Coach Carpenter 200 Wins

Junction City, Arkansas
CARPENTER
REACHES
200 CAREER WINS!
David Carpenter has always been
involved in athletics. "With my Dad
being a coach, [the legendary Ralph
Sporty Carpenter] I was always helping
or managing a team. It didn't matter
what sport it was, I was there."
After
high
school
football
at
Arkadelphia and college football for his
dad at Henderson State, Carpenter went
into coaching. "I remember the day I
told my dad that I wanted to be a coach.
He shook his head and said, "Son, I
thought I raised you better than that."
After being an assistant for several
years, Carpenter landed his first head
coaching job in 1986 at Corning High
School. "Every young coach just
starting out will make mistakes, lots of
them. Believe me, I made my share."
Corning was 4-6 under Carpenter that
season. The next year Carpenter
became head coach at Clarendon,
where he stayed for three seasons. His
first team went 3-7. His best season at Clarendon was 1988 as the Lions went 8-4 and advanced to
the state playoffs. In 1989, the Lions fell to 1-7. It was after that season that an opening came up
that interested Carpenter. The Junction City Dragons were looking for a head coach.
The Dragon football program was in decline when Carpenter took over. His first season with the
Dragons produced a 1-8 record. "It was without a doubt a rough year. But the kids played hard
and we slowly began to improve." In 1991 Junction City was 3-6 and the next year the Dragons
improved to 5-4. After a 4-4-1 record in 1993, the Dragon football program was beginning to turn
the corner when Junction City Schools had a reduction in force due
to the removal of Union Parish students. Carpenter was involved in
the reduction. Junction City hired him back in 1996. The program
had suffered through two losing seasons. There was rebuilding to
be done, but this time more emphasis would be dedicated to
conditioning and weightlifting. "We had to get in better shape and
get stronger if we were to be successful. Our off-season program
would be the key to becoming successful." His first season back,
the Dragons had a 3-7 record. The next year Junction City went 4-6.
In 1998 everything came together. "We had two years of our offseason program under our belts and we had some very talented
players in all three of our classes plus our junior high team was
very good and we knew could build on all of that. All we had to do
was start winning and it would show the kids what could be
accomplished. They needed to see results. The 1998 team got it all started."
The 1998 team went 10-1 overall, won the very tough 7AA East conference title with a perfect
record and became just the second team in school history to reach the state playoffs. 1999 saw
more of the same. Junction City finished 11-1, undefeated in conference play and advanced to the
state quarter-finals. In four years Carpenter had taken the Dragon program and turned it into a
state title contender.
A new decade saw Junction City claim a share of the 7AA East conference title and advance to the
second round of the state playoffs. In 2001, the Dragon program advanced to another level. This
team would reach the state semi-finals before being defeated
by eventual state champion Shiloh Christian. It was the first
of six straight semi-final appearances by Carpenter and the
Dragons.
The Dragons won their first state title in 2003 and finished
with a perfect 15-0 record. They scored a state record 753
points. More success followed. In 2006, the Dragons were
state runner-up. In 2007, a young Junction City team
advanced to the state quarter-finals before losing to eventual
state champion Mount Ida. 2008 was another perfect season
as the Dragons went 13-0 and won Junction City’s second
state title. The 2009 Dragons were 13-1 and repeated as state
champions as they avenged their only loss of the season by
defeating conference rival Bearden in the state finals. It was
the third state title for the Dragon football program and it put
the finishing touch on one of the greatest decades in
Arkansas high school football history.
David Carpenter's Dragons won 113 games, 3 state titles, 6
conference titles, 10 straight trips to the state playoffs,
advanced to the semi-finals 8 times and won a state record 32 playoff games. Junction City set or
established over 50 school and state records between 2000 and 2009.
2010 to present has seen the Dragon football program
continue its winning ways. So far this decade Junction City
has an overall record of 30-7. They are also back-to-back 8AA
conference champions and will make the school's fifth
appearance in the state finals.
Since his return in 1996, Carpenter has produced an overall
record of 170-40. His program is considered by many to be
one of the ten best in the state. Since 1999, Carpenter's
program has sent 21 players to the state All-Star game and
three times he has been selected to coach in the game (1999,
2003, 2009). Numerous players have gone on to play college
football and one has made it to the NFL (Kevin Payne).
