Storey has couple of good hands

Even Ty Storey needs a little help.

The University of Arkansas commitment has guided Charleston to the brink of a second consecutive Class 3A state title, having thrown for 3,941 yards and 50 touchdowns going into tonight's championship game against Smackover at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

No doubt the quarterback has been the catalyst for an offense that is averaging 424.5 yards and 41.9 points a game, but someone had to be on the receiving end of all those passes to make it all work.

"We have to have at least two receivers in our offense," Charleston Coach Greg Kendrick said.

Seniors Taylor King and Dylan Jones have shown they can more than handle the job.

King, 5-9, 164 pounds, is Charleston's all-time leader in receptions (238) and yards (3,238) and is second on the school's career touchdown list with 35, seven behind Chance Shelby.

"It's been a great experience," said King, who has caught 104 passes for 1,458 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Jones, 6-0, 165, doesn't have career numbers as gaudy as King's -- he played behind Shelby last season -- but he has come up big this season with 61 receptions, 1,033 yards and 16 touchdowns to raise his career totals to 65 receptions for 1,148 yards and 18 touchdowns.

"Dylan has come along this year," Kendrick said.

King and Jones accounted for 355 receiving yards last Friday in the Tigers' 21-14 victory over Booneville in the Class 3A semifinals. Jones caught 8 passes for 199 yards and 1 touchdown, while King had 8 catches for 156 yards.

"You can't just isolate and double-team them," Kendrick said.

Smackover Coach Brian Strickland said he knows his team will have to account for Jones and King if they hope to slow down Charleston's offense tonight.

"You're going to have wrap up and tackle," Strickland said. "We didn't do a good job of it last week. We're really going to have to stress that this week."

Charleston has won 28 consecutive game since it lost to Glen Rose in the quarterfinals of the 2012 state playoffs. The Tigers finished 15-0 last season, beating Glen Rose in the state championship game, and this season Charleston's offense picked up right where it left off thanks to the combination of Storey, King and Jones.

"We came out with the same mentality," King said.

Kendrick took over as Charleston's head coach in 2013 after Doug Loughridge was hired by Alma. Kendrick's first decision was to open up the Tigers offense more to take better advantage of Storey's passing ability.

"We go to this wide-open happy stuff," Kendrick said. "Everyone thought we would suffer."

The move has allowed Storey to flourish even more. The quarterback is second on the state's career touchdown passes list with 151 and third in passing yards with 12,642.

King and Jones have played a big role in that, Kendrick said.

"If you have one guy on the bump in baseball, you'll be pretty good," Kendrick said. "In basketball, if you have a point guard who can shoot and press, you'll be good.

"It's not like that in football. It's the ultimate team game. Ty makes them better. They make him better."

King and Storey also have been motivated by the thought of leaving their own marks on a program that has won three state championships. King recalled watching the Tigers win state championships in 2005 and 2008 while still in elementary and middle school.

"You grow up and watch it and want to be a part of it," King said.

All three have done that. Storey, King and Jones will try to win their 29th consecutive game tonight and, more important, their second state championship in their last game together.

"We come in every day trying to win the day," Storey said. "That's the motto we've taken, and it's paid off for us."

Sports on 12/12/2014