CLASS 7A SUPER SIX
NO. 1
NORTH LITTLE ROCK
COACH Jamie Mitchell
CONFERENCE 7A-Central
2017 RECORD 13-0, 7-0
KEY RETURNERS
NOTEWORTHY North Little Rock won the Class 7A state championship in a thrilling 44-37 victory over Bentonville at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. ... Since a Week 4 loss to Cabot in 2015, North Little Rock is 32-2. The school's only losses during that span came against Bentonville in the Class 7A quarterfinals in 2015 and Fayetteville in the 2016 Class 7A state title game. ... Junior RB Brandon Thomas (209 carries, 1,597 yards, 13 TD) was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Sophomore of the Year in 2017.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 25;Tulsa Booker T. Washington^
Sept. 7;Evangel Christian#
Sept. 14;Memphis Whitehaven
Sept. 21;LR Central*
Sept. 28;at Conway*
Oct. 5;Fort Smith Southside*
Oct. 11;at LR Catholic*
Oct. 19;at Fort Smith Northside*
Oct. 26;Bryant*
Nov. 2;Cabot*
^At Tiger Stadium, Bentonville
#At Independence Bowl, Shreveport
NO. 2
BRYANT
COACH Buck James
CONFERENCE 7A-Central
2017 RECORD 10-2, 6-1
KEY RETURNERS QB Ren Hefley (Sr., 6-2, 190), RB Latavion Scott (Sr., 5-9, 200), WR Randy Thomas (Sr., 6-1, 180), DL Kajuan Robinson (Sr., 6-2, 305), CB Andrew Hayes (Sr., 5-11, 175)
NOTEWORTHY Bryant has advanced to the Class 7A semifinals the past two seasons. ... Senior QB Ren Hefley threw 19 touchdown passes last season despite missing the final four weeks of the regular season because of a collarbone injury. ... Buck James is 19-6 in two seasons at Bryant. ... The Hornets have one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the state, facing Saline County rival Benton, then 7A-West Conference members Bentonville West and Fayetteville.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 25;Benton^
Sept. 7;at Bentonville West
Sept. 14;Fayetteville
Sept. 21;Fort Smith Northside*
Sept. 28;at LR Catholic*
Oct. 5;LR Central*
Oct. 12;at Fort Smith Southside*
Oct. 19;Cabot*
Oct. 26;at North Little Rock*
Nov. 2;Conway*
^At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
*7A-Central game
NO. 3
BENTONVILLE WEST
COACH Bryan Pratt
CONFERENCE 7A-West
2017 RECORD 9-2, 6-1
KEY RETURNERS QB Will Jarrett (Sr., 6-1, 170), RB Tyrese Smallwood (Sr., 5-7, 185), WR Jadon Jackson (Sr., 6-2, 175), LB Kendall Young (Sr., 6-5, 225), K Blake McDoulett (Sr., 5-10, 145)
NOTEWORTHY Bentonville West started 9-0 last season, but lost to Bentonville in the regular-season finale, then fell to Conway in the Class 7A quarterfinals. ... This is Bentonville West's third season, and it has qualified for the Class 7A postseason in its first two seasons ... Senior QB Will Jarett had 28 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions in 2017.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 24;at Owasso, Okla.
Aug. 31;Fort Smith Southside
Sept. 7;Bryant
Sept. 21;at Fayetteville*
Sept. 28;Springdale*
Oct. 5;Rogers*
Oct. 12;at Springdale Har-Ber*
Oct. 19;at Rogers Heritage*
Oct. 26;Van Buren*
Nov. 2;at Bentonville*
*7A-West game
NO. 4
FAYETTEVILLE
COACH Billy Dawson
CONFERENCE 7A-West
2017 RECORD 7-5, 5-2
KEY RETURNERS QB Darius Bowers (Sr., 6-2, 205), WR Barrett Adams (Sr., 5-11, 180), OL Cameron Ervin (Sr., 6-3, 250), DL Keondre Conley (Sr., 6-3, 245), DL Coleman Johnson (Sr., 6-2, 230)
NOTEWORTHY Fayetteville was 0-2 in the 7A-West Conference last season before winning five consecutive games to reach the Class 7A postseason. ... Billy Dawson, who has won four state championships in his career (2005-2007 at Nashville and 2016 at Russellville), is in his second season with Fayetteville. ... The Bulldogs return 13 starters, including senior QB Darius Bowers (34 touchdowns in 2017).
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 24;at Kirkwood (Mo.) Vianney
Aug. 31;Owasso, Okla.
Sept. 14;at Bryant
Sept. 21;Bentonville West*
Sept. 28;at Rogers*
Oct. 5;Van Buren*
Oct. 12;at Bentonville*
Oct. 19;Springdale*
Oct. 26;Rogers Heritage*
Nov. 2;at Springdale Har-Ber*
*7A-West game
NO. 5
BENTONVILLE
COACH Jody Grant
CONFERENCE 7A-West
2017 RECORD 10-3, 7-0
KEY RETURNERS RB Preston Crawford (So., 6-1, 185), WR Harrison Campbell (Sr., 5-10, 175), OL Kenny Resta (Sr., 6-2, 270), LB Andrew Bartgis (Sr., 5-9, 170), FS Ben Pankau (Jr., 6-2, 175)
NOTEWORTHY Bentonville won the 7A-West Conference last season and played in the Class 7A state championship game, losing to North Little Rock. ... Junior RB Preston Crawford rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore last season. ... Jody Grant is 30-8 in three seasons at Bentonville. Grant took over for Barry Lunney Sr. after the 2014 season.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 25;Midwest City, Okla.
Aug. 31;at Conway
Sept. 8;Aledo, Texas^
Sept. 21;Springdale Har-Ber*
Sept. 28;at Van Buren*
Oct. 5;at Rogers Heritage*
Oct. 12;Fayetteville*
Oct. 19;Rogers*
Oct. 26;at Springdale*
Nov. 2;Bentonville West*
*7A-West game
NO. 6
CABOT
COACH Mike Malham
CONFERENCE 7A-Central
2017 RECORD 6-6, 3-4
KEY RETURNERS QB Tommy Oaks (Sr., 5-11, 165), RB T.J. Rogers (Sr., 5-6, 150), OL Jared Russell (Sr., 6-3, 230), LB Lucas Crumbly (Sr., 6-1, 185), FS Zhane Harper (Sr., 5-11, 160)
NOTEWORTHY Mike Malham enters his 39th and final season as Cabot's head coach. Malham led the Panthers to two state championships in 1983 and 2000. ... Senior QB Tommy Oaks rushed for more than 700 yards in 2017. ... The Panthers were 3-4 in the 7A-Central Conference last season, but defeated Springdale in the Class 7A first round before losing to Bentonville in the Class 7A quarterfinals.
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 31;Pine Bluff
Sept. 7;at El Dorado
Sept. 14;at Benton
Sept. 21;Little Rock Catholic
Sept. 28;at Fort Smith Southside
Oct. 5;Conway
Oct. 12;Little Rock Central
Oct. 19;at Bryant
Oct. 26;Fort Smith Northside
Nov. 2;at North Little Rock
Sports on 08/19/2018