Frazier is busy trying to lead one-loss Shiloh Christian to another Class 4A state championship. Allen is occupied with hopes of leading 4-2-1 Fayetteville to a 7A-West Conference title. And all the while, they’re each dealing with the daily demands of an already exhaustive recruiting process.

The situation is simply unprecedented in Northwest Arkansas. Forget the personal connection between Allen and Frazier for a moment. All of the country’s top college head coaches, offensive coordinators and quarterbacks coaches have sent letters or visited the area. And they haven’t contacted one quarterback over the other. Most want to sway both of them.

“I can’t recall a time when two quarterbacks in the same class were as good as Brandon and Kiehl,” Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. “They’re different quarterbacks, but they both have unbelievable God-given ability and talent. To have both of those kids here in the area, and maybe both go to Arkansas, I think you could be set at that position for a long time.”

Top Of The Class

Even in recent years, the state of Arkansas has sent quality quarterbacks to stand out at Division I schools.

Mitch Mustain of Springdale started for the Razorbacks as a freshman and has since moved on to USC. Kodi Burns of Fort Smith headed to Auburn before switching to wide receiver. Ryan Mallett spent many of his childhood years in Lincoln before becoming the Hogs’ current signal caller.

But as Patton said, it’s hard to remember a time when two quarterbacks of that caliber entered college at the same time. Especially two who look the part of a pro-style quarterback the way Allen and Frazier do. They both stand 6-foot-3, and Frazier weighs only seven pounds heavier (212) than Allen (205).

“It’s the best Division I quarterback class that I’ve ever seen,” said Dudley Dawson, recruiting editor for Hawgs Illustrated. “That’s including Allen, Frazier, (Dumas quarterback Darion) Griswold and a couple others. That said, Brandon and Kiehl are right at the top of it.”

Dawson said Allen and Frazier each possess the physical talents and mental attributes needed to impress any school. Their respective willingness to improve on identified weaknesses has helped them on two fronts, Dawson said.

On the field. And in the minds of college coaches.

“Kiehl has shown so much development since last year,” Dawson said. “He used to be a guy that just got stuff done with his feet and flung the ball. He’s turned into a guy who has pinpoint accuracy and great footwork, and he’s certainly a dual-threat quarterback.”

Dawson also lauded Allen’s improved mobility and throwing accuracy.

“He can make any of the throws,” Dawson said. “He has the strongest arm of the top three, and he certainly has shed the label this year that he has no mobility. He’s run for tons of yards and he runs hard.”

The fact Dawson described different flaws and different improvements for Allen and Frazier proves that — despite their similar builds — these really are two different quarterbacks.

Mentally, however, they each revealed this offseason they could learn from criticism and develop as leaders.

Getting Better

The interceptions piled up fast for Allen in 2008.

He threw 20 of them, in fact, and Patton and Fayetteville offensive coordinator Jared McBride could only grimace as Allen continued to struggle down the stretch. But both coaches could see glimpses of greatness. Allen still tossed 30 touchdowns and showed off a powerful arm that resulted in a plethora of dropped passes.

So this summer, Allen worked daily on his footwork and decision-making with McBride — a former UA quarterback. Patton has seen vast improvement, and Allen admitted he’s “making better decisions than ever.”

“Brandon’s done a great job of stepping up in the pocket, relying less on his feet and trusting his receivers,” Patton said. “Last year, it seemed like he was a little gun-shy every time something didn’t look right. He’d move his feet and lose track of his receivers down the field.”

“He’s much better at not forcing the football and at throwing it away, as well.”

Allen’s offseason commitment has resulted in a massive turnaround in his touchdown-to-interception ratio. He has 18 touchdowns to only three interceptions this season.

McBride also commented that Allen’s demeanor has changed as a junior. Surrounded by many seniors last season, Allen deferred his role as a leader for the Bulldogs. Now, he doesn’t hold back — not as much, at least.

“He’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around,” Patton said. “He’s a winner and has great confidence in his abilities, but he’s not one of those ‘look-at-me’ kind of guys who draws attention to himself. The kids would go through brick walls for him. Brandon doesn’t speak a lot, but when he does speak, it’s like dropping 1,000 bricks. Everyone pays attention.”

Frazier has evolved in a similar way this season, Shiloh Christian coach Josh Floyd said, but his quarterback still remains pretty subdued during games.

That quiet confidence has stemmed from Frazier’s offseason regimen that took place just as much inside as outside. Frazier spent countless hours over the summer in front of a TV, watching film from last season when he split time with David Matthews.

“I didn’t really know all that was going on last year,” Frazier said. “I knew I had to get better chemistry with my receivers.”

Floyd said Frazier learned from his mistakes and has nearly mastered the Saints’ offense, allowing him to identify his reads much quicker. Too often last season, Frazier simply scrambled for yardage — partly because he could, partly because he gave up on his receivers.

