’ game. If not, we’re not going to fair very well.”
Hazen opened conference play with a 12-6 victory over Des Arc last year before ending the regular season with a 28-16 triple-overtime victory over Carlisle.
GREENBRIER Milestone for Burcham
Greenbrier junior quarterback Neal Burcham surpassed 4,000 career passing yards during last week’s 34-20 victory at Benton.
Burcham completed 26 of 38 passes for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 16 career games - all starts - Burcham has completed 299 of 443 passes for 4,123 yards and 44 touchdowns.
Burcham was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sophomore Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,384 yards and 34 touchdowns. He has passed for 739 yards and 10 touchdowns this fall.
Burcham, who is righthanded, missed much of the 7-on-7 summer season after breaking a bone in his left hand playing basketball in June.
Greenbrier is 12-4 with Burcham as a starter.
Fund established for Fairview player
Camden Fairview Coach Buck James said an account has been set up at First Bank in Camden to help defray expenses incurred by the family of sophomore defensive tackle Khiry Neal, who has been hospitalized since Aug. 8 at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock because of a staph infection.
Donations are being accepted at First Bank.
They can be mailed to First Bank, P.O. Box 10, Camden, Ark., 71711.
Call us
Please call the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with game reports before 10:30 p.m. each Friday night this fall. In Northwest Arkansas, call 1-888-223-9846. In other parts of the state, call 1-800-272-4650 or (501) 378-3411. We need records, score by quarters, scoring plays and top rushing, passing, receiving and defensive performances. The Democrat-Gazette will run statistics each Friday throughout the regular season. To report statistics, e-mail ryates@arkansasonline.com.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/24/2010