2015 Pope County Football

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Atkins Red Devils ................ 3-6 Dover Pirates ...................... 7-9 Russellville Cyclones ....... 10-16

Publisher David Meadows

Pottsville Apaches .......... 17-19 Hector Wildcats .............. 20-22 Composite Schedules ........... 23

Advertising Director Michelle Harris

Advertising Jim Kelley Lauren Lampkin Judy Manning Meagan Wilson

Assistant Sports Editor Travis Simpson

Stories, Photography Travis L. Simpson Cameron Tate

Cover Photo Joshua Mashon

Player Graphics Travis Simpson

Production Coordinator David Weaver

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The 2015 Pope County Football Preview is published and copyrighted by Russellville Newspapers Inc., 201 E. Second St., Russellville, AR 72801.

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Atkins Red Devils

Atkins Red Devils Head coach: Tommy Cody (22-20-1) Stadium: Sorrels Stadium at Lemley Field 2014 Record: 3-7, 2-5 Offense: Spread Defense: 50 Playoff Record: 21-25 Last Appearance: 2013

2014 RESULTS Dover Bigelow at Two Rivers Harding Academy at Marianna at Bald Knob Barton at Mayflower at Rose Bud Perryville

51-20 27-13 71-69 50-14 64-62 21-0 50-32 55-20 57-46 55-19

2015 SCHEDULE Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 5

at Dover (Rivals Cup) at Bigelow Two Rivers at Harding Academy* Marianna* Bald Knob* at Barton* Mayflower* Rose Bud* at Perryville* (Thursday)

* Denotes Conference game

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2015 Atkins Red Devils Roster No.

Player

Grade

No.

1 2 5 6 8 10 15 20 21 22 23 25 29

Zack Harris Devin Dollar Nick Gray Kaden Baker Cory Childress Seth Haney Jordan Vaughn Jessie Jones Parker Sweet Dakota Frazier Brandon Haney Corey Snyder Dawson Taylor

10 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 12 12 10 11

33 54 55 58 60 61 65 66 70 71 75 78 81

Player

Grade

Chase Duvall Coby Robinson Mark Brown Avery Price Treshawn Williams Caleb Pestel Jathan McDaniel A.J. Britton Austin Milholland Austin Dobbs Kyle Luningham Hayden Bowden Daniel Bowden

11 10 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 10 12

Specialty Compounding Since 1994 Immunizations DME Pain Management Hormone Replacement Therapy

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P.O. Box 155 1601 B.N. Church Atkins, Arkansas 72823

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Red Devils hope to overcome conference woes this season BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com

ATKINS — The 3A-2 Conference wasn’t kind to the Atkins Red Devils in 2014. The Red Devils spent their first year in the conference fighting tooth and nail for every inch of ground. Atkins won three games and found itself on the losing side of two shootouts. “Our conference is really, really good with really good athletes,” Red Devils head coach Tommy Cody said. “It’s going to be a tough chore to have success this year, but I believe we can do it.” Atkins graduated two-time all-conference quarterback Alex Spradlin in the spring, who threw Cody for more than 3,800 yards in two years and scored 45 touchdowns. Spradlin also rushed for over 1,200 yards and scored another 16 touchdowns. The shoes he left will be hard to fill, but Cody believes junior Seth Haney is up to the job. “We got him as many snaps as we could last year,” Cody said. “Quarterback will be a tough job because Alex did such a fantastic job for two years. You can’t say enough good things about Alex, but Seth is a different kind of QB. Alex made plays with his feet. Seth is a big, strong arm. He can throw it a little better than Alex could.” That change in skill set means Atkins’ offense will look slightly different than 2014. “We will look a little different, yes, but we have total confidence in him,” Cody said. Cody has enjoyed wearing defenses down with a no-huddle, hurry-up offense, but team size and depth will limit that play style this year. “We love to do that,” Cody said. “We really like it. But we have five offensive linemen who will have to turn around and play defense. We have nine linemen, period, on the team, and the backups are young guys who are not really ready to play. We will have to slow it down because of that.” For Cody it will remain a card up the sleeve, used

when appropriate and put away when not. “If we have a team on their heels, not prepared, we will speed it up at times,” he said. “Maybe not as much as I’d like to.” Cody said the team should be better defensively this season. “We weren’t that good defensively last year,” he lamented. Cody cited the 71-69 loss to Two Rivers in Week 3 and the 64-62 loss to Marianna in Week 5 as examples of poor defense. “You don’t score that many points in a game and expect to lose,” he said. “We just had tiny guys last year. We physically had a hard time playing defense just because of how small we were. I think we are better there. We have to be.” Strength: Skill positions Weakness: Depth

