Conway clinched the 7A-Central Conference football championship on Friday night, securing their sixth straight title following a 42-28 victory over Little Rock Christian at John McConnell Stadium. The Wampus Cats (8-1, 6-0) officially claimed the gold ball when North Little Rock defeated Bryant earlier in the day, putting the pressure on Conway to close the deal against the Warriors (5-4).
Honestly, looking at the final score, it reads like a comfortable night for the home team. But head coach Buck James was not having it. Conway built three separate 21-point leads only to watch Little Rock Christian fight back every single time. It’s that relentless Arkansas high school football grind—where a lead means nothing if you don’t take care of business, just like it does in the NFL.
“There ain’t no doubt, they outcoached us and outplayed us,” James said. “My hat’s off to them. They played their tails off and we’ve got to play better. We didn’t play as well as we could have and should have.”
The tension remained high right until the end. The Wampus Cats finally ice the game when Dylan Mabry scored on a 25-yard touchdown run with just over four minutes remaining. Two plays later, Jackson Braden stepped in front of an Haden Hall pass to intercept him, giving Conway the ball back with 21 seconds left. It wasn’t a clean night for the Wampus Cats kicking game, either; Crosby Kear missed a 46-yard field goal shortly before that crucial interception, but Conway managed to escape the scare.
Little Rock Christian kept pushing, fueled by Hall’s arm. The senior quarterback put up video game numbers, completing 27 of 49 passes for 362 yards and four touchdowns. He’s that type of playmaker who can make a defense look silly for 48 minutes, and he dragged his team back into this game. However, Hall’s night included two interceptions that kept Conway’s offense on the field and ultimately cost Little Rock Christian the upset bid.
For Conway, this win is the payoff for the hard math: North Little Rock beating Bryant meant the pressure was on the hosts in Conway. They handled the situation, but as James pointed out, they didn’t handle it without a fight. In a region where high school football rivals the passion of any major pro city, a conference title is the ultimate prize. Clutch plays late in the game—specifically Mabry’s run and Braden’s pick—separated the champions from the
Source: NWA Democrat Gazette