Class 3A State Championship Review: Harding Academy 51, Osceola 26

CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS

TEAM STATISTICS

OSCEOLA HARDING ACADEMY First Downs 19 26 Total Offense 64-445 74-522 Rushes - yards 23-131 37-158 Passes - yards 22-41-314 20-37-364 Fumbles Lost 1 0 Interceptions Thrown 1 1 Fourth Down Stopped 4 1 Penalties 12-79 13-101 Punts - Average 4-42.5 3-38.7 Big Plays (10+ yards) 16-375 24-488 Zero or Less Plays 28-(-21) 27-(-52) Sacks By - yards lost 5-(-47) 4-(-25) 3rd Down Conversions(avg to go) 5 of 14 (9.9) 7 of 13 (11.2) 4th Down Conversions(avg to go) 1 of 5 (12.1) 1 of 2 (13.0)) Punt, Int, Fum Returns - yards 3-13 1-63 Average Drive Start own 31 own 39 Points Off Turnover 0 7 Possession Time 23:39 24:21

Class 2A State Championship • 2019 • War Memorial Stadium FORDYCE 28, JUNCTION C CITY 6 6

Attendance 3,246 • Partly Cloudy 53 degrees • Kickoff noon • Time 2:50

DECEMBER 14, LITTLE ROCK —

The Fordyce Redbugs added to their storied history, and Tim Rodgers is a part of it.

Fordyce won its third state championship but first since winning consecutive titles in 1990 and 1991 with a 28-6 win over Junction City for the Class 2A title at War Memorial Stadium.

Fordyce claims to be the oldest football program in the state, having started in 1904, and the only one with Redbugs as a mascot in the nation.

There’s also the ghost of Bear Bryant, who was selected All-State twice for the Redbugs and played on the 1929 state champion that went 10-0 under Bob Cowan that gave up one touchdown all the season.

Then there’s Jimmy ‘Red’ Parker, another revered coach who started his illustrious coaching career at Fordyce and coached the Redbugs to a 38-game winning streak from 1957 into 1961.

Then there’s Jim Cox, who coached the Redbugs to the state championships in 1990 and 1991.

“More than anything, I know it’s not me,” Fordyce head coach Tim Rodgers said. “To be a part of this community, it’s not about me. It’s about them. I thank the Lord that I get the opportunity to do that.”

Rodgers was an assistant coach under Cox in 1990 and 1991.

As the baseball coach, Rodgers guided the Redbugs to the state championship game in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

“We went to the finals three years in a row and got beat three years in a row,” Rodgers said. “To be there three times and not win is tough. Today, I’m State Championship Numbers 9

Turnovers of sorts forced by Fordyce defense with three fumble recoveries, two interceptions and four fourth-down stops

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Championship game appearances for Fordyce head coach Tim Rodgers with two as an assistant in football in 1990 and 1991, and three as the head coach for the baseball team in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

just so glad to get here and win the ball game.”

To win the first state championship for Rodgers, though, Fordyce had to go through Hazen, last year’s runner-up, and Junction City, which was playing in its third-straight championship game.

“If you’re going to win state or win anything, you’re going to have to beat Junction City,” Rodgers said. “We were trying to stay opposite of Hazen. We both lost and were both in the same side. You’ve got to beat everybody to get there.”

Junction City also defeated Fordyce, 14-12, in the regular season in a 2A-8 conference game by forcing two key turnovers; a fumble and an interception.

In the rematch, Junction City committed five turnovers while Fordyce had just one.

“I thought we moved the ball about as good as you can against Fordyce’s defense, but (five) turnovers against somebody like this that was it,” Junction City head coach Brad Smith said. “That’s what happened the first time.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Fordyce scored on Quartey Shelton’s 4yard run with 5:12 left in the half.

On Junction City’s next possession, the game turned for good as Junction City was driving to tie the game when Fordyce’s Sam Allen forced a fumble and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead at the half.

“They turned the ball over a couple of times, and we didn’t,” Rodgers said. “We made plays when we needed to. The first time, we didn’t make those plays. Tonight, we stepped up and made plays; that fumble return right before half and that pass play to get us down there to score the first half. Then the second half, we always talk about finishing ball games. They got close, we just stepped it up every time.”

Junction City answered with a touchdown on Kyle Kidwell’s recovery in the end zone of teammates’ Jamal Johnson’s fumble and stopped Fordyce on its next possession.

On the punt return, though, Mantrel Neal recovered a fumble, and Shelton scored the first of his two fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 9-yard run for a 22-6 lead.

He added another on a 1-yard score to set the final.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Sam Allen ■ DB ■ Fordyce

BURLSWORTH AWARD WINNERS Hagen Sullivent ■ OL ■ Fordyce Kyle Kidwell ■ DL ■ Junction City

FORDYCE OFFENSE QB Jaheim Brown JR FB 3 Quartey Shelton JR TB 1 Tray Hudson SR WB De’Arius Sledge SR WR Ja’Quez Cross JR LT Hagen Sullivent SR LG Joshua Harrington JR C Carson Williams SO RG Tristan Thrower JR RT Ethan Carpenter JR TE Trey Merritt SO PK De’Arius Sledge SR JUNCTION CITY DEFENSE DE Jamie Carroll SR DT Kyle Kidwell SR DT Kevin Newberry SO DE Jamarco Singleton SR OLB Jamal Johnson SO MLB Kam Torrence JR OLB Tanner Barnett JR CB De’andrae Malone SR CB Harlandus Frazier SR S Jakiron Cook SR S Devontay Gilbert JR P Brady Hutcheson SR JUNCTION CITY OFFENSE QB Brady Hutcheson SR FB Kyle Kidwell SR RB Jakiron Cook SR TE Tanner Barnett JR LT Jakyrion Barnett JR LG Ethan Bryant SR C Ayden Howe SO RG A’donnis Jones JR RT Peyton Robinson JR SR Harlandus Frazier SR WR Devontay Gilbert JR PK Gabe Richard JR FORDYCE DEFENSE DE Tristan Thrower JR NM Ethan Carpenter JR DE Hagen Sullivent SR OLB Quartey Shelton JR ILB Joshua Harrington JR ILB De’Arius Sledge SR OLB Trey Merritt SO CB Kalob Jones SR CB Sam Allen SR S Mantrel Neal JR S Ja’Quez Cross JR P De’Arius Sledge SR