Hunter Smith returned the season-opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, and he didn't stop running until Joe T. Robinson beat Shiloh Christian 56-28 to capture the Class 4A state championship Friday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Smith, a junior tailback, rushed 22 times for 213 yards and 1 touchdown, and caught 3 passes for 52 yards -- including the go-ahead touchdown on a well-executed trick play late in the first half -- as the Senators (14-1) claimed their first state title since 1980.
"He's a stud," Robinson Coach Todd Eskola said. "We knew it last year as a sophomore. He got a lot bigger, faster and stronger in the offseason. He's done a great job all year. He's going to be a really, really good player next year."
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Smith snapped a 14-14 tie when he caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Buddy Gaston with 1:16 remaining in the first half. Smith swept right end on what appeared to be a running play before giving to senior wide receiver Martel Nunally on a reverse. Nunally then pitched to Gaston, who found Smith on a wheel route near the goal line for the touchdown and a 20-14 halftime lead.
Eskola said Robinson had not run the play -- named "Shiloh" -- this year.
"We put it in [Thursday]," Eskola said. "I said the first time we have the situation that calls for something to change the game, we're going to run 'Shiloh.' We knew that they didn't cover the back out of the backfield very well.
"We just felt like one of the hardest plays to defend in football is when you throw it back to the guy you fake to. We just had a gut feeling."
The touchdown was part of a scoring barrage for Robinson, which trailed 14-7 late in the first half. Smith's 12-yard touchdown run extended the lead to 42-21 with 4:44 remaining in the third quarter. He nearly ran for another touchdown on his final carry -- a 38-yard burst to the Shiloh Christian 14 -- early in the fourth quarter.
"I can't thank anybody but my line," the 5-11, 175-pound Smith said. "I can't take credit for that. That goes to everybody that blocks for me and works for me, so I can do what I can do."
Despite missing two games with a shoulder injury, Smith finished with 1,922 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 190 carries. More than one-third of his rushing total, 789 yards, came in four playoff games, including a career-high 267 in a second-round victory over Central Arkansas Christian.
The trigger, Smith said, was his 88-yard kickoff return in a 49-28 victory over Class 7A Springdale on Aug. 30 at home.
"I gained confidence with that touchdown, but I had to stay humble and not let my head get too big," Smith said.
Eskola said Smith already is drawing college recruiting interest, with two schools -- including Louisiana-Monroe of the Sun Belt Conference -- recently offering scholarships.
"I'm going to hit it hard in the offseason," Smith said. "I'm going to be in the gym every day. I'm going to be in the gym next week, because I've got to get bigger, faster and stronger for next year.
"Yes, we won this, but it's on to the next one."
Sports on 12/14/2019