MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR CONNOR NOLAND, GREENWOOD

Bulldog shines on field, mound

Greenwood’s Connor Noland led the school’s football and baseball teams to Class 6A state championships in 2017-2018.
Greenwood’s Connor Noland led the school’s football and baseball teams to Class 6A state championships in 2017-2018.

Both Greenwood's football and baseball coaches called Connor Noland their hardest worker in the 2017-2018 athletic season.

Football coach Rick Jones and baseball coach Trey Holloway helped guide the Bulldogs to Class 6A state championships this past season in their respective sports, with Noland in the forefront.

Noland at a glance

SCHOOL Greenwood

SPORTS Football, baseball

HEIGHT 6-2

NOTEWORTHY Signed with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville to play football and baseball. … Led Greenwood to Class 6A state football and baseball championships. … Completed 238 of 348 passes for 2,801 yards, 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Rushed for 239 yards and five touchdowns. … Went 10-0 with a 0.42 ERA in 66 2/3 innings pitched. … Struck out 123 batters. … Hit .424 with 4 home runs and 37 RBI.

"When you look at our culture, the hardest working guys are our superstars," Holloway said. "That's the way we have to do this."

Noland started at quarterback in football and pitcher in baseball for Greenwood, and excelled at both sports. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville football and baseball signee is this year's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Male Athlete of the Year.

Jones has led Greenwood to eight state championships in his 14 seasons at the school. He appreciated having the opportunity to coach Noland.

"When you have one of your best players who is also one of your hardest workers, it makes everything so easy," Jones said. "He's very, very dedicated. He's very competitive."

In football, Noland completed 238 of 348 passes for 2,801 yards, 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He rushed for 239 yards and five touchdowns.

Noland engineered the Bulldogs' eighth football state championship and first since 2012, completing 20 of 27 passes for 304 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 52-14 rout of Pine Bluff in the Class 6A title game on Dec. 1 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

On the mound, Noland went 10-0 with a 0.42 ERA, striking out 123 batters, while batting .424 with 4 home runs, 37 RBI and 26 walks. Noland struck out 12 batters and allowed 2 hits in Greenwood's 4-0 victory over Benton in the Class 6A state championship game May 19 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.

"With him on the mound, I knew we have a good chance to win," Holloway said. "I know he's got bigger games ahead of him."

During his sophomore and junior seasons, Noland shared the quarterback duties with Luke Hales, who exhausted his eligibility after the 2016 season and is now at the University of Central Arkansas. Jones said Noland was ready to be the Bulldogs' full-time starter in 2017.

"He was excited to be the guy," Jones said. "He was willing to take advantage of it. He was willing to do whatever he needed to do."

Noland said he enjoyed playing both football and baseball at Greenwood. He'll get the same opportunity to do that for the Razorbacks under football coach Chad Morris and baseball coach Dave Van Horn.

"I love both sports. I've been playing them forever," Noland said. "I'm determined to prove people wrong who say I can't play both sports. I'm ready to get up to college and prove people wrong. I don't want to be average at either sport. I want to excel, take it to the next level and win some championships for the state of Arkansas."

Sports on 06/17/2018

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