But Frazier appears in complete control now, which has helped during tense situations, Floyd said.

“The thing with Kiehl that I love is he’s very calm,” Floyd said. “The game could be on the line and he may be smiling, but he’s not bothered by things. He’s not a Tim Tebow who goes around yelling at his teammates, but at the same time, he’s directing the offense and he knows where every person is supposed to go.

“That wasn’t the case last year. Last year, he just tried to make sure what he was supposed to do.”

In It Together

Maybe these two quarterbacks have found it so easy to relate because of their similarities, exemplified by their persistent work in the offseason. Floyd and Patton each used the word “humble” several times during interviews to describe their quarterbacks.

Allen and Frazier both expressed genuine admiration and respect when asked to tell their impressions of the other. And that’s certainly part of what has excited college recruiters.

The process has been intriguing thus far, to be sure, not that the two quarterback buddies have discussed their recruiting dramas much.

“We don’t really talk about football,” Frazier said. “We just talk about girls and school and stuff like that. Every now and then, I’ll ask him where he likes and wants to go, and he’ll do the same. But that’s not what we’re interested in right now.”

Frazier has received seven scholarship offers — the biggest names being Arkansas, Auburn and Miami — and should get plenty more. In fact, he took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame last Saturday. Meanwhile, Allen has only one offer — from Arkansas — as schools seem scared off by the fact his father, Bobby, is an assistant coach for the Razorbacks.

They have spoken in the past about the possibility of suiting up together for the Hogs — and subsequently, competing against each other. For now, however, they don’t see one another as quarterbacks competing for scholarships, despite the endless comparisons.

Allen and Frazier view themselves as friends, simple as that. Frazier even said he wanted to challenge Allen at his favorite video game — NCAA Football 2010.

“It’s nice to be able to talk to Kiehl about other stuff, regular stuff, you know,” Allen said. “One day, we’ll get into all the college talk a lot, I’m sure. But neither of us has wanted to. And that’s fine with me.”

Frazier was 12-of-14 for 231 yards and also added a rushing touchdown for the Saints (6-1, 4-0 4A-1). Frazier hit Jon Hawes on scoring tosses of 25 and 37 yards, while Chris Bryant caught a 29-yard TD pass and Colin Self caught a 15 yarder.

Caleb Ramsey scored two rushing touchdowns for the Pioneers (2-5, 1-3), while completing 7-of-16 for 184 yards.

Elkins 13, Mountainburg 8

Elkins made a two-touchdown halftime lead stand up in a 3A-1 Conference home win over Mountainburg.

Weston Curry scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter to help the Elks (3-3, 2-2 3A-1) to a 7-0 lead. Later in the quarter Robert Teague connected with Blake Bailey on a 10-yard scoring strike to increase the margin to 13-0 at the half.

After a scoreless third quarter, Mountainburg (2-5, 2-2) scored to cut the deficit to 13-8, but the Elks held on from there.

CAC 26, Siloam Springs 24

Bryan Adair threw for three touchdowns, but overthrew a receiver in the end zone for the game-tying two-point conversion as Siloam Springs remained winless in 5A-West Conference play Friday.

Adair connected with Chris Villasenor on a 19-yard touchdown pass as time ran out to pull Siloam (3-4, 0-4 in 5A-West). But he and the Panthers, who trailed 26-10 with 8 minutes, 4 seconds left in the game, couldn’t force overtime.

Adair completed 29 of 48 passes for 356 yards, but also threw an interception which was returned for a touchdown. He threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Stuart Cifuentes and a 5-yarder to Cody Noble in the fourth quarter. Adair also had a two-point conversion pass to Cifuentes.

Huntsville 21, Pea Ridge 7

Huntsville rallied past Pea Ridge to even its 4A-1 Conference mark at home.

The Eagles (3-4, 2-2 4A-1) got on the board first on a Phillip Hoskins 5-yard run. After Pea Ridge (1-6, 0-4) tied the game at 7-7 in the third quarter, the Eagles took the lead for good on a short touchdown run by Wilson Phillips. The score was set up by a 44-yard run on fourth and one by Hoskins.

Huntsville ended the scoring on a 50-yard pass from Hoskins to Shannon Wilcutt.

Prairie Grove 41, Berryville 12

PRAIRIE GROVE — Quarterback Chad Austin ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead Prairie Grove past Berryville in 4A-1 Conference play Friday.

Prairie Grove (2-5, 2-2 4A-1) led 28-6 at halftime and cruised to the win. Thomas Soehner rushed for 154 yards on only 11 carries and two touchdowns in just a half for the Tigers. Soehner did not play in the second half because of a hand injury.

Quarterback Eric Holman threw a pair of touchdown passes to Ryan Nance for Berryville (1-5-1, 0-4).