To see where the Junction City football program was and to
where it is now is simply remarkable. Carpenter gives credit
to the players and coaches who work hard every day, whether
it is during the season or in the off-season. "My motto has always been: There is no substitute for
hard work. This program is successful because of the players who believe in it and have the right
attitude to succeed, as well as the coaches who put in a ton of hours preparing for games and offseason conditioning. That is what has made this program what it is."
2003 - Assistant coach and friend Robby Lowe presents the game ball
to Coach Carpenter in celebration of his 100th Career Win!
2008 Dragon Coaching Staff proudly displays the State Championship Trophy!
Brad Smith, Robby Lowe, Coach Carpenter, Mike Barrett
Coach Carpenter with his family in 2010 during the David Carpenter Day celebration!
Coach David Carpenter's 200 WINS!
CORNING BOBCATS
1986
1 Gosnell
2 Marked Tree
3 Pocahontas
4 Piggott
26-7
7-0
20-0
21-9
CLARENDON LIONS
1987
5 Cotton Plant
6 Palestine Wheatley
7 Elaine
21-0
32-12
33-8
1988
8
9
10
11
12
Dewitt
Brinkley
England
Grady
Cotton Plant
13 Palestine Wheatley
14 Elaine
15 Decatur
1996
30 Hermitage
31 Woodlawn
32 Norphlet
1997
33 Strong
34 Hermitage
35 Woodlawn
1998
37 Dermott
38 Bearden
8-6
24-6
38-8
28-6
30-6
40-6
42-0
34-0
39
40
41
42
43
20-0
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
Rison
Strong
Hermitage
Woodlawn
Smackover
44 Harmony Grove
45 Norphlet
46 Horatio
1990
20-12
1991
18 Dermott
19 Gurdon
20 DeQueen
13-0
28-6
27-14
1992
21 Smackover
22 Dermott
23 Prescott
22-6
28-13
9-6
14-8
23-8
24 DeQueen
25 Stamps
1993
26 Smackover
27 Norphlet
28 Gurdon
29 Stamps
54-6
52-8
43-28
53-0
75-0
59-0
20-19
32-0
42-14
49-8
1999
JUNCTION CITY DRAGONS
17 Norphlet
44-6
57-0
48-0
36-0
36 Norphlet
1989
16 Elaine
2001
20-14
40-0
29-20
18-0
22-14
30-0
12-6
Dermott
Bearden
Rison
Strong
Hermitage
Woodlawn
Smackover
Harmony Grove
Norphlet
Murfreesboro
57 Rison
62
63
64
65
66
67
Little Rock JA Fair JV
Bearden
Strong
Hermitage
Westside Christian
Smackover
Hampton
Harmony Grove
Norphlet
Gurdon
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
59-6
43-0
51-0
42-0
69-0
41-7
31-16
23-13
69-14
14-0
Rison
Strong
Hermitage
Westside Christian
Smackover
Norphlet
Foreman
Charleston
Carlisle
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
87
88
89
90
Lake Village
Eudora
Harmony Grove
Sparkman
Bearden
Westside Christian
Hampton
Smackover
Norphlet
Hermitage
Hector
Hughes
56-0
52-14
34-20
57-0
28-14
48-6
14-0
32-0
63-0
76-13
14-6
56-0
**2003**
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
**2008**
2004
13-12
50-0
33-14
49-0
48-0
62-0
33-0
56-12
34-16
32-27
35-21
2002
86
50-6
57-0
48-14
45-0
72-0
57-0
53-0
43-6
55-8
59-0
42-20
2000
58
59
60
61
68 Mansfield
69 Bearden
Augusta
Lake Village
Eudora
Harmony Grove
Sparkman
Bearden
Westside Christian
Hampton
Smackover
Norphlet
Eudora
Lafayette County
Hughes
Rison
45-6
49-0
49-13
