Qualls commits to ATU
Rogers Heritage senior quarterback Josh Qualls orally committed Wednesday morning to Arkansas Tech.
Qualls, the 2011 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Sophomore Offensive Player of the Year, is one of the leading passers in Heritage’s brief history with 6,293 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career.
Qualls, 6-1, 175 pounds, is the son of Heritage assistant Hal Qualls. The War Eagles (4-4, 2-3 7A/6A-West) have been playing varsity football since 2008.
MALVERN Familiar spot
Malvern is in essentially the same position it was a year ago. It has to beat Nashville and Arkadelphia to secure its first conference championship since 1997.
“I hope we finish better,” first-year Leopards Coach Mike Scarbrough said.
Malvern started 8-0 last fall before losing to Nashville (52-21) and Arkadelphia (39-34).
Malvern (7-1, 5-0 7-4A) hosts Nashville (5-3, 3-2) Friday night.
“The kids understand why we didn’t get it done,” Scarbrough said.
Scarbrough said he believes the Leopards “got a little overconfident” last year because they cruised through most of their first eight games. He said attention to detail in practice has been there leading up to Friday’s game.
“This group is pretty grounded,” he said.
Malvern leaned heavily on junior tailback Montae Hernandez in last week’s 50-34 victory at Central Arkansas Christian.
Hernandez carried 40 times for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“Gosh, he’s a war horse,” Scarbrough said. “He carried it 40 times and said he wasn’t even tired.”
Malvern shared the AAASouthwest championship with Hope in 1997 and won its last outright conference title in 1996.
BLYTHEVILLE McCrosky resigns
Blytheville Athletic Director David Hixson said the Class 5A school hopes to have a new coach by spring to replace Vince McCrosky, who resigned earlier this month because of Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that he’s battled for about the past seven years.
Hixson said McCrosky resigned “about two weeks ago” in order to undergo a new trial study treatment, which requires hospitalization.
“He just wasn’t responding to any treatment,” Hixson said. “He was very, very weak.”
McCrosky hasn’t coached a game this fall after his condition became debilitating only days before Blytheville’s Sept. 6 season opener at Osceola, Hixson said earlier this month.
Hixson said Blytheville was aware of McCrosky’s condition when he was named interim coach in June 2012, but it didn’t affect his ability to coach the Chickasaws in 2012. He was named Blytheville’s permanent coach in the off season.
Hixson said he hopes to have McCrosky’s successor in place for spring practice.
“We want to be patient and look for the right person and do what’s right for the kids,” Hixson said.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN Quarterback lost
Shiloh Christian Coach Josh Floyd said he doesn’t expect senior quarterback Daniel Shimer to play again this fall after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in a knee during a noncontact drill last week in practice.
“Bad deal, man,” Floyd said. “He was having a heck of a year.”
Shimer is the team’s leading rusher with 143 carries, 1,155 yards and 17 touchdowns, and has completed 83 of 160 passes for 1,265 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Shimer helped position the Saints (5-2-1, 4-1 5A-West) for a playoff berth and a chance to share the conference championship.
“This is our best team, obviously, since 2010,” Floyd said. “We’ve got a good senior class.”
Floyd, who led Shiloh Christian to state championships in 2006and 2008-2010, said he has 16 seniors this fall. The Springdale private school normally has 12-15 seniors, Floyd said, but it had just six last fall.
One of those 16 seniors, Dillon Sharp, replaced Shimer on Friday night against Greenbrier and completed 11 of 20 passes for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 42-25 victory.
“He played really well,” said Floyd, who has 98 career victories. “He had a ton of reps all summer.”
The victory was the fourth consecutive for Shiloh Christian, which is at Clarksville on Friday night.
Shiloh Christian closes the regular season at league leading Alma on Nov. 8.
Floyd said Shiloh Christian will open the 2014 season against Class 3A power Charleston and will meet Tulsa Victory Christian in Week 3. The Saints, who are moving to Class 4A in the 2014-2016 cycle, still need a Week 2 opponent, Floyd said.
DARDANELLE He’s back
Dardanelle Coach Josh Price said standout junior quarterback Kristian Thompson played for the first time since breaking his left arm in Friday night’s 41-20 victory at Subiaco Academy.
Thompson was injured Sept. 13 at Mayflower when he was caught from behind and landed awkwardly at the Eagles’ 1 following a 50-yard run on the final play of the third quarter, Price said.
Price said Thompson, who transferred from Pulaski Robinson over the summer, was released to play last Thursday.
“For as few reps as he had, I thought he did pretty well,” Price said.
Price said he expects Thompson to play more Friday night at home against Maumelle, and he could be used at quarterback, tailback or wide receiver.
Thompson, who throws right-handed, had run 19 times for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns against Mayflower before the injury. In the opener against Danville, Thompson completed 8 of 16 passes for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Sophomore Chris Kershner replaced Thompson at quarterback.
Class 5A Super Six
RK TEAM (REC.) NEXT
Pulaski Acad. (8-0) at Sylvan Hills
Camden Fairview (7-1) vs. Hot Springs
Batesville (6-2) vs. Greene Co. Tech
Alma (6-2) at Greenbrier
Morrilton (6-2) vs. Harrison
White Hall (7-1) vs. Hope
Class 4A Super Six
RK TEAM (REC.) NEXT
Arkadelphia (8-0) at Bauxite
PB Dollarway (8-0) at SS Batesville
Valley View (8-0) at Brookland
Hamburg (7-1) vs. Warren
Warren (5-3) at Hamburg
Malvern (7-1) vs. Nashville
Sports, Pages 22 on 10/31/2013