Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

12/30/2011 at 9:33am

FAYETTEVILLE —  Fredi Knighten always had the athleticism, and there was no stopping him or Pulaski Academy once he learned how to be a quarterback.

Knighten, the Bruins' standout signal-caller, led Pulaski Academy to a 14-0 record and Class 4A state championship this season. The senior was rewarded by being selected as the quarterback on this year's Arkansas Associated Press SuperTeam.

The selection is the first to the 27-player team for Knighten, who accounted for 81 touchdowns this season. He completed 74 percent of his passes while throwing for 65 touchdowns and averaged 9.8 yards per carry in finishing with 1,028 yards on the ground with 16 additional scores.

All in all, it was about as perfect a season for Knighten and the Bruins as Pulaski Academy coach Kevin Kelley could have hoped for. The Bruins defeated Malvern in the state championship game, capping a season in which they made easy work of teams in their own class and higher — finishing No. 2 overall in the final AP poll behind Class 7A champion Fayetteville.

It was an undefeated run fueled by Pulaski Academy's loss to Shiloh Christian in last season's championship game, a defeat Knighten among others took personally.

"When you get pushed off the mountain, you know what it feels like to be that close," Kelley said. "That motivated us and carried us all the way through December. Any time we had a lax in our workouts or anything like that, all we had to do was stop and say, `Remember what that felt like?'"

Kelley said Knighten endeared himself to teammates this season by putting in extra work and deflecting much of the preseason attention he received. He also said Knighten, who had to battle just to win the starting quarterback job as a junior, made a conscious effort to focus on using his arm as much as his legs this season.

That effort paid off, with Knighten becoming more of a pocket passer this season — while still having the ability to scramble when needed.

"Everybody thinks he's a great athlete; I think he's a great quarterback," Kelley said. "That's what he got better at. Last year, he was a quarterback, but as soon as any trouble came, he turned into a running back. This year, he would stay there that extra second, make the read and make the play with his arm, and then if he had to, make the play with his feet."

Knighten was one of three Bruins to make the team, along with repeat selection Hunter Henry at tight end and offensive lineman Jason King. That was tied for the most players along with Class 7A runner-up Bentonville, which had running back Tearris Wallace, left tackle Bo Weber and linebacker Garrett Kaufman selected.

Wallace, a junior, was selected for the second time and was joined at running back Marque Burris of Class 6A champion El Dorado. Kenneth Dixon of Class 2A champion Strong was the other running back.

Fort Smith Northside's Shaquille Jones and Drew Morgan of Class 5A champion Greenwood were the wide receivers.

King and Weber were joined on the offensive line by El Dorado's De'Onte Garrett, Pottsville's Jeremy Ward and McCrory's Jemar Clark.

Little Rock Central linebacker Brian Anderson was called a "monster" by one opposing 7A-Central coach and leads the defense. He's joined at linebacker by Kaufman and East Poinsett County's A.J. Turner.

Class 7A champion Fayetteville had two players selected, including safety Alex Brignoni and kicker Max Coffin. Brignoni was joined in the secondary by Conway's Brandon Cox, Bearden's Defonta Lowe and Hot Springs Lakeside's Ajalen Holley.

Smackover's Jeff Savage, West Fork's Chris Worley, Jonesboro's Malcolm Stafford and White Hall's Jeremy Sprinkle make up the defensive line.

Batesville's Jordan Childress, Jonesboro's Martin Stafford and Camden-Fairview's Derek Keaton were selected as all-purpose players.

 

Members of Arkansas Super Team, selected by The Associated Press in consultation with AP-member sports writers, broadcasters and voters in AP's weekly high school football poll.

QB Fredi Knighten, Pulaski Academy

RB Marque Burris, El Dorado

RB Kenneth Dixon, Strong

RB Tearris Wallace, Bentonville

WR Shaquille Jones, Fort Smith Northside

WR Drew Morgan, Greenwood

TE Hunter Henry, Pulaski Academy

OL Jemar Clark, McCrory

OL Bo Weber, Bentonville

OL De'Onte Garrett, El Dorado

OL Jason King, Pulaski Academy

OL Jeremy Ward, Pottsville

K Max Coffin, Fayetteville

DL Jeremy Sprinkle, White Hall

DL Malcolm Stafford, Jonesboro

DL Chris Worley, West Fork

DL Jeff Savage, Smackover

LB A.J. Turner, East Poinsett County

LB Garrett Kaufman, Bentonville

LB Brian Anderson, LR Central

DB Brandon Cox, Conway

DB Defonta Lowe, Bearden

DB Alex Brignoni, Fayetteville

DB Ajalen Holley, HS Lakeside

All-Purpose Jordan Childress, Batesville

All-Purpose Martin Stafford, Jonesboro

All-Purpose Derek Keaton, Camden-Fairview

Tagged: Derek Keaton, Martin Stafford, Jordan Childress, Ajalen Holley, Alex Brignoni, Defota Lowe, Brandon Cox, Brian Anderson, Garrett Kaufman, A.J. Turner, Jeff Savage, CHris Worley, Malcolm Stafford, Jeremy Sprinkle, Max Coffin, Jeremy Ward, Jason King, De'Onte Garrett, Bo Weber, Jemar Clark, Hunter Henry, Drew Morgan, Shaquille Jones, Tearris Wallace, Kenneth Dixon, Marque Burris, Pulaski Academy Bruins, Kevin Kelley, The Associated Press, Kurt Voigt, Fredi Knighten