Republic, Mo. 27, McDonald County, Mo. 22

Republic’s Tyan Sifferman scored his fourth touchdown of the night with 2 minutes, 12 seconds left in the game to lift the Tigers past McDonald County on Friday night.

Sifferman ran for 283 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns for Republic (3-5).

John Graham’s two-point conversion run gave McDonald County (1-7) a 22-21 lead with 10 minutes left in the game. Graham also had 50-yard touchdown run on an end around.

Kilby Shockley led the Mustands with 120 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown, while teammate Nelson Boyd added 115 yards on 22 carries and a score. Boyd’s 1-yard touchdown run pulled McDonald County within a point in the fourth quarter.

McDonald County plays at Branson next week beginning at 7 p.m.

Cedarville 21, Lincoln 6

LINCOLN — The Cedarville Pirates put a damper on Lincoln’s homecoming festivities.

Cedarville’s Blake Morton scrambled 26 yards to put Cedarville up 7-0.

The Wolves (1-6, 0-4 3A-1) retaliated just over two minutes later when Bao Nguyen ran 47 yards for the score. The PAT was no good and Lincoln trailed 7-6.

The second half belonged to the Pirates (2-5, 1-3), scoring on their initial drive of the third quarter to go up 13-6, and later added another touchdown.

— WASHINGTON COUNTY PRESS-ENTERPRISE

JUNIOR HIGH FOOTBALL

Springdale Southwest 24, Rogers Heritage 21

Eighth-grade Brian Lemus hit a field goal with less than a minute left to lift Southwest past Heritage on Thursday night.

Dalton Clinkscales’ second touchdown, this one coming on a long run, tied the game at 21.

Quarterback Casey Paraday threw for two scores, including one to Clinkscales, for a 13-0 Southwest lead. He threw another to David Karr.

“Their quarterback did a good job,” Floyd said. “We had a hard time covering their receivers.”

Shook’s run capped a quick six-play drive that covered 62 yards in 62 seconds. Shook hit Stephen Hogan for 12 yards to begin the drive, and hit Harris for 20 to Shiloh Christian’s 30. On second down, Shook scrambled to Shiloh Christian’s 10 with 34 seconds left, and scored two plays later.

Shiloh Christian went up 51-48 with 1:14 left with a spectacular 18-play drive that covered 92 yards and took seven minutes, five seconds. Frazier completed 7-of-10 passes on the drive, finally hitting Chris Bryant out of the backfield for a 5-yard touchdown play. Shiloh Christian converted two third-down plays and two fourth-down attempts on the drive.

Both offenses traversed up and down the field with both quarterbacks putting on an aerial show.

Shook completing 28-of-40 passes for 463 yards and six touchdowns, including 8-of-10 for 217 yards in the third quarter, bringing Greenwood from a 31-28 halftime deficit. Harris had eight catches for 229 yards and four touchdowns.

Frazier completed 34-of-55 passes for 496 yards and six touchdowns, including 17 of 28 for 327 yards and four scores in the first half when Shiloh Christian threatened to run away from the Bulldogs. Bryant caught 10 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns, Zann Jones had 10 receptions for 106 yards and Jake Scott eight catches for 116 yards and three scores.

Kickers Austin Hartness of Greenwood and Trevor Tumlinson consistently put kicks into the end zone, but that did little to slow down the offense. Nine times, the teams went at least 80 yards on scoring drives.

Billed as a shootout, the game was certainly that from the start with five touchdowns in the first quarter when Frazier threw for 199 yards and three scores, and four more scores in the second quarter.

GREENWOOD 54, SHILOH CHRISTIAN 51

Shiloh Christian    21    10    13    7    —    51
Greenwood    14    14    20    6    —    54
First Quarter
Green — Parker 9 pass from Shook (Hartness kick), 9:37
Shil — Bryant 3 pass from Frazier (Tumlinson kick), 7:44
Green — Harris 22 pass from Shook (Hartness kick), 3:09
Shil — Bryant 55 pass from Frazier (Tumlinson kick), 2:05
Shil — Scott 10 pass from Frazier (Tumlinson kick), 0:53
Second Quarter
Shil — Scott 20 pass from Frazier (Tumlinson kick), 9:17
Green — Hogan 16 pass from Shook (Hartness kick), 7:37
Shil — FG Tumlinson 41, 4:21
Green — Sandifer 9 run (Hartness kick), 1:01
Third Quarter
Green — Harris 77 pass from Shook (Hartness kick), 11:20
Shil — Frazier 13 run (Tumlinson kick), 7:42
Green — Harris 21 pass from Shook (Hartness kick), 5:05
Shil — Scott 20 pass from Frazier (kick blocked), 3:36
Green — Harris 42 pass from Shook (pass failed), 2:08
Fourth Quarter
Shil — Bryant 5 pass from Frazier (Tumlinson kick), 1:14
Green — Shook 3 run (kick failed), 0:23

