College teams bring title chase to town
ARKANSAS TECH WONDER BOYS (8-3)
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.—Arkansas Tech looks to defeat Pittsburg State for the first time in 78 years.
The Wonder Boys (8-3) face the Gorillas (7-4) in the Agent Barry Live United Bowl Saturday at noon at Arkansas High School’s Razorback Stadium.
The last time Arkansas Tech defeated Pittsburg State was a 25-13 win in Russellville, Ark., in 1939. The Gorillas defeated the Wonder Boys in the last meeting of the teams in 1986.
Arkansas Tech finished tied with Harding for second in the Great American Conference behind Ouachita Baptist University (9-2). The Wonder Boys have enjoyed three consecutive winning seasons going back to 2015.
Raymond Monica is Arkansas Tech’s head coach and has a record of 26-9 going back to 2015.
“We are very excited as a university to play in the Agent Barry Live United
Bowl, and we are excited about getting to Texarkana,” Monica said. “Our game preparation is the same. So far this week, we practiced Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and we will practice in Texarkana on Thursday.”
Junior inside linebacker K.J. Reid is from Texarkana, Ark., and played high school football at Texas High, where he earned three letters for the Tigers. Reid has racked up 102 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, a pair of forced fumbles and an interception this season for the Wonder Boys.
Reid was named to the 2017 All-GAC first team and is Arkansas Tech’s leading tackler.
Arkansas Tech has totaled 2,479 yards of rushing and 2,302 yards through the air so far this season. The Wonder Boys score an average of 40.6 points per game and have given up just 18.3 points per contest.
Junior running back Bryan Allen leads Tech in rushing with 814 yards on 161 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per touch. Allen has scored eight touchdowns.
Senior running back Braden Stringer is second on the team in rushing with 755 yards on 89 totes. Stringer averages 8.5 yards per carry and has nine TDs.
The Wonder Boys average 225 yards of rushing per game.
Leading the passing attack is senior quarterback Ty Reasnor. Reasnor has hit on 186 of 289 passes this season for 2,271 yards and 19 touchdowns. Reasnor averages 206.5 yards of passing per game.
Catching many of Reasnor’s passes is junior wide receiver Jakcob Dean. Dean is the Wonder Boys’ leading receiver with 50 snags for 594 yards and three TDs.
Second on the team in receiving is senior Tevin McKenzie who has made 34 grabs for 478 yards and six touchdowns. Junior receiver J.V. Davis has 30 catches for 306 yards and four TDs for the Wonder Boys.
“We’ve been very balanced on offense in running and throwing the ball,” Monica said. “I give Pittsburg State a lot of credit on the defensive side of the ball. They have many all-conference players on that side of the ball.
“Pittsburg State has done a great job in running the football, and we will have to make sure that our guys keep to their responsibilities. They run a lot of option football.”
Junior rover Cua’ Rose is second on the team in tackles with 76 stops and leads Arkansas Tech in interceptions with five. Teammate Jordan Hill, a junior free safety, is third with 57 tackles.
Opponents have averaged 160.5 rushing yards and 190.5 yards of passing against the Wonder Boys’ defense this season.
The three losses for ATU this season were determined by 4, 1, and 7 points against Ouachita Baptist, Arkansas-Monticello and Harding, respectively.
Saturday’s game marks the first postseason game between Arkansas Tech and Pittsburg State.
The bowl selection is the 11th time in the 103-season history of Wonder Boys football that Arkansas Tech has earned a place in the postseason.
The Wonder Boys appeared in the Rice Bowl in 1957 and 1958, the Great Southwest Bowl in 1960 and the AIC Bowl in 1968. Arkansas Tech qualified for the NAIA National Playoffs in 1971 and 1994 and earned a place in the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 1999, 2004 and 2009.
Arkansas Tech’s most recent postseason appearance was a 51-35 win over Eastern New Mexico University in the 2015 C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl. The Wonder Boys have an all-time postseason football record of 5-8.