LITTLE ROCK — Camden Fairview’s resume since 2006 includes 6 conference championships, 6 seasons with at least 10 victories and 5 semifinal playoff appearances.
But Fairview has yet to win a state championship during this torrid stretch of success — unparalleled at the Ouachita County school — after being beaten in the Class 5A final in 2009 and 2010.
The Cardinals are back and hopeful, Coach Buck James said, that their third try will be the lucky one.
“We’ve been here before, and that’s good and bad, but I think it’s always good to play your last game in War Memorial Stadium,” James said. “Sometimes, the team that finishes second feels a lot worse than the other 30 teams that are sitting home, but that’s just the nature of the business.”
Fairview (13-0) tries to complete its greatest season with a victory tonight over Batesville (10-3) in the Class 5A state championship game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Fairview lost to Monticello 38-7 in the 2009 title game and had one hand on the trophy the following year but couldn’t hold a 14-point lead in the final 3 1/2 minutes of a 36-35 loss to Greenwood.
The Cardinals return to Little Rock No. 1 in Class 5A, No. 5 overall, and with gaudy numbers on both sides of the ball.
“I think it helps to have been here before,” James said. “Some of these seniors have practiced on this field three times and played on this field three times. It’s got to mean something.”
Fairview averages 443.3 total yards and 45.9 points per game.
Junior quarterback Matthew Ollison has completed 135 of 189 passes for 2,316 yards and 31 touchdowns. Senior tailback Jamie Smith has rushed 134 times for 1,362 yards and 13 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Jerry Moorehead has 50 catches for 834 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“They’re very talented,” Batesville Coach Dave King said. “Coach James and his staff have done a great job. They’ve had a good run the last three or four years.”
So have the Pioneers.
Batesville won the Class AAAA state championship in 2003, captured 5A-East titles in 2010 and 2011 and was state runner-up last fall.
This season, the Pioneers overcame the loss of four high-profile transfers in the offseason and a season-ending injury two weeks ago to senior wide receiver Athan Dockery, the team’s leading receiver and fastest player, to reach the championship round again.
“Maybe my most enjoyable year in coaching,” said King, in his 17th season at Batesville. “Reaffirmed why I coached. We’ve got a good group of kids.”
A six-game winning streak includes a quarterfinal victory at previously unbeaten Greenbrier (38-21) and a semifinal victory last week at Pulaski Academy (40-21). Batesville limited Pulaski Academy to 331 total yards — 200 yards below its season average — and had possession for about 34 of the game’s 48 minutes.
The Pioneers have throttled opponents in recent weeks by controlling the line of scrimmage, offensively and defensively.
Batesville averages 216.5 yards rushing per game. Senior tailback Phillip Archuleta has rushed 132 times for 743 yards and 7 touchdowns. Junior tailback Joey Rodriguez has carried 98 times for 582 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Fairview allows 104.8 rushing yards per game.
“The offensive and defensive lines are the strength of our team,” King said. “Defensively, we’ve just come on, really played well the three playoff games. Offensively, we’ve been able to run the football.”
Sports, Pages 21 on 11/30/2012