Arkansas high school football Class 2A state final: Bigelow and East Poinsett County each in the state final for first time
When Bigelow and East Poinsett County meet for the 2A state championship at noon on Friday, playing in a state championship game for the first time in school history will not be the only thing the two have in common.
Both programs also have an alumnus as a head coach. The Panthers are led by Luke Starks, who played for his father, Jeff, from 2009-11, while Brandon Powell, a 2001 EPC graduate, leads the Warriors.
Bigelow running back Carter Alexander (Photo by Ted McClenning)
Bigelow (13-0) has finally earned its chance at a title after winning 32 games from 2020-22. However, the past two seasons have concluded much faster than anticipated and last year's first-round exit provided an extra layer of motivation.
"We have been blessed with a good group of kids, but we just have not been able to get over that hump for whatever reason," Luke Starks said. "With the success that our guys have had in other sports it has helped translate on the football field."
The Panthers just finished their third undefeated regular season in the past four years and average 36 points per game. They are led offensively by seniors Rhett Neumeier, who has passed for 2,170 yards with 27 touchdowns, running back Carter Alexander (1,114 yards, 14 touchdowns) and wide receiver Brandt Tipton (767 yards, 11 touchdowns).
Those three are a part of a 2024 class that has compiled an impressive multi-sport career, winning a 2A state titles in basketball (2023) and golf (2022) as well as a 2022 runner-up finish in baseball.
Defensively, Bigelow has shown throughout the playoffs that some of the impressive regular-season performances were not a fluke. That unit has allowed 14.2 points per game and is headlined by Alexander, who has logged 147 total tackles, which is a school record for stops in a single season, including 17 for loss. Four additional Panthers - Jayden Dunlap (87), Silas Schichtl (69), Martell Macon (66) and Brandt Tipton (62) - have each eclipsed 60 total stops.
All hands on deck will be needed to stop, or at the very least slow down, EPC senior running back Dennis Gaines who has as strong of a case as anyone to be called the top back in Class 2A.
While Gaines, a University of Central Arkansas commit, may not be having the kind of season statistically that ranked in the Top 10 nationally last year, he has continued to keep opposing defensive coordinators awake at night.
"There is a lot to say about him, but then there is so little - he is extremely talented," Starks said. "Very good and explosive. He is not the biggest back, but definitely a handful to take down. That is what their offense circles around and goes by so the key to the game is slow him down as best as possible, but that is a tough thing to do."
Gaines has rushed 258 times for 1,832 yards, an average of 7.1 yards per carry, and 30 touchdowns, while also leading the Warriors in tackles with 85.
EPC (12-1) has thrown the ball around the same number of times as last season, but the connection of fellow seniors Cooper Argo (79-of-140 passing, 1,415 yards, 14 touchdowns) at quarterback and top receiver Omar McCuiston (31 receptions, 708 yards, 9 touchdowns) has helped take some pressure off of the ground game.
"We have tried to stay more balanced this year, but if you go look at Dennis' yards per carry, his averages are about the same he just had so many more carries last season," EPC head coach Brandon Powell said. "He just does not have to take on quite as much of a load as he did a year ago."
East Poinsett County running back/linebacker Dennis Gaines (Photo by NEA Town Courier/ Cosmo Cossey)
Argo, Gaines and McCuiston highlight a senior class that has taken a different path than Bigelow's 2024's. The Warriors made it to the 2A semifinals last season where they fell to eventual champion Hazen, but that success was earned the hard way early on.
"When these seniors were sophomores we started the season 0-6," Powell said. "They kept working, kept fighting and we wound up going to the quarterfinals that year.
"We have built off of that while learning to be tough and fight through adversity. Now here they are as seniors breaking through and making the state championship game."
For Powell, it is not the first time one of his EPC teams made their inaugural state finals appearance. Also the Warriors' head softball coach, Powell led EPC to its first ever trip to the championship game in 2022.
"When I first came to EPC I wanted to be a part of those groups who broke through and made state championships," Powell said. "Just being a part of those 'firsts' has been a personal dream of mine and it has been great.
"I have been blessed and lucky that I have had some great players. All of the credit goes to kids and the community that supports them."
-- Kyle Sutherland