47-0
61-0
42-0
72-20
49-0
61-0
66-0
66-0
21-7
56-14
33-21
Barton
40-12
106 Lake Village
107 Harmony Grove
108
109
110
111
112
Bearden
Hampton
Smackover
Norphlet
Eudora
113 Spring Hill
114 Perryville
39-13
29-0
20-14
42-6
50-6
35-0
56-0
20-0
37-20
145 Gurdon
146 Hermitage
21-12
39-29
44-14
33-24
53-8
54-0
29-28
33-21
21-16
155
2005
115 Lake Village
116 Gurdon
117 Norphlet
118 Harmony Grove
119 Bearden
120 Hampton
121 Eudora
122 Jessieville
123 Harding Academy
*2006*
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
Smackover
Strong
Hermitage
Norphlet
Parkers Chapel
Hampton
Bearden
Mountain Pine
Murfreesboro
Woodlawn
134 Cross County
51-0
48-0
39-0
35-0
68-8
48-6
45-36
67-0
39-7
42-14
7-6
2007
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
Smackover
Farmerville
Harmony Grove
Strong
Hermitage
Norphlet
Parkers Chapel
Hampton
Hazen
Hackett
**2A STATE CHAMPIONS**
*State Runners-up*
48-0
28-7
18-0
37-13
55-6
58-7
68-0
56-6
45-0
41-12
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
156
157
2011
Woodlawn
Norphlet
Bearden
Smackover
Dermott
Strong
Hampton
Dierks
Strong
Carlisle
35-7
47-0
41-8
70-0
43-0
40-7
50-0
37-6
66-0
39-0
24-12
29-7
Des Arc
10-8
**2009**
158 Fountain Lake
159 Hermitage
160 Woodlawn
161 Norphlet
162 Smackover
163 Dermott
164 Strong
165 Hampton
166 Dierks
167 Murfreesboro
168 Danville
169 Magazine
170 Bearden
13-6
62-0
35-0
52-0
49-0
68-0
40-0
56-0
45-0
34-13
42-6
56-0
24-14
2010
171 Norphlet
172 Woodlawn
173 Hermitage
174 Mountain Pine
175
176
177
178
Dermott
Hampton
Parkers Chapel
Mountainburg
55-8
36-10
55-0
20-0
34-0
47-6
56-26
51-3
179 Norphlet
180 Woodlawn
181
182
183
184
185
Strong
Bearden
Mountain Pine
Hampton
Parkers Chapel
186 Mineral Springs
187 Magazine
26-3
42-8
28-6
13-12
63-0
42-0
42-13
21-20
9-3
2012
188 Rison
189 Bearden
190 Strong
191 Hampton
192 Spring Hill
193 Woodlawn
194 Parkers Chapel
195 Hermitage
196 Norphlet
197 Marked Tree
198 Dierks
199 Salem
200 Walnut Ridge
28-9
20-14
49-12
62-0
49-0
58-0
62-12
60-0
49-0
42-0
56-0
34-6
42-6
Arkansas Activities Association - COACHING
MOST CAREER WINS
(Bold is Active)
367 Frank McClellan, Barton, 1970-05
279 Tommy Tice, Harrison, 2012
271 Bernie Cox, LR Central, 1975-09
270 Frank Vines, Alma, 2006
262 George Burke, Stuttgart, 1963-2000
261 Jarrell Williams, Springdale, 1964-99
257 Don Campbell, Wynne, 2006
254 Mike Malham, Jr., Cabot, 1981-2012
245 Jon Watson, Bauxite, 1981-2009
239 David Alpe, Malvern, 2001
212 Bill Barden, Harding Academy
211 Ron Clark, Berryville, 1964-94
200 David Carpenter, Junction City 1986-2012
SAME SCHOOL
367 Frank McClellan, Barton, 2005, 367-59-3
271 Bernie Cox, LR Central, 1975-09, 271-123-8
270 Frank Vines, Alma, 2006
261 Jarrell Williams, Springdale, 1964-99
254 Mike Malham, Jr., Cabot, 1981-12, 254-114-4
217 Tommy Tice, Harrison, 2010
189 George Burke, Stuttgart, 1974-2000
184 David Carpenter, Junction City, 1990-2012
Congratulations Coach Carpenter!
“There’s no substitute for hard work.”
T.T.A.U.