LITTLE ROCK — Kenneth Dixon sure knows how to make an exit.
In his last high school game, Dixon ran for 348 yards and five touchdowns, setting the state single-season rushing record and helping Strong to a 45-20 victory over Carlisle for their first-ever Class 2A state championship in their first state title game appearance at War Memorial Stadium.
Dixon, who finished with 3,153 yards and 39 touchdowns for the season, accounted for all six of the Bulldogs' (10-3) scores, throwing a touchdown pass as well.
There wasn't much the Bison (13-1) could do to stop the Louisiana Tech commit. Dixon took the first offensive play of the game 63-yards for a touchdown, 86 first quarter yards. He then hurt Carlisle through the air, hitting Jamarian Ford with a deep pass over the middle for a 40-yard score on the first play of the second quarter as well.
Other than that pass, Dixon did most of his damage with his feet.
The Bison got to within 14-6 after a Bo Weddle 44-yard run with 4:05 left in the second quarter, but Carlisle's inability to stop Dixon defeated any shot they had at catching the Bulldogs. Strong led 22-6 at the half. Dixon had 157 yards to that point.
The 5'10", 210-pounder constantly shrugged off would-be tacklers on his way to big chunks of yardage, breaking former Nettleton running back Derek Lawson's single-season rushing record with a 35-yard early in the fourth quarter.
On one play, with 8:47 left in the third quarter, Dixon broke four tackles up the middle, cut right, shred another Carlisle defender, then went an additional 20 yards before spinning away from another defender at the 5-yard line and then diving into the endzone with two people holding on.
It was what could be seen as a signature run by a player who coach Shane Davis said has total control of the offense. Davis allows him to call all the plays in the huddle.
Carlisle got contributions from Weddle, who finished with 166 yards and two touchdowns in the Bison's Wing-T attack.
Read more about this story in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.