Shil    Green
First Downs    30    25
Rushes-Yards    37-142    27-92
Passing Yards    498    463
Comp-Att-Int    35-56-3    28-40-0
Punts        3-32.3    4-41.7
Fumbles-Lost    4-0    3-2
Penalties-Yards    6-50    4-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Shiloh Christian, Bryant 10-56, Frazier 16-36, Harper 7-32, Huett 3-21, TEAM 1-(minus 3). Greenwood, Shook 9-56, Green 8-31, Sandifer 4-13, Vota 1-2, TEAM 1-(minus 1), Harris 1-(minus 5), Smith 2-(minus 4), McCraney 1-(minus 5).
PASSING—Shiloh Christian, Frazier 34-55-3-496, Huett 1-1-0-26. Greenwood, Shook 28-40-0-463.
RECEIVING—Shiloh Christian, Bryant 10-169, Jones 10-106, Scott 8-116, Harper 3-40, Hawes 2-71, Self 1-5, Schisler 1-1. Greenwood, Harris 8-229, Hogan 5-67, Sandifer 5-38, Parker 3-69, Green 3-12, Vota 2-25, Bl.Hasley 2-23.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.

SPRINGDALE — At first glance, he appeared severely out of place.

The chiseled 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior has features more in line with those in Reynolds Razorback Stadium than Champions Stadium. He clearly stands out as a man among a throng of boys.

Mitchell Roberts hopes his play this fall is as impressive as his physical stature. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be really special.

But first, he has to avoid injuries, which have proved costly to Roberts in each of the past two seasons. He was hurt early in the Class 3A 2007 state championship game against Glen Rose and the Saints ultimately lost in overtime.

Last year, he battled mononucleosis early in the season and missed several games, then fought through a knee injury. He finally healed later in the season and his return keyed the Saints’ run to the Class 4A state title.

“Mitchell’s a guy that’s an emotional leader for us on defense,” Saints coach Josh Floyd said. “He’s one of those guys who makes a lot of big plays at his position.”

While the Saints’ offense gets most of the attention, it’s the defense that really should get the credit for the team’s success. While Shiloh scored an average of 55 points per game in 2008, the numbers posted by the defense were equally impressive. Remove the 47 points scored by Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian in the opener, when Roberts was out of the lineup, and the Saints allowed just 52 points the rest of the way.

Of that total, 20 points were scored by Class 5A state finalist Greenwood and 14 by Gravette, a team that reached the Class 4A semifinals in 2007.

The Saints are favored to repeat in 2009, but often the hardest accomplishment in sports is duplicating a title run. The Saints found that out in 2007 when they lost in overtime to Glen Rose in War Memorial Stadium despite being heavily favored as the defending 3A champs.

“There is definitely a lot of expectations that our kids have,” Floyd said. “A lot of those leaders are back, which is a great thing, but it’s also a big target on your chest. We know a lot of people are going to be gunning for us, but our guys are excited about it and they’ve tried to take the necessary steps to try and defend it.”

Roberts said the team is focused on this year, not last year.

“We haven’t even talked about (repeating),” said Roberts, who has drawn several scholarship offers from Division-I schools. “We’re not trying to dwell on the past. We want another one.”

Junior Kiehl Frazier said the Saints are up to the task. The 6-2, 210-pound quarterback said the pressure of winning is part of the Shiloh tradition.

“Shiloh is kind of used to the pressure because there are always accusations and stuff and people are always aiming for Shiloh, so it’s kind of the same as every year,” Frazier said. “We just have to play like we can.”

While a healthy Roberts certainly enhances the chances of a repeat, Shiloh’s defensive line, anchored by massive Samuel Harvill, often stuffs opponents’ offenses before they can pass the line of scrimmage.

Harvill, with his face painted black and jersey unable to contain bulging biceps, is intimidating, no doubt. While most key defenders often garner double-teams, even that ploy often proved futile as Harvill’s 530-pound bench press allows the 6-0, 260-pounder to toss even two defenders to the side.

That means sometimes three players are assigned to block Harvill, which frees up the other 10 Saints to outman the eight remaining offensive players. But don’t think Harvill just spends time doing the tango with outmanned offensive linemen. His 16 sacks and 96 tackles in 2008 would be a nice career for a lot of prep players.

Shiloh, barring a rash of injuries, will again make a long playoff run that is likely to end up in Little Rock. Depth could be an issue and the Saints are again playing a very tough nonconference schedule that includes Evangel, Greenwood and Tulsa (Okla.) Lincoln Christian — all three teams that reached state title games in 2008.

“We’ve got to replace some guys in the secondary,” Floyd said. “We don’t have quite the depth in the secondary and the D-line that we had last year, but as far as our main guys, they are back, so we’re excited about that.”

