BOYS: Fayetteville 40, Rogers 34 (Capsule, Stats & Story)

[BarclayAlmanac]

CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BOYS
Saturday, March 14, 4:15 p.m.
Summit Arena, Hot Springs
FAYETTEVILLE VERSUS ROGERS
FAYETTEVILLE BULLDOGS
Head coach: Barry Gebhart
Record: 29-0
State championships: (4) 1987, 1978, 1975, 1948
Road to the Summit: Fayetteville was 14-0 in the 7A-West, received a first-round bye in the state tournament and defeated Fort Smith Southside (69-55) and Cabot (68-51).
Fearless facts: Fayetteville also appeared in state championship games in 2005, losing to West Memphis, 41-38 in overtime, in 1952, losing to Pine Bluff, 43-27, and in 1949, losing to North Little Rock, 43-36. This season, Fayetteville breezed through the West by an average score of 67-46, including 61-46 and 42-35 wins over Rogers. The Triplets of Cable Hogue, Taylor Cochran and Fred Gulley combined to score an average of 41 points per game in league play, and an average of 48 points in the two state tournament wins. Fayetteville is trying to become just the sixth team to go undefeated in the state's largest classification since 1919. Head coach Barry Gebhart, a 1981 graduate of Fayetteville, is 327-159 in 17 seasons as Fayetteville's head coach. Since 1966 when Joe Kretschmar took over at Fayetteville, the Bulldogs have won 862 games or almost 20 wins per year over a span of 44 seasons.
ROGERS MOUNTAINEERS
Head coach: Marty Barnes
Record: 24-5
State championships: (1) 1957
Road to the Summit: The Mountaineers were 10-4 in the 7A-West, finishing second behind Fayetteville. Rogers also received a first-round bye in the state tournament and defeated Springdale (58-48) and Conway (62-53).
Fearless facts: Rogers also lost to Northside and Southside in the same week in addition to losing twice to Fayetteville, but still garnered the second seed from the conference. Behind head coach Marty Barnes' stifling match-up zone defense, Rogers allowed a league-best 35.1 points per game. Only once, in a 61-46 loss to Fayetteville, did the Mountaineers yield more than 46 points in the conference. Aaron Hawley finished second in the conference in scoring with 235 points, or 16.8 points per game. Barnes, a 1968 graduate of Highland, coached at Russellville High for 11 years with a 212-97 record and the state championship in 1985 before coaching at Arkansas Tech for 12 years. He won 231 games at Tech and is second all-time in wins behind only Sam Hindsman. In five years at Rogers, Barnes is 102-39. In Rogers' 1957 Class A state championship, the Mountaineers defeated Marianna in the semifinals before defeating Stephens, 64-49, in the final.

[eyeamaram]

how do i star my own subject to talk about?

[D.C. Dacey]

CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BOYS
Saturday, March 14, 4:15 p.m.
Summit Arena, Hot Springs
FAYETTEVILLE VERSUS ROGERS
FAYETTEVILLE BULLDOGS
Head coach: Barry Gebhart
Record: 29-0
State championships: (4) 1987, 1978, 1975, 1948
Road to the Summit: Fayetteville was 14-0 in the 7A-West, received a first-round bye in the state tournament and defeated Fort Smith Southside (69-55) and Cabot (68-51).
Fearless facts: Fayetteville also appeared in state championship games in 2005, losing to West Memphis, 41-38 in overtime, in 1952, losing to Pine Bluff, 43-27, and in 1949, losing to North Little Rock, 43-36. This season, Fayetteville breezed through the West by an average score of 67-46, including 61-46 and 42-35 wins over Rogers. The Triplets of Cable Hogue, Taylor Cochran and Fred Gulley combined to score an average of 41 points per game in league play, and an average of 48 points in the two state tournament wins. Fayetteville is trying to become just the sixth team to go undefeated in the state's largest classification since 1919. Head coach Barry Gebhart, a 1981 graduate of Fayetteville, is 327-159 in 17 seasons as Fayetteville's head coach. Since 1966 when Joe Kretschmar took over at Fayetteville, the Bulldogs have won 862 games or almost 20 wins per year over a span of 44 seasons.
ROGERS MOUNTAINEERS
Head coach: Marty Barnes
Record: 24-5
State championships: (1) 1957
Road to the Summit: The Mountaineers were 10-4 in the 7A-West, finishing second behind Fayetteville. Rogers also received a first-round bye in the state tournament and defeated Springdale (58-48) and Conway (62-53).
Fearless facts: Rogers also lost to Northside and Southside in the same week in addition to losing twice to Fayetteville, but still garnered the second seed from the conference. Behind head coach Marty Barnes' stifling match-up zone defense, Rogers allowed a league-best 35.1 points per game. Only once, in a 61-46 loss to Fayetteville, did the Mountaineers yield more than 46 points in the conference. Aaron Hawley finished second in the conference in scoring with 235 points, or 16.8 points per game. Barnes, a 1968 graduate of Highland, coached at Russellville High for 11 years with a 212-97 record and the state championship in 1985 before coaching at Arkansas Tech for 12 years. He won 231 games at Tech and is second all-time in wins behind only Sam Hindsman. In five years at Rogers, Barnes is 102-39. In Rogers' 1957 Class A state championship, the Mountaineers defeated Marianna in the semifinals before defeating Stephens, 64-49, in the final.

