Powell steps up for Fayetteville

There's no doubt who Fayetteville's starting quarterback will be when the Bulldogs open the regular season. It's junior Taylor Powell, who emerged as one of the top young players in the state last season as he helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 7A championship game. Powell rotated with Jack Lindsey, a junior last season, at the quarterback position during the first three games. Once Fayetteville opened 7A-West Conference play, Coach Daryl Patton went with Powell as his No. 1 starter. Patton's decision didn't backfire at all. Powell, 6-2, 200 pounds, completed 172 of 271 passes for 2,513 yards with 20 touchdowns and 8 interceptions as he was named last season's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Sophomore of the Year. "He didn't play like a sophomore," Patton said. Entering this season, Powell will be one of the top juniors to watch in the state on the top-ranked team in the state. Patton said Powell has been offered a scholarship by Arkansas State, while Arkansas, TCU, Illinois, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Memphis and SMU have also shown interest. When the pressure was on Powell in 2014, it only made him play better. In the Bulldogs' 42-35 7A quarterfinal victory at 7A/6A-Central champion Conway, Powell completed 5 of 10 passes for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns as Fayetteville handed the Wampus Cats their only loss of the season. A week later in the 7A semifinals at Fort Smith Southside, Powell played his best game of the season. He completed 20 of 22 passes for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 56-14 rout of the Rebels to advance to the 7A state championship game against Bentonville. Against Bentonville, Fayetteville led 21-17 with 3:05 left after Powell threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Garland Allison. But Bentonville went on to win 24-21 for its second consecutive 7A state championship. That loss, Patton said, has helped Powell become a more mature player going into this season. "He's taken that momentum into the spring and summer," Patton said. "He's gotten better and better. He gets it and understands how to play that position." Patton said with a year under his belt, Powell has a chance to be one of the best quarterbacks in the state this season. "He was born to be a quarterback, ever since he was able to walk and chew gum," Patton said. "He wants to be a quarterback at the Division I level."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Fayetteville High School Athletics

POWELL STEPS UP FOR FAYETTEVILLE

JEREMY MUCK

NWADG | 8/30/2015

PHOTO CREDIT: NWADG