LITTLE ROCK — Strong had the best team, and more important, the best player.
Did it ever.
Record-setting senior quarterback Kenneth Dixon ran 28 times for 348 yards and 5 touchdowns to power Strong, No. 2 in Class 2A, to a 45-20 victory over top-ranked Carlisle, in the Class 2A championship game Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
A crowd of 4,688 watched Dixon become the state’s single-season rushing leader, set a championship game rushing record and tie a record for rushing touchdowns in a final.
“He’s pretty good, to say the least,” Bulldogs Coach Shane Davis said with a laugh.
It was the first state championship for Strong (10-3), the No. 3 playoff seed from the 8-2A.
Carlisle (13-1) lost in the final for the fifth time since the modern playoff era began in 1968.
The 6-2A champion Bison never led thanks to Dixon, who continually ran around, over and away from defenders.
The 5-11, 210-pound Dixon, who has orally committed to Louisiana Tech, ran 63 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play from scrimmage, then added scoring runs of 1, 40, 39 and 27 yards.
He became the state’s single-season rushing leader on a 35-yard run with 8:52 left in the game and finished the season with 3,153 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns on 315 carries.
Derek Lawson of Nettleton set the previous single-season rushing record as a senior in 2006, when he carried 335times for 3,090 yards and 36 touchdowns in 13 games.
Dixon finished his high school career with 6,258 rushing yards, only the ninth player in Arkansas high school history to reach 6,000 yards. He surpassed 6,000 yards in the first half, when he staked the Bulldogs to a 22-6 halftime lead by carrying 15 times for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Dixon also threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jamarian Ford on the first play of the second quarter and concluded his historic performance with a 27-yard touchdown run with 6:42 left to play, extending Strong’s lead to 45-12.
Visibly fatigued following the run, Dixon briefly sat down on the red protective padding behind the south end zone.
He didn’t return to the game.
Dixon smashed the championship game rushing record set by Ron Johnson of Watson Chapel in 1996, who carried 44 times for 266 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 35-13 victory over Greenwood for the Class AAA title. Johnson’s record for rushing touchdowns in a final was also equaled by Dixon.
“He’s the best football player I’ve faced as a coach - hands down,” Carlisle Coach Scott Waymire said.
Dixon accounted for a little more than 90 percent of Strong’s 468 total yards.
The Bulldogs finished with 393 yards rushing and Dixon completed 4 of 9 passes for 75 yards and 1 touchdown.
Most of his rushing damage came on sweeps around the end or following a running back on off-tackle plays.
It basically evolved into Dixon’s show, Davis said.
“We trust him enough now to where we’ll let him call the plays, a lot of the plays,” Davis said. “He’s done a great job. He’s does a good job of keeping it mixed with who’s carrying the football, what he’s doing. If he ever decides to be an offensive coordinator, he’s probably going to be a pretty good one. I hope he impressed tonight.”
Dixon also had 3 tackles (2 for 9 yards in losses), 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception in spot duty at safety.
Carlisle finished with 382 total yards, including 221 rushing.
Sophomore halfback/fullback Bo Weddle ran 21 times for 166 yards and 2 touchdowns (44 and 56 yards).
Junior backup quarterback Chris Hart completed 11 of 21 passes for 138 yards and 1 touchdown.
But Carlisle missed several scoring chances, notably lost fumbles at the Strong 2 and Strong 4 in the first half.
Carlisle played the second half without senior quarterback Zac King because of a possible broken hand, Waymire said.
King was injured after making a 17-yard reception at the Strong 5 in the closing seconds of the first half. He was slung several yards out of bounds into the concrete bleacher wall by Dixon, who was called for a personal foul.
It was the only black mark for the game’s most valuable player.
“He’s the heart and soul of our team,” Waymire said of King. “It was definitely a blow to lose him. But Strong had too much firepower and Kenneth Dixon tonight.”
Top of the list
Arkansas’ high school single-season rushing leaders: PLAYER, SCHOOL YDS YR Kenneth Dixon, Strong 3,153 2011 Derek Lawson, Nettleton 3,090 2006 Logan Best, McCrory 3,001 2011
Sports, Pages 25 on 12/11/2011