Bryant seniors lead annual Super Team
The third annual Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Super Team was released recently and for the second year in a row, the now three-time 7A champion Bryant Hornets lead the team with four selections.
The 27-member Super Team is loaded with seniors who excelled during the 2020 high school football season that wrapped up in late December. Last year the entire team was made up of seniors but this year there are four juniors that join 23 seniors.
Leading the way is Bryant senior quarterback Austin Ledbetter, who was the starting quarterback for the Hornets over the last two years and went 26-0, leading them to their third straight Class 7A state championship, In his senior year, Ledbetter was 173 of 268 for 3,108 yards and 41 touchdowns while only throwing five interceptions. He also ran 44 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Ledbetter, who signed with the University of Arkansas to play baseball, finished his career at Bryant as the school’s all-time leading passer in yards (6,946) and touchdown passes (88).
The two running backs named to the team are Dumas senior Kylin James and Pulaski Academy junior Joe Himon. James was the state’s leading rusher in 2020 as he ran for 2,425 yards and 26 touchdowns. He has signed with UCA. Himon ran for 1,925 yards and 23 touchdowns while he also racked up 1,068 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
The two wide receivers chosen are Conway senior Bryce Bohanon and Bryant senior Hayden Schrader. Bohanon caught 66 passes for 1,459 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has signed with
Tulane. Schrader hauled in 70 passes for 1,441 yards and 20 touchdowns as he was the top target for Ledbetter.
The sole tight end selected is Jonesboro senior Connor Clark, who hauled in 75 receptions for 1,004 yards and seven touchdowns. He has signed with UCA.
The offensive linemen named to the team are seniors Terry Well of Wynne, Jayden Williams of Conway, Makilan Thomas of Little Rock Central and Sam Widmer of Shiloh Christian while Jack Struebing of Springdale Har-ber is the lone junior.
Wells and Williams are both headed to the SEC next fall as Wells has signed with Arkansas and Williams signed with Ole Miss. Thomas is headed to Arkansas State.
Defensive linemen selected were seniors Jordan Hanna of Greenwood, Rodricho Martin of Bryant and DJ Withers of Joe T. Robinson, along with junior Braxton Johnson of North Little Rock
Hanna had a whopping 139 tackles and 13 sacks for the Bulldogs and will be attending Arkansas as a preferred walk-on. Martin had 50 tackles and eight sacks. Johnson had 68 tackles and eight sacks and Withers had 13 sacks. Withers has signed with Kansas.
Linebackers selected are seniors Futa Shinkawa of Pulaski Academy, Cole Joyce of Bentonville and Marco Avant of Jonesboro.
Shinkawa had 124 tackles with 6.5 sacks. Joyce racked up 102 tackles and has signed with Central Florida. Avant had 90 tackles with four sacks and is headed to Arkansas.
Defensive backs chosen are seniors Ty Dugger of Harding Academy, Josiah Johnson of Pulaski Academy and Dreyden Norwood of Fort Smith Northside along with junior Jayden Jasna of Greenwood.
Dugger was a force on both sides of the ball for the Wildcats as he lined up at receiver as well. Johnson led his team with 161 tackles. Norwood signed with Texas A&M.
Bryant senior Brock Funk was selected as the state’s top placekicker. He was 70 of 76 on extra points and made 5 of 6 on field goals. He has signed with UCA North Little Rock senior Liam Selhorst was named the state’s top punter. Selhorst averaged 39 yards a punt while also handling the placekicking duties for the Charging Wildcats
Mountain Home senior Logen Walker was selected as the top kick returner. He had 1,210 kick return yards, averaging over 100 yards per game He also had 46 receptions for 861 yards, and 10 touchdowns, setting the Bombers’ single-season school record for receiving.
Two players were picked for the All-purpose slots, both seniors and both quarterbacks.
Rivercrest’s Kam Turner completed 154 of 243 passes for 3,039 yards and 38 touchdowns to go with 199 carries for 1,762 yards and 24 touchdowns. Turner also had a 73-yard touchdown reception, racked up 75 tackles on defense while he picked off four passes and returned three fumbles for touchdowns. He even returned one punt for a touchdown.
Landon Rogers of Little Rock Parkview managed the Patriots offense by running and passing. He scored 28 touchdowns, 22 rushing and six passing. He has signed to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks.