There are always questions heading into a high school football season, and the 2014 season is no exception. Here are some of things we’re wondering about?
Can North Little Rock get to the 7A final?
North Little Rock has been one of the state’s top programs under Brad Bolding since 2007, but it’s missing a state championship game appearance during that time.
The Charging Wildcats have lost in the semifinals two consecutive seasons. They lost 43-42 in double overtime last November at Cabot when Panthers fullback Zach Launius scored on a two-point conversion, and 30-28 to Fayetteville in 2012.
Bolding also took the Charging Wildcats to the semifinals in 2009.
With playmakers K.J. Hill at receiver and D.J. Brown at running back, expect North Little Rock to play in its first state championship game since the state playoffs resumed in 1968. If any team can dethrone defending 7A champion Bentonville this season, it just might be the Charging Wildcats.
North Little Rock is ranked No. 2 in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Class 7A preseason Super Six poll and will open the season Sept. 4 against Little Rock Catholic at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Is there one can’t-miss game?
There are several games that fit the bill, but we favor the matchup pitting Pine Bluff and North Little Rock on Thursday, Sept. 18, at War Memorial Stadium because it has the night to itself.
North Little Rock is playing its home games at War Memorial Stadium with construction ongoing for its on-campus stadium. Class 6A Pine Bluff and Class 7A North Little Rock both have state championship aspirations this season. The Zebras lost in the Class 6A state championship game to El Dorado a year ago, while the Charging Wildcats fell to Cabot in the 7A state semifinals.
Can you give us a few more?
Cabot at Conway (Sept. 5)
Lake Hamilton at Hot Springs (Sept. 5)
Rison at Junction City (Sept. 12)
Newport at Sylvan Hills (Sept. 19)
North Little Rock at Jonesboro (Oct. 10)
Batesville at Wynne (Oct. 17)
Greenwood at Bryant (Oct. 17)
El Dorado at Pine Bluff (Oct. 24)
Malvern at Nashville (Oct. 31)
Warren at Pine Bluff Dollarway (Nov. 6)
The regular season begins Sept. 1.
I want to see college prospects. Where should I go?
There is plenty of talent in central Arkansas and throughout the state.
Start with K.J. Hill, North Little Rock’s 6-1, 190-pound senior receiver. Hill had 2,071 all-purpose yards and 26 touchdowns in his first season with the Charging Wildcats after transferring from Bryant. He has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame and Ohio State, among others.
Tight end Will Gragg, 6-4, 247, transferred from Pine Bluff to Dumas during the offseason. The brother of former Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg has received scholarship offers from several schools — including Arkansas and Alabama, among others — and is expected to make his announcement in November. Will Gragg caught 36 passes for 367 yards and 6 touchdowns last season for Pine Bluff, which lost in the Class 6A state championship game to El Dorado.
Conway senior offensive tackle Colton Jackson, 6-6, 291, committed to Arkansas before his junior season. Jackson allowed two sacks last season and graded out at 84 percent in his first season as a starter.
Hope junior defensive end McTelvin Agim, 6-3, 258, had 77 tackles and 16 sacks as a sophomore. Agim is expected to be among the nation’s top prospects in the Class of 2016.
Star City junior defensive lineman Austin Capps, 6-3 1/2, 307, recorded 117 tacks and 12 sacks as a sophomore a year ago.
Then, there is Ty Storey, a senior quarterback at Charleston, who has signed a financial aid agreement with Arkansas and is expected to report to the school in January. Storey, 6-3, 215, threw 52 touchdown passes last season to lead the Tigers to the Class 3A state championship.
Smackover junior wide receiver Jordan Jones, 6-2, 184, scored 10 touchdowns in 2013.
Jamario Bell, 6-6, 230, starts at tight end and defensive end for defending Class 2A state champion Junction City. He is orally committed to Arkansas and follows in the footsteps of past Junction City standouts Byran Jones and Alan Turner. Bell was the Dragons’ team leader in receptions (23), touchdown receptions (8) and tackles for loss (15) last season.
How did reclassification turn out?
The 2014-2016 Arkansas Activities Association’s reclassification cycle helps some and hurts others.
Shiloh Christian is helped by moving down from Class 5A to Class 4A.
The Saints, led by new coach Jeff Conaway, struggled in Class 5A, losing in the first round at Wynne last season. They’ll appreciate being back in Class 4A, where they won three consecutive state championships from 2008-2010.
Fountain Lake, which was a power for most of its six seasons in Class 3A and won a state championship in 2009 under Coach Tommy Gilleran, is headed back up to Class 4A. The Garland County school will play in the 7-4A with Malvern and Nashville.
A school that on paper looks like it should be hurt by changing conferences in Class 4A really isn’t, judging from past history.
Pine Bluff Dollarway is back in the 8-4A after a two-year stay in the 2-4A. The Cardinals won the 2-4A last season, but lost to eventual state champion Booneville in the semifinals.
Dollarway is used to playing Warren and Star City in the past, so playing those schools again shouldn’t hurt a team that thrives on playing quality competition.