Bowl-bound Arkansas-Monticello has CCHS link

The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team will conclude its season at the Corsicana Bowl Saturday in Corsicana, Texas, against Kansas-based Emporia State University.
Arkansas-Monticello (6-5) has two ex-Central Catholic connections as the school is coached by former Central Catholic head coach William “Hud” Jackson, while true freshman Chris Singleton is a member of the squad.
Jackson, who is in his eight year leading the program with a 29-58 mark during his time at the university, has led this year’s squad to its best record since it finished 7-4 in 2008. The Boll Weevils enter the bowl game having won two straight contests to close out the regular season. It’s Arkansas-Monticello’s first postseason appearance in 25 years.
Jackson, who led Central Catholic to a 65-32 mark with a state runner-up appearance and multiple district titles, is tied for fourth all-time on the school’s coaching list in total wins.
Singleton, who was a standout running back during his time at Central Catholic before signing with Arkansas-Monticello this spring, has not played in any games this fall.
Saturday’s bowl game will be played at 2 p.m. at Corsicana High School.
Arkansas-Monticello placed fourth in the Great American Conference this season with a 6-5 record.
The squad features first-team Great American Conference selection, junior tight end DeAndre Washington, senior second-team All-GAC quarterback Cole Sears and senior second-team All-GAC defensive tackle Hakim Gray. Washington leads the Boll Weevils’ receivers with 33 catches for 627 yards and six touchdowns, while Sears has completed 190 of 349 passes for 2,583 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Gray finished the year with 26 tackles, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries.
Senior Imani Riley leads the team in rushing with 94 carries for 395 yards, while junior Christian Jefferson is the top tackler with 66 stops. Senior Curtis Williams is tops on the team in tackles for loss with 11.
Emporia State (7-4) is a postseason regular, at least in recent years, and will be making its fifth postseason appearance in the last seven years. The Hornets finished fifth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association with a 7-4 record. It enters the bowl game having won three straight.
Emporia State features redshirt senior quarterback Braxton Marstall, the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association Offensive Player of the Year. The Hornets have five other all-conference selections who all earned second-team honors: senior running back Landon Nault, senior wide receiver Justin Brown, junior offensive lineman Austin Unterreiner, junior defensive lineman Parker Bass and sophomore linebacker Jace McDown.
Marstall holds the Emporia State record for career passing yards and total offense. He ranks second in passing touchdowns. This season, he has completed 274 of 448 passes for 2,734 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also had rushed 120 times for 402 yards and nine touchdowns.
Nault leads the Hornets’ run game with 195 carries for 949 yards and eight touchdowns.
Brown is the team’s leading receiver with 66 catches for 691 yards and four touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Tyler Harris has 53 catches for 762 yards and 11 scores.
McDown leads the defense and the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association with 118 tackles. He also ranks fifth nationally in solo tackles.
Bass leads the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Unterreiner helped pave the way for an offense that totaled 4,647 yards, averaging 422.5 a game. Of that total, 255.1 yards came through the air.