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NWA PREP FOOTBALL REPORT: Fayetteville coach no stranger to War Memorial Stadium

FILE -- Fayetteville Bulldogs football coach Casey Dick. (Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/Brent Soule)
FILE -- Fayetteville Bulldogs football coach Casey Dick. (Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/Brent Soule)

FAYETTEVILLE — Casey Dick will make his first appearance as a coach at War Memorial, but he’s not unfamiliar with playing in Little Rock.  

Dick made a handful of appearances as a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 2005-2008. Dick was a freshman when Arkansas beat Mississippi State 44-10 at War Memorial Stadium in 2005. He was the starting quarterback as a senior when Arkansas beat Louisiana-Monroe 28-27 and LSU 31-30 in 2008, both at War Memorial.

Dick connected with London Crawford for a touchdown with 20 seconds left and the Razorbacks added the PAT kick to beat LSU in a game that was carried nationally by CBS.

“Anytime you play in an atmosphere like War Memorial, it’s special,” Dick said. “Beating LSU that time we were down there my senior year and beating Mississippi State when I was a freshman are two games that instantly pop out in my mind. Those are highlights for me, especially with the way we came back and beat LSU at the end.”

Fayetteville will face three-time defending state champion Bryant for the Class 7A state championship at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at War Memorial.

Bulldogs eager for the challenge

Many teams have had problems with Bryant, including the team that will try to deny the Hornets a fourth consecutive state championship on Saturday.

Fayetteville played Bryant twice in 2019 and lost each time by wide margins. Bryant beat Fayetteville 42-15 during a non-conference game in Week 3 before eliminating the Bulldogs 42-14 at home in a second-round playoff game. In 2018, Fayetteville won 36-35 at Bryant in Week 3 before the Hornets again eliminated the Bulldogs 28-25 in a second-round playoff game.

Fayetteville and Bryant, whose only loss this season is to Longview, Texas (24-21), haven’t played in nearly two years. But the Bulldogs are aware of the 41-game winning streak Bryant carries into the game against in-state opponents.

Teams from the 7A-Central have won four consecutive state championships in Arkansas’ largest classification after Fayetteville won back-to-back state titles in 2015 and 2016.

“What they’ve done speaks for itself,” Fayetteville coach Casey Dick said. “But we’re not going to make it an extraordinary deal. We’re just going to go and be who we are that’s gotten us to this point. We’re going to be the Fayetteville Bulldogs.”

SHILOH CHRISTIAN

Wisdom on pace to challenge Frazier

Shiloh Christian players are reminded of the steep tradition of its football program daily. The program’s eight state championships are documented on the pressbox and on signage inside Champions Stadium.

The Saints are attempting to run it back this season after winning the 2020 Class 4A state title. Shiloh Christian will host Arkadelphia on Friday in the semifinals.

Junior quarterback Eli Wisdom, who led his team to the state title last year and earned Most Valuable Player honors in the championship game, is also chasing history. Heading into Friday’s game, Wisdom has compiled more than 3,000 combined rushing and passing yards this season.

This season Wisdom’s passing numbers have spiked up, while his rushing numbers have trended down, a testament to his increased accuracy as a passer, Saints coach Jeff Conaway said.

“Eli has improved in several areas,” said Conaway. “He has improved his preparation process, he knows and understands coverages and progressions more efficiently, his accuracy has improved and his throwing mechanics have remained more consistent, and timing inside each progression.

“He’s worked very hard to become an even better leader, a great decision-maker, and an accurate passer.”

The last Shiloh Christian quarterback to lead his team to three consecutive state titles was Kiehl Frazier from 2008-10. Frazier was a 4-star recruit who signed with Auburn after earning Parade Magazine All-America status and USA Today Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.

Over his three-year career, Frazier was 477 of 765 passing for 8,248 yards and 93 touchdowns. He added 2,206 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns.

Wisdom has already surpassed Frazier’s rushing total with 2,358 rushing yards and has tied with Frazier in rushing touchdowns with 38. In the passing department, Wisdom has a ways to go to surpass the numbers Frazier compiled. Over two seasons Wisdom is 282 of 461 for 4,418 yards and 47 touchdowns.

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