PREP FOOTBALL: Boo Who?

Anthony Travis' eyes got as big as the Fort Smith Grizzlies logo on the side of his red football helmet.

From his outside linebacker slot, Travis recognized almost immediately a pass play to his side of the field at historic Mayo-Thompson Stadium.

Using a burst of speed, Travis raced to find the receiver and cut in front of him, intercepting the Rogers Heritage pass and strolling into the end zone for a defensive touchdown to spark the Grizzlies to a 69-0 rout in the season-opener.

He hasn't slowed down since.

"He plays so hard," said Northside coach Mike Falleur. "When you watch him on the field, he is going 90 miles an hour. And I think that makes him faster and just increases everything he does."

Travis (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) has played a significant role in the Grizzlies' 3-0 start to the season. In addition to his pick-six in the opener, he wrecked the Greenwood offense the following week in an 18-tackle game that helped Northside earn a 31-16 win.

The senior said he was especially geared up to play Greenwood, a team that had dominated the Grizzlies for years including a 34-7 romp the season before. The Bulldogs held a three-year win streak against Northside coming into the game, and Travis said he had never beaten a Greenwood team dating back to his days at Kimmons Junior High.

"I was very hype for that game," Travis said. "Ever since week one. I was talking about the game. I had never beat them and I wanted to beat them."

Travis, who goes by the nickname Boo, probably because he strikes fear in Northside's opponents, was a newcomer to the football team last season. He did not play as a sophomore to focus on basketball. He was a member of Northside's state championship basketball team and still plays both sports.

"Like a lot of kids, his first love was probably basketball, and he's good at both," Falleur said. "About halfway through the year he started telling us, 'I'm going to play football,' which we were all glad."

Travis admits he was caught up in just focusing on basketball, but knew from the first football game of the season that he'd made a mistake by not playing football.

"I thought I was just a basketball player," he says now. "Unfortunately I'm not, but fortunately, I am a football player. I just thought basketball was my sport, but apparently, it ain't.

Travis has assumed more of a leadership role this season, although he admits he is not a vocal leader. He chooses instead to let his play on the field do the talking.

It says plenty.

Last season Northside struggled through growing pains as a young team competing in the tough 7A-Central Conference. Toward the end of the season, things started to slow down for Travis and the younger players, and the Grizzlies routed crosstown Fort Smith Southside 35-13, then stunned Springdale Har-Ber in the opening round of the playoffs 21-9.

Northside opens conference play on the road today at Bryant, which is coming in off a stunning 36-35 loss to Fayetteville last week. Travis said his team is ready to prove it can be a factor in the 7A-Central that also includes defending state champion North Little Rock.

"I'm confident about our team," he said. "Our defense is really fast. Everybody wants to get to the ball. And our offense, it seems like everyone wants the ball in their hands."

Falleur said Travis can definitely play at the next level, something Travis is hoping for as well.

"I don't see how schools would not be interested in him," Falleur said. "I don't know what they are looking for if it's not someone like him."

Sports on 09/21/2018