I'm pretty sure that they won a state championship in the 80's as well. 

[DawgCatcher]

Fayetteville pulls off the DOUBLE HEADER SWEEP!

Boys win 40 - 34

[BarclayAlmanac]

Long ago before it was an issue, Fayetteville head coach Barry Gebhart made the comment that it was unrealistic for a team to go undefeated for an entire season.

"I guess it's been an unreal year," said Gebhart.

Fayetteville culminated a dream season, finishing off a 30-0 season with a 40-34 win over Rogers in the 7A boys state championship game on Saturday.

Fayetteville is just the second team in the state's largest classification to go undefeated since Fort Smith Northside's 30-0 team in 1974. Little Rock Fair in 2000 is the other.

"It's a testament to our guys," Gebhart said. "It's due to their commitment, experience and maturity."

The Bulldogs' win also capped a perfect basketball season as a whole for the school with the girls earlier winning the girls state championship with a 32-0 mark.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment," Gebhart said.

Behind Most Valuable Player Fred Gulley on Saturday, Fayetteville responded to a rare fourth-quarter test on Saturday.

"I don't believe we've been behind in the fourth quarter all year long," Gebhart said. "When (Rogers) cut it down to one, we haven't been in that situation. We told them that there are going to be times in this game when things were going to go (Rogers') way."

Fayetteville led 13-9 after a quarter, 25-19 at the half and increased it to 33-23 after three quarters.

Rogers stalwart Aaron Hawley opened the fourth quarter with a bucket inside, Tanner Kaza scored on a driving bucket, and Hawley added a turnaround jumper that drew Rogers within 33-29 with 5:56 left to play. After Fayetteville missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, Hunter Smeltzer scored on a driving layup, was fouled, and added a free throw for a 33-32 deficit with 5:09 left.

"We cut it back to a one-point game," Rogers head coach Marty Barnes said. "It was a one-possession game most of the fourth quarter."

Gulley answered for Fayetteville on a driving layup with 4:44 left. After an exchange of possessions, Hawley hit two free throws after being fouled by Gulley that was Gulley's fourth foul with 3:23 left.

"We were still up by one, but (Rogers) was going crazy," Gebhart said. "It's still our ball. It's a mental thing, We just needed to go down and execute."

Fayetteville capitalized on its next possession with Gulley hitting two free throws. Rogers committed turnovers on its next two possessions, and Gulley hit another free throw with 45 seconds left to bump the Bulldogs up 38-34. Rogers  missed shots on its next two series.

"We look back at the ifs and what could have been," Barnes said. "We took some shots that needed to be a little better percentage-wise."

Gulley scored 21 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the field, including a pair of treys, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

"Fred's best basketball at Fayetteville high school has been the last three games," Gebhart said. "With what he did in the three state tournament games, I wouldn't trade him for anyone in the state."

Hawley led Rogers with 13 points.

Rogers finished 24-6.

Complete statistics provided by the Henderson State University Sports Information Department may be viewed at: http://fac.hsu.edu/mitchet/livestats/aaa/bk/index.html.

[bbal4life]

Long ago before it was an issue, Fayetteville head coach Barry Gebhart made the comment that it was unrealistic for a team to go undefeated for an entire season.