Wilson Huett is back to lead the secondary after picking off seven passes in 2008 before teams finally quit throwing his way. Jake Scott and Garrett Harper are also keys to the secondary.

Several of the Saints remember the sting of the one-point loss to Glen Rose in 2007 and don’t want to see a repeat of that. The euphoria of winning the school’s fifth title in 11 years is what the players want to experience again.

“We all remember the feeling of what it was like after that game, so we’re wanting it again,” Roberts said. “We’re all set on this year, we’re not worried about last year.”

SPRINGDALE — As expected, Monday night’s season-opening scrimmage between Fayetteville and Shiloh Christian was one-sided. (see the related photo gallery)

What wasn’t expected was the way Shiloh dominated its Class 7A opponent in Champions Stadium.

The Saints, ranked as high as No. 8 in one national poll, simply ran over the Purple’Dogs in the first two quarters of the modified game. Shiloh had five possessions in the opening half and scored touchdowns on each one in racking up a 35-3 advantage, although no official score was kept.

Shiloh so thoroughly dominated Fayetteville that even the Saints’ backups scored more times than Fayetteville in the first half.

Shiloh coach Josh Floyd said lining up against the much-larger Bulldogs was “a little intimidating,” but credited his team for showing poise early on.

“I think the games we’ve played in the past — like (Shreveport, La.) Evangel (Christian) and Greenwood — I think that helped us not get shook up,” Floyd said. “But a lot of that starts with the quarterback. Kiehl (Frazier) is very calm and I thought he was very commanding of the offense; just went out there and took control.”

Shiloh moved the ball easily behind its huge offensive line. Frazier, a junior, hit a variety of receivers, but he put the Saints on the board with his legs on a nifty 51-yard keeper through the heart of the Fayetteville defense.

Frazier played most of the first half and finished with 63 yards on four carries. Frazier was 8 of 10 passing for 94 yards and two touchdowns before departing for the sideline with just under 5 minutes left in the half.

Fayetteville’s first drive was its most productive, but ended without a score as junior Brandon Allen’s 40-yard scamper to the Shiloh 1 was negated by an illegal procedure penalty. The Bulldogs’ only score of the first half came on a 38-yard field goal by Will Rosteck.

Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton gave the Saints credit for being more prepared.

“No. 1, Shiloh’s got a very good ballclub,” Patton said. “Very talented. We may not see a bigger offensive line and better offensive unit than we saw tonight. They are very good.

“No. 2, it was a scrimmage and game planning is a huge part of it and I think we could have done a better job at game planning, but I did not put that pressure on the coaches. I’ll take the blame for that.”

While Frazier draws most of the spotlight for Shiloh, it was Garrett Harper that did most of the damage for the Saints, rushing for 141 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown.

Shiloh’s backups added its final score of the first half as reserve quarterback Wilson Huett hit Collin Self on a 14-yard touchdown pass just before the break.

“Garrett just has a lot of speed and he was able to get into the open and make some plays,” Floyd said. “And we were glad to get Wilson in there to get some reps.”

Allen, who like Frazier has been offered a scholarship by Arkansas, finished the first half 24-of-38 for 175 yards. He came out of the break and led the Bulldogs to a score, going 6-of-6 on the drive for 57 yards and a set up Dylan Hale’s short touchdown with a 14-yard keeper.

At A Glance

Big 6 Scrimmage Schedule

Today
Siloam Springs at Springdale 6:30 p.m.

Thursday
Russellville at Rogers Heritage 6 p.m.

Friday
North Little Rock at Rogers High 6 p.m.
Bentonville at Tulsa 7 p.m.
Springdale Har-Ber at Tulsa 7 p.m.

SPRINGDALE — Springdale High interim coach Dennis Debusk was happy with the improvement the Bulldogs made this week, but wasn’t pleased with a few things Friday night.

During an intrasquad scrimmage at Springdale’s Pigskin Preview, the Bulldogs had one too many fumbles, leaving Debusk unhappy with his team’s effort.

“I’m a running backs coach, I certainly don’t like it when we fumble the ball,” Debusk said. “That’s something we’re going to get corrected, I can promise you that.”

For the most part, Debusk said the offense improved as a whole, from the offensive line’s pass blocking to the receivers catching passes on a consistent basis. Debusk also said junior quarterback Joseph Calcagni has made significant progress throughout the last two weeks.

“He’s doing a great job,” Debusk said. “From practices, I think he’s ready to see some good competition, and I guess we’ll find that out Tuesday night.”

The Bulldogs will host Siloam Springs in a preseason scrimmage, which begins at 6 p.m. in Jarrell Williams Bulldog Stadium.

Wood Pleased With Consistency

SPRINGDALE — Throughout the last week, Springdale Har-Ber coach Chris Wood wanted to challenge his offense by seeing how often they could score against Har-Ber’s first-team defense.

It wasn’t as often as he would have liked.

Wood said the Wildcats’ defense made significant progress this week and often showed why they’ll be a key factor in helping Har-Ber be successful this season.

“We wanted to see our offense do a little more than they did, but at the same time, it was good to see our defense step up and make some plays,” Wood said. “Overall, I’m happy with where we’re at, but I think there are still a couple of areas we can work on.”

During Friday’s Pigskin Preview, both senior running back Tre Tyler and senior receiver Josh McKinney didn’t participate, but only as a precaution.

Tyler “tweaked his knee” earlier this week and McKinney currently has a bruised ankle. Both players will take it easy for the rest of the week, Wood said.

“Right now, we don’t want those guys to get hurt worse or anything,” Wood said. “They’ll both be back for the first week of the season, so we’re just keeping them out as a precaution.”

Wood said he hadn’t decided whether or not either player will participate Friday when Har-Ber travels to Tulsa to compete in Tulsa Union’s Vype Gridiron Classic.

Purple’Dogs Set For Scrimmage

FAYETTEVILLE — With its season opener only a week away, Fayetteville gets an early test when it travels to Springdale to face Shiloh Christian in a scrimmage on Monday night.

The last time the two teams faced off was in a 7-on-7 contest last month, a game Fayetteville won in the closing seconds.

Shiloh won the Class 4A state title last season and returns several key players, including junior quarterback Kiehl Frazier.

The Purple’Dogs, who open in Little Rock against Central on Aug. 30, also enter the scrimmage with a standout junior quarterback of their own. Brandon Allen threw for 30 touchdowns last season as a sophomore and his coach has high expectations for him this season.

“We feel like he’ll be one of the best quarterbacks, not just in our state, but in the nation,” Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. “He’s got a great receiving cast and is very smart at getting rid of the ball quickly.”

No Moonshine

ROGERS — The still has been shutdown in Rogers, at least temporarily.

For the past two seasons, Rogers High ran an offensive set called Moonshine. It featured running back Michael Tibbs moving to quarterback and was similar to what Arkansas did with Darren McFadden.

But Tibbs has graduated and is at the Air Force Academy and coach Ronnie Peacock doesn’t have the personnel to run the formation.

“We won’t run the Moonshine,” Peacock said.

Rogers scrimmaged Saturday in preparation for Friday’s scrimmage with North Little Rock in Mountie Stadium. The first play is set for 7 p.m. North Little Rock is coached by former Mounties assistant Brad Bolding.

New Starter

ROGERS — Rogers Heritage may have a new starter after all.

The War Eagles had 22 starters back in the fold when August drills started but an offensive limeman missed a day of two-a-day practices and that left the door open for Jacob Huckaby.

Huckaby stepped in at left guard for the day and has been in the starting role ever since, said Heritage coach Perry Escalante.

“We had a senior that was starting there but he missed a day of two-a-days,” Escalante said. “Jacob stepped in there and hasn’t give it back. Jacob is very strong and very aggressive.”

Heritage will scrimmage Russellville on Thursday in Gates Stadium on the school’s campus. The first play is scheduled for 6 p.m.

SPRINGDALE — 47-9. Those numbers stick in the craw of the Shiloh Christian Saints like a kick in the gut.

That is how the 2008 season started for the Saints — a 47-9 loss to Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian. Of course the rest of the season was a completely different story as the Saints reeled off 13 straight wins and won the 4A state title 42-18 over Pine Bluff Dollarway.

Still, that opening lopsided loss was tough to swallow despite the storied history that Evangel brings.

But the Saints have a chance to exact a measure of payback as the two teams again meet in the season opener, this time in Champions Stadium. And the Saints are looking forward to the rematch.

“Last year Evangel beat us pretty bad,” Saints coach Josh Floyd said. “It was a tough ballgame for us, but you know they are usually one of the best teams in the country, so we’re trying to see how we compare to those guys.”

Asked if the Saints have the game circled on their calendars, 6-foot-3, 240-pound senior linebacker Mitchell Roberts said, “oh yeah.”

“It’s a big game for sure, it’s a big step for our program getting to play a nationally ranked team,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this year we’ll have a better outcome than we had last year because we are a better, more experienced team.”

The Saints recently lost a little experience and depth at quarterback when junior David Matthews, who split time with junior Kiehl Frazier, left the team. Last season Matthews passed for more than 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns and only one interception.

“We don’t have (Matthews) any more,” Floyd said at the team’s media day Thursday. “He’s not going to play this year.”

Floyd said the Evangel game is likely to be televised and officials are expecting to make that announcement soon. Floyd said the game would likely be moved to Thursday if it is televised.

To Frazier (6-2, 210), who passed for 1,400 yards and ran for almost 1,000, it doesn’t matter when the game is played, he’s just ready to go.

“Our goal is to beat Evangel because last year they took it to us,” he said.

