SBLive Arkansas' all-state 8-man football teams (2023)
There is no better way to put a bow on a season than highlighting athletes and coaches for their outstanding performances on the field.
Rector, led by both sanctioned Player of the Year Drew Henderson, along with Coach of the Year Dave Hendrix, completed a historic year after overcoming a sixteen point deficit in the finals against Spring Hill.
For the second consecutive season, Mountain View won the club state title in undefeated fashion. Cutter-Morning Star was the most impressive turnaround story in all of 8-man football in the second season under Nick Finley, who was selected as the club Coach of the Year. Senior Brody Koch, the club Player of the Year, compiled another dominant season and helped Subiaco Academy win a conference title for the first time in nearly half of a century.
(Cover photo by Justin Manning)
SANCTIONED
Drew Henderson (Photo by Braeden Botts)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Drew Henderson, SR, Rector
255 car, 2,271 yds , 37 TD, 24-35 passing, 472 yds, 6 TD
Dave Hendrix (Photo by Justin Manning)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dave Hendrix, Rector
Led the Cougars to the state finals for the second consecutive season and finish 10-0 to capture first state championship in program history.
QB - Wyatt Buchanan, JR, Izard County Consolidated
149/227 (65%), 3,242 yds, 49 TD, 57 car, 297 yds, 2 TD
QB - Drew Henderson, SR, Rector
RB - Kaden Avery, SR, Rector
78 car, 848 yds, 6 TD, 12 rec, 213 yds, 3 TD, 75-yard KOR TD
56 tkl, 4 TFL, 2 INT, FF
RB - Germyren McHenry, JR, Strong
840 rushing yards, 15 TD
RB - TJ Tipton, SR, Spring Hill
236 car, 1,412 yds, 21 TD
WR - Porter Burton, JR, Izard County Consolidated
39 rec, 907 yds, 9 TD
41 tkl, 27 solo, FR, 3 INT
WR - Gabe Spray, SR, Izard County Consolidated
71 rec, 1,291 yds, 20 TD
OL - Trace Clements, SR, Spring Hill
19.5 tkl, 8 solo, 2.5 TFL, 2 QB hurries
OL - Jamason Stephenson, SR, Mountain Pine
Started every game and helped the Red Devils average six yards per carry.
OL - Gage Thompson, SR, Rector
Helped the Cougars rush for 3,799 yards in 10 games (379.9 per contest)
DL - Dalton Lamar, JR, Rector
66 tkl, 6 tfl, 5.5 sck, 4 FF, 1 FR
DL - Ashton Scott, SR, Rector
43 tkl, 3 tfl, 8.5 sck, 3 FR
11 car, 80 yds , 1/2 23 yds, 4 rec, 63 yds
DL - Jakeim Woods, JR, Strong
65.5 tkl, 6 sck, 4 FF
LB - Alex Arriaga, JR, Spring Hill
132.5 tkl, 73 solo, 20.5 TFL, 1.5 sack, 8 QB hurries, 3 FF, FR
45 car, 230 yds (5 YPC), 4 TD
LB - Garrett Buchanan, SO, Izard County Consolidated
111 tkl, 10 TFL, 1 sck
LB - Levin McGuire, SR, Spring Hill
106 tkl, 48 solo, 11 TFL, 3.5 sck, 3 QB hurries, 2 FF, 2 FR, 5 PD, 2 INT, 2 TD
DB - Porter Burton, JR, Izard County Consolidated
41 tkl, 27 solo, FR, 3 INT
39 rec, 805 yds (20.6 YPC), 9 TD
DB - Reese Tarver, JR, Spring Hill
62 tkl, 26 solo, 5 PD, 4 INT
ATH - Mitchell Hicks, SR, Brinkley
2,125 total yards (1,037 pass, 1,088 rush), 30 total touchdowns
16 tkl, one TFL, 5 PBU, 3 INT
CLUB
Brody Koch (Photo submitted)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brody Koch, SR, Subiaco Academy
1,921 total yards (91 passing, 1,363 rushing, 477 receiving), 25 total TD
124 tkl, 11 TFL, 3 sck, 3 FR, FF, 2 INT
Nick Finley
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nick Finley, Cutter-Morning Star
Helped the Eagles rebound from a winless season in 2022 to earning six victories and a berth in the semifinals.
QB - Peyton Mills, JR, Cutter-Morning Star
165/272 (61%), 2,433 yds, 32 TD, 83 car, 572 yds, 5 TD
RB - Abram Davis, SR, Fountain Lake
1,288 all-purpose yards (1,000 rushing, 161 receiving, 127 kick return), 17 TD
41 tkl, 10 TFL, 5 sck, 5 QB hurries, FF
RB - Anthony Gehrig, SR, Subiaco Academy
66 tkl, 32 solo, 2 TFL, 8 INT (116 return yards), FR
RB - Iasiah Gray, JR, Parkers Chapel
1,132 total yards, 12 TD, 5 2-pt conversions
RB - Caleb McClure, SR, Genoa Central
1,025 rushing yards, 12 TD
WR - Brayden Reedy, SR, Rose Bud
42 rec, 796 yds, 9 TD
36.5 tkl, TFL, INT
WR - Isaiah Mahone, SR, Cutter-Morning Star
42 receptions, 669 yards, 10 touchdowns, 203 KR yards
50 tkl, 45 solo, 3 TFL, 1 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF
OL - Camarion Raino, Subiaco Academy
Blocked for a Trojan offense that eclipsed 4,200 yards of offense, including 3,100 on the ground.
67 tkl, 8 TFL, 2 sck, FR
OL - Moose Tinkle, SR, Mountain View
Helped the Yellowjackets average seven yards per carry en route to winning back-to-back club division state championships.
91 tkl, 15 TFL, 2 FF
OL - Carter Williams, SR, Corning
Helped pave the way for the Bobcats finishing as state runners-up
DL - Kyle Pinkston, SR, Fountain Lake
59 tkl, 12 TFL, 5 sck, 12 QB hurries, 1 INT, 2 FR, 1 FF
DL - Rush Sullivan, JR, Mountain View
132 tkl, 13 TFL
119 rushing yds, 2 TD, 60 yards receiving
DL - Lukas Whitworth, JR, Corning
68 tkl, 8 sck, FR, 2 PD
LB - Peyton Cartwright, JR, Corning
96 tkl, 7 tfl, 8 sck, 4 PD, 4 FF, FR for 43-yard TD
LB - Brody Koch, SR, Subiaco Academy
LB - Drew Creek, SR, Subiaco Academy
59 tkl, 11 TFL, 4 sck, FF, FR
DB - Jakob Cox, JR, Corning
74 tkl, 4 PD, FR, 8 INT (95 return yards), TD
1,156 total offensive yards (325 rushing, 830 receiving), 18 TD
DB - Chad Russell, SR, Mountain View
55 tkl
642 yards of total offense, 11 TD
ATH - Drew Shelton, SR, Mountain View
1,972 total yds (1,290 passing, 682 rushing), 30 total TD
75 tkl
– Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR
