The Class of 2022 dominated the Arkansas Sports Media Super Team.

A total of 24 seniors were named to the 27-player Super Team as voted on by a panel of sportswriters, sportscasters and other sports media for the 2021 season.

Running back Joe Himon of Class 5A state champion Pulaski Academy, offensive lineman Jack Struebing of Springdale Har-Ber and defensive lineman Braxton Johnson of North Little Rock are the only repeat selections from last year’s Super Team.

Himon had a spectacular career for the Bruins, leading them to three straight state championships. Himon finished with 8,028 all-purpose yards and 98 touchdowns in his career. He rushed for 4,887 yards and 68 touchdowns, caught 207 passes for 2,714 yards and 26 touchdowns and returned four kickoffs for scores in his three-year career. Himon was the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year.

Struebing was named the 7A-West Outstanding Offensive Lineman, and Johnson was selected the 7A-Central Outstanding Defensive Lineman.

Joining Himon in the offensive backfield was Cedarville’s Darryl Kattich, who selected All-State three seasons. The past season, Kattich ran 271 times for 2,108 yards and 19 touchdowns. As a junior, he led the state in rushing in the regular season and finished with 2,009 yards and 25 touchdowns. He ran for 5,668 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career on 663 carries. Twelve games in his career he went over the 200-yard mark rushing.

Josh Shepherd also eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark in rushing with 196 carries for 2,013 yards and 17 touchdowns for Rogers last season. He began the season with 15 carries for 402 yards and six touchdowns on runs of 4, 72, 52, 90, 64 and 63 yards in a 51-40 win over Siloam Springs.

The Super Team wide receivers are Isaiah Sategna of Fayetteville and Kavon Pointer of Jonesboro.

Sategna had 101 catches and 19 touchdown receptions, setting a single-season record for the state’s largest classification with 1,919 receiving yards. Sategna also played in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio.

Pointer caught 76 passes for 1,192 yards and 17 touchdowns for 6A-East outright champion Jonesboro.

Vilonia’s Austin Myers was selected the Super Team quarterback. Myers completed 234-of-333 passes for 3,282 yards and 45 touchdowns. He completed 34-of-45 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdowns on throws of 27, 5, 72, 23, 31, 48 and 28 yards at Farmington in a 57-28 win.

Struebing is joined on the offensive line by Will Diggins of Class 7A champion Bryant, Andrew Chamblee of Maumelle, Brandon Bailey of Fort Smith Northside and E’Marion Harris of Robinson.

Diggins was the Outstanding Offensive Lineman of the 7A-Central followed by Bailey. Diggins started 39 games in his career and was part of three state championship teams. Harris started 58 games on the offensive line in his career, played in three championship games and won two state titles at Robinson. Chamblee played in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio in January.

Joining Johnson on the defensive line are Nico Davillier of Maumelle, Brandon Jones of Bryant and Mario Crawford of Valley View.

Davillier had 76 tackles, including 26 for loss, with five sacks. Jones had 84 tackles, including 17 for loss, with 12 sacks. Crawford had 60 tackles with 14 for loss along with five sacks. He also blocked a punt and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

The linebackers are Kaden Henley of Shiloh Christian, Kaiden Turner of Fayetteville, and Ashton Waller of Conway.

Waller was named the Outstanding Linebacker of the 7A-Central, and Henley was the Outstanding Linebacker of the 4A-1. Henley had 150 tackles with 26 for loss with two interceptions. Turner had 82 tackles, including 21 for loss, and eight sacks.

The defensive backs are Davion Vayson of North Little Rock, Cain Simmons of Benton, Peyton Hester of Hackett and Jody Easter of McGehee.

Simmons had 135 total tackles with six for loss.

Vayson was the Outstanding Defensive Back of the 7A-Central, Simmons was the Outstanding Defensive Back of the 6A-West, Easter was the Outstanding Running Back of the 3A-6.

Hester had 137 tackles with 15 for loss and four sacks, and also had 1,227 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns. He also ran for five touchdowns, threw a touchdown pass and returned a fumble for a score.

Easter was selected All-State three times and had 64 tackles this past season. He ran 82 times for 1,320 yards and 22 touchdowns, and also returned three kickoffs and three punts for touchdowns.

Braden Jay of Cabot was named the kick returner, and Will Litton of Quitman and Connor Baker of Pocahontas were named All-Purpose.

Jay was the Outstanding Wide Receiver of the 7A-Central, Litton was the Outstanding Linebacker of the 2A-4.

Litton had 155 tackles with 19 for loss while also throwing for 4,417 yards and 43 touchdowns along with rushing for 2,470 yards and 42 touchdowns in his career.

Baker led the state in rushing with 2,211 yards and 41 touchdowns on 283 carries. He had six games of more than 200 yards rushing, including 232 yards and six touchdowns in a 40-12 win over Highland.

Jay accounted for 2,469 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns. He caught 66 passes for 1,297 yards and 13 touchdowns, and rushed for 534 yards and 10 scores. He also returned 21 kickoffs for 638 yards with an 85-yard return for a touchdown against Jonesboro.

Kyle Ferrie of Harding Academy was named the kicker, and Ben Haulmark of Russellville was named punter.

Ferrie was 78 of 81 on extra points and 13 of 17 on field goals and averaged 43.5 yards per punt.

Haulmark punted 44 times for an average of 39.9 yards per boot. He also threw a touchdown pass, ran for five scores, caught a touchdown pass and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Ferrie, Haulmark and Baker are the only juniors.


Following is the 27-player Super Team as voted on by a panel of sportswriters, sportscasters and other sports media for the 2021 high school football season that ended in December:

OFFENSE

QB — Austin Myers, Vilonia	6-4	185	SR
RB — Joe Himon, Pulaski Academy	5-10	176	SR
RB — Darryl Kattich, Cedarville	6-1	195	SR
RB — Josh Shepherd, Rogers	5-11	170	SR
OL — Will Diggins, Bryant	6-4	290	SR
OL — Andrew Chamblee, Maumelle	6-7	300	SR
OL — Jack Struebing, Springdale Har-Ber	6-3	265	SR
OL — Brandon Bailey, FS Northside	5-11	255	SR
OL — E'Marion Harris, Pulaski Robinson	6-7	355	SR
WR — Isaiah Sategna, Fayetteville	5-11	170	SR
WR — Kavon Pointer, Jonesboro	6-3	185	SR

DEFENSE

DL — Braxton Johnson, North Little Rock	6-0	291	SR
DL — Nico Davillier, Maumelle	6-5	260	SR
DL — Brandon Jones, Bryant	6-0	250	SR
DL — Mario Crawford, Valley View	6-4	226	SR
LB — Kaden Henry Shiloh Christian	6-3	220	SR
LB — Kaiden Turner, Fayetteville	6-2	220	SR
LB — Ashton Waller, Conway	6-1	195	SR
DB — Davion Vayson, North Little Rock	6-1	205	SR
DB — Cain Simmons, Benton	5-10	175	SR
DB — Peyton Hester, Hackett	5-11	190	SR
DB — Jody Easter, McGehee	5-11	178	SR

SPECIAL

PK — Kyle Ferrie, Harding Academy	6-1	175	JR
P — Ben Haulmark, Russellville	6-3	230	JR
KR — Braden Jay, Cabot	5-9	175	SR
AP — Will Litton, Quitman	6-3	196	SR
AP — Connor Baker, Pocahontas	6-0	190	JR