Floyd said the team had good offseason and summer workouts and their focus has been on the opener.

“We feel like if we can go out there and play with them, we can probably play with anybody,” Floyd said. “So our guys are excited, but it’s a huge challenge. I mean they are really good.”

Team Profile

SHILOH CHRISTIAN SAINTS

SPRINGDALE — Kiehl Frazier has made a pretty good habit of protecting his home field.

As a starting quarterback for Shiloh Christian last fall, the sophomore went 8-0 at Champions Stadium and later helped guide the Saints to the Class 4A state championship in December.

On Thursday night, Frazier again showed that when he’s at home, he can’t be beaten.

Frazier won the Top Gun QB1 Quarterback Challenge by finishing with 340 points, only 2 1/2 more points than Harrisburg’s Zach Davis, who finished with 337.5.

Going into Thursday’s final event, the On-The-Move Accuracy Competition, Davis led all competitors with 272 points. But Frazier had an impressive performance, scoring 75 points by hitting several targets to leap past Davis for the overall victory.

Frazier said winning the competition on his home field made the victory even better.

“I had to save my home turf,” said Frazier, who received a scholarship offer from Auburn on June 9. “Me and (teammate David Matthews) kind of kept it quiet, but I mean, in the back of our minds, we wanted to win it.

“In the back of my mind, I was thinking, ‘This is Shiloh, we’ve got to win this.’”

Frazier won Wednesday’s Physical Endurance Test, which included several different drills like the 40-yard-dash, broad jump and vertical jump. He won the weight ball drill and the vertical jump with a leap of 35 inches.

“There were a lot of good quarterbacks here. This may have been the best field overall that I’ve seen,” Shiloh coach Josh Floyd said. “I wasn’t shocked that Kiehl won, because I think he’s a big-time quarterback.”

Davis said he was nervous going into Thursday’s final event and pleased overall that he competed better than he ever expected.

“I didn’t win any events, but I was near the top in everything,” Davis said. “It was cool to come up here and see that I could compete with some of the talented quarterbacks in this area. But I was completely surprised — I mean, finishing in the top 10 and I was 100 percent satisfied.”

Fayetteville’s Brandon Allen, who finished eighth with 252.5 points, won the Deep Throw competition with a toss of 66 yards. Matthews, Shiloh’s other junior quarterback, also won the On-The-Move Accuracy Competition and finished seventh overall with 255 points.

Former Arkansas quarterback Jason Allen, who created the quarterback challenge six years ago, said Frazier’s consistency in every competition was the key to him being the overall champion.

“Kiehl is special, he’s got the running skills, the physical presence,” Allen said. “He’s like a (Southeastern Conference) quarterback, he gets the ball from A to B and he’s a great kid. The scary thing is that he’s only going to be a junior.”

At A Glance

TOP GUN QB1 CHALLENGE

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Kiehl Frazier, Shiloh Christian 340

