LITTLE ROCK -- On a clear night, two Class 7A football teams stole the motto Oaklawn Park used to celebrate its 100th year of racing.
Somebody's Gonna Win.
Fayetteville did win, 28-7, by the same score the Bulldogs beat Springdale Har-Ber in the state championship game in 2007. But Saturday's game was marred by turnovers that included seven interceptions and two lost fumbles. The Most Valuable Player award went to the night's biggest thief, Joey Savin, who had three interceptions in the first half against Wildcats quarterback Fuller Chandler, who entered the game with only six interceptions all year.
Fayetteville quarterback Taylor Powell threw two interceptions and the Bulldogs also lost a fumble.
The irony is the teams played one of the most exciting games in years when they met at Wildcat Stadium on Oct. 16. Both offenses performed marvelously and Har-Ber won the game 47-43 when Trey Smith caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Chandler with six seconds remaining.
Fayetteville finished 12-2, while Har-Ber lost for the first time since falling 36-26 to Webb City, Mo., in the season-opener. The Wildcats won 11 consecutive games this season after losing eight of 11 last year.
In the rematch, Fayetteville did again to Har-Ber this year what few teams could. The Bulldogs turned Chandler from a passer into a runner and 78 yards rushing by the Har-Ber quarterback weren't nearly enough.
Chandler had been the primary reason for Har-Ber's improvement on offense with some showcase performances, including six touchdown passes against Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst. But Fayetteville was a nemesis for the college-bound senior who threw only 11 interceptions all year and seven of them were against the Bulldogs.
Chandler threw five interceptions and the longest of his four completions went for eight yards. He threw seven times in the first half with only one completion and four interceptions, including three by Savin. Har-Ber only trailed 14-7 at halftime when the Wildcats could have easily been behind by two or three touchdowns.
Still, Har-Ber wouldn't have been anywhere near championship form if not for Chandler, who is destined for success on the academic and athletic sides in college. But it was Fayetteville's night and the Bulldogs' pass rush helped make it so.
"We played a lot more zone tonight than we did in the first matchup," Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. "Tonight, we were able to get some pressure on Fuller and we were still in zone coverage. We didn't get beat deep. We forced them to throw underneath and that's not what they want to do."
Unlike 2007, Fayetteville didn't need a Cody Hammer to punish the Wildcats with its running game. A 5-foot-9 running back with shifty moves worked fine.
Luke Rapert rushed for 103 yards and provided one of the offensive highlights with a 45-yard touchdown run to break a 7-7 tie. Rapert displayed some agility with his cuts and used blocks down field to give Fayetteville the lead for good.
And so it begins.
Fayetteville will likely take over as the dominant team in Arkansas after Bentonville splits next year with the arrival of Bentonville West. Fayetteville now has four state championships in seven finals appearances since 2007 at War Memorial.
With Taylor Powell returning at quarterback, chances are we'll see the Bulldogs back here this time next year.
Sports on 12/06/2015