Connor Noland Wins 2017 Landers Award

Photo by Dewaine Duncan, KATV

Connor Noland, a senior quarterback from Greenwood High School, was announced the winner of the 2017 Landers Award on Jan. 17 live on KATV.

“I just appreciate being with these guys, it’s a great group,” Noland said about his fellow nominees after learning he won the award.

As the winner, Noland received a $3,000 scholarship in his honor for his high school, trophy and ring. He has committed to play both football and baseball at the University of Arkansas in the fall and plans to major in business management.

The Landers Award honors the top high school football player in Arkansas and has been given out every year since 2000. The KATV Sports staff chose a Landers Player of the Week for 13 weeks during the past high school football season and announced the player live each week during their Thursday sportscast.

Noland was one of 10 high school football players throughout Arkansas to be nominated for this annual award, which has become known as the “Heisman of Arkansas High School Football.”

The other nominees this year were:

• Layne Hatcher of Pulaski Academy, Little Rock

• Samy Johnson of Catholic High School, Little Rock

• Mason Schucker of Searcy

• Bennie Kemp of McClellan

Photo by Dewaine Duncan, KATV

• Caezar Warren of Joe T. Robinson, North Little Rock

• Treylon Burks of Warren

• Michael George of Conway

• Ta’Von Hicks of Wynne

• Gerry Bohanon of Earle

Previous award winners are:

• De’Arrius Howard of West Memphis, 2000

• Reid McKinney of Warren, 2001

• Landon Leach of Russellville, 2002

• Peyton Hillis of Conway, 2003

• Darren McFadden of Oak Grove in North Little Rock, 2004

• Damian Williams of Springdale, 2005

• A.J. Whitmore of Nashville, 2006

• Tyler Wilson of Greenwood, 2007

• Spencer Keith of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, 2008

• Michael Dyer of Little Rock Christian Academy, 2009

• Brandon Allen of Fayetteville, 2010

• Fredi Knighten of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, 2011

• Drew Morgan of Greenwood, 2012

• Zach Launius of Cabot, 2013

• Ty Story of Charleston, 2014

• LaDarius Skelton of Pine Bluff, 2015

• Taylor Powell of Fayetteville, 2016