2. Zach Davis, Harrisburg 337.5

3. Hayden Smith, Warren 320

4. Trey Schucker, Clarksville 272.5

5. Tyler Shook, Greenwood 260

6. Claude Johnson, Pine Bluff 257.5

7. David Matthews, Shiloh Christian 255

8. Brandon Allen, Fayetteville 252.5

9. Logan Quinn, Arkansas Baptist 242.5

10. Benson Jordan, Lake Hamilton 235

COMPETITION RESULTS

Physical Endurance Test

1. Frazier 100

2. Johnson 95

3. Davis 90

Mental Test

1. Shook 82

2. Taylor Bartlett, LR Catholic 80

3. Davis 79

Speed And Mobility

1. Matt Jones, Lamar 14.84

2. Shook 19.19

3. Trey Schucker, Clarksville 19.22

Stationary Accuracy

1. Bartlett 65

2. Joseph Calcagni, Springdale High 55

2. Chris Clinard, Springdale High 55

2. Jordan 55

Long Throw

1. Allen 66

2. Smith 65

3. Johnson 62

On-The-Move Accuracy

1. Matthews 85

2. Smith 75

2. Frazier 75

2. Shook 75

I wrote the other day that if you bring up private schools, you’re sure to spark a debate amongst those who care about high school athletics.
Let me now add that if you want to ignite a wildfire of debate, just write the words “Shiloh Christian” and “recruiting” in the same column.
I did that in Friday’s column, and the response has been as expected.
The Shiloh supporters think I — along with the rest of the world — am against them, and that they’re unfairly being picked on. The Shiloh haters think I defended the Saints program too much.
Which was it? Neither one, of course.
So, let’s clear up a few things about what I wrote for Friday. If you’re on one side or the other of the debate about private schools and recruiting, this isn’t likely to change your mind about anything.
However, it might just give you a better understanding of where the column came from and why I wrote about the issue.
First, let’s make something clear about what I wrote on Friday. I have no problem with Shiloh, and many of my friends have either coached or went to school there. And to be very candid with you, there was a time when my wife and I considered sending our children to school there.
We eventually decided against it for private reasons, but it’s safe to say they were reasons that had nothing to do with athletics — considering my oldest is 7 and my youngest turns 5 next month.
In fact, what I wrote in Friday’s newspaper didn’t offer up any of my own opinions about Shiloh. Go back and read what I wrote closely, and you’ll see all it did was discuss openly what many others on either side of the debate think.
That is, you’ll see that if you are willing to forgo whatever side of the debate you fall on for a few moments and read objectively.
I wrote what I did for Friday not because I’m the one bringing up the private school recruiting debate once again. I wrote what I did because Kiehl Frazier’s transfer from West Fork to Shiloh before this season has brought the issue to the forefront of discussion amongst coaches and high school athletic supporters across Northwest Arkansas.
And if you think that somehow I picked on Frazier by naming him, or that I’ve never written about other transfers, then you haven’t read what I write for very long. Go back over the last 14 years and find all of my old stories and columns, and you’ll see plenty of copy related to the high school recruiting debate.
And — as I wrote about the other day — much of what I’ve written about in the past has nothing to do with private schools. Pick just about any high-profile transfer that has happened under my watch, and I’ve written about it.
That includes former Arkansas quarterback Landon Leach’s transfer from Conway to Russellville, a transfer that took place between his ninth- and tenth-grade years. At the time, no transfer was more hotly discussed or debated in Arkansas, and it was a transfer that had nothing to do with private schools.
I’ve also written about the star running back who started his career at North Pulaski, transferred to Vilonia for his junior year — only to finish his high school playing days at Cabot as a senior. And I’ve written about former Springdale High standout Ben Cleveland and how he and his dad looked at several area high schools when the moved to the area before choosing the one they thought best fit him athletically.
Of course, I’ve also written plenty about the original Shiloh recruiting debate more than a decade ago, when some schools flat out refused to play the Saints.
I could go on and on, but you get the point. Recruiting and school shopping are a fact of life in high school athletics, public or private.
Of all the times I’ve had to ask families about their decision to transfer, as well as asking coaches to defend themselves against recruiting allegations, one will always stand out. I’ll never forget when after Leach decided to leave Conway for Russellville just how angry several of the Conway coaches were for what they perceived was a backhanded slight of their program.
I’ll also never forget how Russellville coach Jeff Holt turned the entire issue back around on Conway, saying that it’s not his fault if he runs a program kids want to be a part of. He also said if coaches are losing kids to another program, then maybe they should start taking a look at their own program rather than lashing out against others.
It’s an argument I still agree with, just as I agree that much of the hand-wringing these days about Shiloh is pointless. Athletes are always going to want to play for winners, and as long as the rules exist that allow those athletes and their parents to transfer, then they are going to do so.
And it doesn’t matter if it’s a public school or private.
So, let’s get back for a second to why I wrote what I did for Friday. I did it because there are a number of coaches and fans in the state who are never going to let go of the public vs. private debate. These same coaches and fans are the same ones upset over Frazier’s transfer to Shiloh, and I quoted two of those coaches on Friday.
One who commented on Frazier’s transfer in August was a fellow 4A-1 Conference coach. The other two quotes, including the following, were from a longtime Arkansas coach not from Northwest Arkansas:
“The day of reckoning is coming,” the longtime coach said. “When either the (Arkansas Activities Association) is going to have to do something or the masses of public schools that are involved with the AAA are going to be leaving them and forming their own athletic association.
“It’s coming.”
Those are bold words, and they only highlight the reason why I wrote what I did.
I don’t know what the endgame is for private schools in Arkansas. I suspect the discussion won’t end until private schools are finally forced into their own league.
I don’t think that’s the answer for one primary reason: It’s not fair to the kids who have done nothing wrong and should have the same opportunity to play as anyone else.
Maybe the answer is what one friend told me the other day is done in Texas. Maybe the privates should be given the option of playing in the state’s largest classification — or only with each other.
I don’t know if that’s the best answer either. I only know that somebody needs to make a rational decision, without letting the emotions from either side of the debate cloud their thoughts.
I wrote on Friday that it doesn’t matter if Frazier transferred to Shiloh for all the right reasons, with nothing to do with athletics.
An athlete can transfer from one public school to another, and the athlete and his parents — and possibly a coach — are blamed.
If an athlete transfers from a public to a private school, the entire private school program is blamed.
Shiloh is in a no-win situation. It wins, so athletes from all over want to play there. That said, let’s not hold a pity party for the school. They’ve taken out plenty of whatever pent-up frustration they might have on their opponents on the field.

SPRINGDALE — Shiloh Christian’s 49-14 win over Gravette last week pulled the Saints within one win of clinching the 4A-1 Conference championship.