Ta'jon Sparks came through at the start of conference play when Springdale desperately needed a win.
Sparks scored five touchdowns as the Bulldogs opened 7A-West Conference play with a 40-28 victory over Rogers Heritage. Springdale's 0-3 start is now largely forgotten and the win provides a boost of confidence for the Bulldogs heading into Friday's league game at Bentonville West.
Sparks scored five touchdowns – four rushing and one on a pass from Springdale quarterback Jack Pounders. For his effort, Sparks is the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Player of the Week for teams in Northwest Arkansas. Trace Hall of Booneville is the NWADG Player of the Week for teams in the River Valley.
Sparks had already scored twice when Springdale scored on three consecutive possessions in the second half to turn a 20-14 lead into a 41-21 lead over the War Eagles. Sparks capped the surge on a 13-yard catch on a slant pattern from Pounders.
Sparks scored on a 1-yard run on Springdale's first possession then added a nifty 15-yard run to provide the Bulldogs with a 20-14 lead with 9:49 left in the second quarter. Sparks took an inside handoff, veered toward the right sideline and raced past a War Eagle defender to the end zone.
"He is a playmaker for us," Springdale coach Brett Hobbs said of Sparks, a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior. "He may not be big, but he runs hard and is tough to tackle."
Plenty of players were tough to tackle during Booneville's 75-46 victory over Hackett in a 3A-1 Conference opener. Hall was a whirlwind on the field as he rushed for 224 yards on 14 carries and scored on runs of 23, 19, 36, 50, and 8 yards. He also caught a 23-yard pass for Booneville (3-1, 1-0), which bounced back big time from a tough loss to Harding Academy to conclude non-conference play.
"Trace is one of the most athletic kids I've ever coached," Booneville coach Doc Crowley said. "He's a great football player and even better kid. He worked really hard on his speed during track season this past spring and it's great to see that paying off. The best is yet to come for Trace."
The Bearcats continue 3A-1 Conference play at home Friday against West Fork.
Trace Hall Booneville football 2022More News
NoneTOP PERFORMERS
JOSH FICKLIN, Bentonville, 14-141 rushing, 3 TD; 85 KO return TD
HUNTER HOUSTON, Greenwood, 15-17 303 passing, 5 TDs
DRAKE LINDSEY, Fayetteville, 20-26 354 passing, 4 TDs
DANE WILLIAMS, Rogers, 15-17 240 passing, 3 TDs
JACOB JENKINS, Rogers, 12-143 rushing, 1 TD
DAX GOFF, 143-225 rushing, 4 TDs; 7-yard TD passing
COLE KINDLE, Mansfield, 23-34 228 passing, 1 TD
PEYTON MARTIN, Mansfield, 7-103 receiving, 1 TD
ELI WISDOM, Shiloh Christian, 16-24 242 passing, 3 TDs; 4-131 rushing, 2 TDs
SHAWN CHAIRS, Elkins, 16-205 rushing; 4-46 receiving
JOE TRUSTY, Alma, 8-11 114 passing, 2 TDs