Class 7A Championship: Fayetteville Picks Another Title From Bentonville, 31-20

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For the high school football fans that might have thought Fayetteville’s Class 7a championship win last ear over powerhouse Bentonville was a fluke, the Bulldogs validated it on Saturday night.

Jordan Dennis’ 42-yard interception runback — Fayetteville’s second touchdown in a 17-second span of the third quarter — gave the Bulldogs what turned out to be enough points (21) to win the game, and Cole Harris finished off the No. 1-ranked Tigers with another pick 6 with 1:56 to play as Fayetteville won back-to-back 7A titles, this time by 31-20 over Bentonville.

The teams split games both this season and last. Bentonville won the regular-season matchups only to see the Bulldogs win in Little Rock. In fact, Bentonville, which crushed Fayetteville 49-28 here in the 2010 7A title game, won four of the last six games with the Bulldogs. But Fayetteville won the two that mattered most.

“All I know is, we’re back-t0-back state champions,” said Bulldogs Coach Daryl Patton, who also guided the program to the 2007 championship. Patton became the first coach to win three titles over a six-year span in the state’s highest classification since Marion Glover won four over a six-year period at Pine Bluff (1990, 1993-95).

Austin Allen, who is committed to play football collegiately at Arkansas, completed 19 of 28 passes for 198, and he also ran for a 12-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to break a 7-all tie and put the Bulldogs on top for good. But it was the Bulldogs’ running game that may have been the difference, as senior tailback Brice Gahagans gained 87 yards on 19 carries and scored on a 1-yard run that tied the game at 7 late in the first half.

“We were able to run the ball against the best rushing defense in the state,” Patton said.

Senior Brooks Ellis moves the ball for the Bulldogs.
Photo Courtesy of Rhonda Elizabeth

Dennis’ interception and touchdown, when he took the ball down the left sideline and then sidestepped Bentonville quarterback Reece Dollins at the 10 to score easily, seemed to finally ignite the Tigers after they slumbered for almost two full quarters. Bentonville had scored on its first drive of the game, an 88-yard march in 11 plays, and then could do little against the Bulldogs.

But midway through the third quarter and suddenly trailing by two touchdowns, the Tigers woke up behind hte hard running of three-year starter Tearris Wallace. The Tigers covered 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a 7-yard pass from Dollins to tight end Nathan Gneiting on the left side of the end zone.

Fayetteville answered right back behind Gahagans and Allen, driving 75 yards before stalling at the 6 and bringing on Ryan Starr for a 23-yard field goal with 10:09 to play.

Dollins and the Tigers wasted little time in fighting back, covering 80 yards in seven plays with Jimmie Johnson snaring a 37-yard pass that was tipped by a defender for the touchdown. The PAT failed, but Bentonville was back within striking distance at 24-20 with 8:34 to go.

Fauetteville’s offense would eat up more than five minutes of the clock before turning it back over on a failed field goal attempt. Bentonville soon found itself 90 yards away from a win thanks to a holding call coupled with a personal foul penalty on a Tigers lineman. On fourth and 20 from his 10 with two minutes left, Dollins let fly with a prayer that Cole Harris intercepted at his 34, and Harris had clear sailing to the right pylon of the end zone.

“Win or lose, I’m proud of these guys and this coaching staff,” Bentonville Coach Barry Lunney Sr. said.

Bentonville finished 12-1 for the second straight year. Last year, Fayetteville ended the Tigers’ 25-game winning streak and shocked the state in the process.

This time, it was no shock.

Email: jim.harris@sportinglifearkansas.com. Also follow Jim on Twitter @jimharris360.

 

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