"I guess it's been an unreal year," said Gebhart.

Fayetteville culminated a dream season, finishing off a 30-0 season with a 40-34 win over Rogers in the 7A boys state championship game on Saturday.

Fayetteville is just the second team in the state's largest classification to go undefeated since Fort Smith Northside's 30-0 team in 1974. Little Rock Fair in 2000 is the other.

"It's a testament to our guys," Gebhart said. "It's due to their commitment, experience and maturity."

The Bulldogs' win also capped a perfect basketball season as a whole for the school with the girls earlier winning the girls state championship with a 32-0 mark.

"It's a tremendous accomplishment," Gebhart said.

Behind Most Valuable Player Fred Gulley on Saturday, Fayetteville responded to a rare fourth-quarter test on Saturday.

"I don't believe we've been behind in the fourth quarter all year long," Gebhart said. "When (Rogers) cut it down to one, we haven't been in that situation. We told them that there are going to be times in this game when things were going to go (Rogers') way."

Fayetteville led 13-9 after a quarter, 25-19 at the half and increased it to 33-23 after three quarters.

Rogers stalwart Aaron Hawley opened the fourth quarter with a bucket inside, Tanner Kaza scored on a driving bucket, and Hawley added a turnaround jumper that drew Rogers within 33-29 with 5:56 left to play. After Fayetteville missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, Hunter Smeltzer scored on a driving layup, was fouled, and added a free throw for a 33-32 deficit with 5:09 left.

"We cut it back to a one-point game," Rogers head coach Marty Barnes said. "It was a one-possession game most of the fourth quarter."

Gulley answered for Fayetteville on a driving layup with 4:44 left. After an exchange of possessions, Hawley hit two free throws after being fouled by Gulley that was Gulley's fourth foul with 3:23 left.

"We were still up by one, but (Rogers) was going crazy," Gebhart said. "It's still our ball. It's a mental thing, We just needed to go down and execute."

Fayetteville capitalized on its next possession with Gulley hitting two free throws. Rogers committed turnovers on its next two possessions, and Gulley hit another free throw with 45 seconds left to bump the Bulldogs up 38-34. Rogers  missed shots on its next two series.

"We look back at the ifs and what could have been," Barnes said. "We took some shots that needed to be a little better percentage-wise."

Gulley scored 21 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the field, including a pair of treys, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.

"Fred's best basketball at Fayetteville high school has been the last three games," Gebhart said. "With what he did in the three state tournament games, I wouldn't trade him for anyone in the state."

Hawley led Rogers with 13 points.

Rogers finished 24-6.

Complete statistics provided by the Henderson State University Sports Information Department may be viewed at: http://fac.hsu.edu/mitchet/livestats/aaa/bk/index.html.

Great story-book ending for Fayetteville - congrats on a superb year.  Rogers should be proud to have had the game so close at the end.  Fred Gulley is the best player in the state of Arkansas hands down!  Both he and AJ Walton will be exciting players to watch in D-1 next year!!  Good job!

[Quite Frankly]

Fayetteville finishes 30-0
Rogers finishes 24-6

                   1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Fayetteville  13  12    8    7   40
Rogers          9    10     4   11   34

FAYETTEVILLE
Player   FG 3FG FT Reb  A  F Pts
Haydar, Kikko * 0-2 0-2 2-3 2 1 2 2
Gulley, Fred * 6-12 2-4 7-8 3 0 4 21
Cochran, Taylor * 1-5 1-4 2-2 0 2 3 5
Hogue, Cable * 3-6 0-0 4-6 7 1 3 10
Nobel, Adam  * 1-2 0-0 0-0 5 0 0 2
Young, Corben   0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Baxter, Jacob  0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 2 0

ROGERS
Player   FG 3FG FT Reb  A  F Pts
Smeltzer, Hunter * 1-2 0-0 1-1 0 0 2 3
Caton, Casey  * 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 2 0
Hawley, Aaron * 4-14 0-2 5-6 6 1 2 13
Jeffs, Chad * 4-5 0-0 0-1 7 0 4 8
Kaza, Tanner * 3-5 0-0 0-0 3 1 3 6
Parker, Graham  1-5 0-0 2-6 2 2 4 4

Attendance 6,008  Arena record for State Finals

Fearless Friday congratulates Fayetteville on a perfect season.