“Our conference is really, really good with really good athletes. It’s going to be a tough chore to have success this year, but I believe we can do it.” Tommy Cody Red Devils head coach

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CAPTAIN’S LOG Avery Price Class: Junior Position: LB “We’ve been working on intensity,” Price said. “We want to make big hits and fly around to the football. After last year, we know what we have to do to have success in this conference. Last year was a wake-up call.” Price

Devin Dollar Class: Senior Position: WR “We have a lot of goals,” Dollar said. “We want to go undefeated and go as hard as we can on every player.” Going undefeated is every team’s goal, Dollar said. “It has to be. Winning state is every senior’s dream. It’s a big goal.”

Dollar

Haney

Brandon Haney Class: Senior Position: RB/DE Haney said the Red Devils were focusing on finishing games. Atkins was on the losing side of more than one shootout in 2014. That happened, Haney said, because the defense was unable to finish games. “We’re working hard and we’re not scared to hit,” Haney said. “We have to finish our games. That’s our goal, so we have to be tougher. We have to play as a team and play through the whole game.”

Austin Dobbs

Dobbs

Class: Senior Position: LT “We ain’t small,” Dobbs said as he towered over nearly everyone on the field. “I think we have four returning starters on the line. Two seniors on the left side. That’s not bad.” Dobbs said he thought the team “ought to be all right.” “Our skills kids are where it’s at,” he said. “We have a lot of depth, and our line is right behind them.”

Nick Gray

Gray

Class: Senior Position: WR/S “We’ve definitely improved a lot,” Gray said. “Our offense should be a lot better, and our wide receivers are all returning starters. We have a quarterback that can really throw the ball this year.”

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Dover Pirates

Dover Pirates Head coach: Greg Smith (11-20) Stadium: Jack Berry Field 2014 Record: 8-3, 5-2 Offense: Multiple Defense: Multiple Playoff Record: 3-9 Last Appearance: 2014

2015 SCHEDULE Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 5

Atkins at Cedarville at Mayflower Subiaco Academy* at Pulaski Robinson* Clinton* at Pottsville* Ozark* at Dardanelle* at Arkansas Baptist* (Thursday)

* Denotes Conference game

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Pirates seek continued success aggressive. This is a bunch that’s going to come after you.” Smith said the team’s weakness would be speed, despite running back Luke Price’s 4.5-second 40yard dash. Price had more than 1,800 all-purpose yards in 2014 and 19 touchdowns. On defense, Price had 70 tackles and two interceptions. He benches 270 pounds and power cleans 240 and currently has a scholarship offer from the Air Force Academy. Smith said Price was a key cog in the Pirates offense. “I try to look at things statewide,” Smith said. “And I think speed is going to be a weakness for us. A strength would be playing experience. I know we have returners, and even our second string have experience, and are much improved. They understand that winning attitude. They’ve learned to win. We had so many tight ball games. That was a huge positive for us to fight through those kind of games.” Smith said he loves how competitive the 4A-4 Conference has become. It can only make the Pirates sharper, he said. “I love it. It’s all started coming together. I love competing at a high level. If you survive the conference play, you have a chance to make a run in the playoffs. That’s what I would choose.” Junior Seth Cheak will play quarterback. Cheak got some experience in 2014 when graduated senior Ethan Davis broke his ankle against Ozark. Cheak also captained the Junior Pirates as a freshman. Key Players: Price, Kaleb Fondren, Mic Warren, Kaben McBride, Jacob Janssen, Josh Myers, Gabin Davis, Jason Kindrick, Dylan Dunlap, Jonathan Bagget, Justin Rothman, Braden Duvall, John Shrutka, Frank Flores, Jacob Sharp, Matt Hodges, Trey Lackey, Ben Dale, David Beavers, Andy Meal, Dalton Haston, Isaac Talkington. Strength: Strength, momentum Weakness: Speed

BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com

DOVER — After winning just three games in two years, the Dover Pirates shocked the 4A-4 Conference last season with an eight-win season and share second place with Pottsville and Clinton. Pirates head coach Greg Smith hopes to build on that momentum and the momentum gained in the spring with a Class 4A State Weight Meet championship. “They have an attitude that they want to win, and they are going to work hard to get it,” Smith said. That wasn’t always the case Smith in the past. Smith said a “winning tradition” is something he’s worked hard to establish since he took over as head coach in 2012. If the team expects to win, that’s half the battle, Smith said. The Pirates return five offensive starters and four defensive. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to remain competitive. Dover’s offense is based out of a Wing T, but will utilize several various formations to optimize their advantages on the field. Defensively, the Pirates will line up in a 5-2. Smith said the offensive and defensive schemes play off the blue-collar, hard-working kids that Dover typically produces. It’s smash-mouth football, Smith said. And the kids love it. Smith said the kids are a “different kind of big” compared to 2014. “In my program, we’ve never had the 6’5 type of kids,” he said. “We’ve always believed it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog. This bunch won’t be as physically impressive, I mean size, but they’re very strong. And they’re

2015 Dover Pirates Roster No. Name

Ht.

Wt. Grade

1 3 4 6 7 9 10 14 15 18 21 20 22 23 24 25

6’2 5’10 6’0 6’0 6’0 6’0 6’2 5’9 5’9 6’3 6’3 5’10 5’8 5’11 5’10 5’9

210 180 150 190 175 275 175 180 155 225 180 150 165 200 165 180

Luke Price Justin Rothman Frank Flores Shawn Price Josh Casey Kaleb Fondren Jacob Sharp John Srutka Josh Jones Seth Cheak Trey Lackey Matt Hodges Jaden Hopkins Johnathen Baggett Austin Villareal Dylan Ragsdale

12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 10 11 11 11 10 12 11 12

27 28 30 31 33 35 36 39 40 45 49 51 52 53 54 55 57 59

Dawson McAlister Braden Duvall Brandon Coleman Ryan Tidwell Ben Dale Isaac Talkington William Hall Tanner Whitted Chandler Signor Kyle McDaniel Kole Ferguson Dillion Dunlap Josh Myers Jason Kendrick Tim Bushea RJ Briggs Nick Warren Kord Lewis

6’1 5’11 5’10 5’10 5’10 6’0 5’8 5’10 5’8 5’8 5’9 5’11 5’11 5”10 5’9 6’0 5’11 6’1

180 195 130 150 225 190 165 165 130 145 175 225 190 215 170 185 220 210

10 11 11 10 11 10 12 12 10 10 10 12 11 12 11 10 12 12

61 63 64 65 66 67 70 72 74 75 76 77 78 79

Kaben Mc Bride Andy Neal John Dell Jacob Janssen Ethan Bryant Michael Reddell Brett Cains Brandon Yarber Gaven Davis David Beavers Dalton Haston Randal Schabell Josh Clark Caleb Jacobs

6’0 6’2 5’10 6’0 5’11 5’9 5’8 5’11 5’9 6’3 6’5 6’5 6’0 6’1

200 12 220 12 175 11 190 12 205 10 150 11 175 10 215 10 250 10 295 12 260 12 275 12 230 12 210 11

Head Coach: Greg Smith Asst Coaches: Jon Price, Ed Kelley, Kyle Phillips, Jerome Long, Steven Cagle Trainer: Jaime McDougal

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CAPTAIN’S LOG Fondren

Kaleb Fondren Class: Senior Position: DT After the Pirates’ surprising 2014 season, Fondren said the team is closer than before. “We have that same feeling as last year, but we’re closer than before. It’s a snowball type thing. Last year’s seniors gave us something to build on.�

Luke Price Class: Senior Position: RB Price said last year’s success painted a target on the team’s back. Where they surprised other teams last season, now it is expected from them. “It’s more of a motivation than anything,� he said. “We want to prove that it wasn’t a one-time thing.� Price said he takes senior leadership very

Price

seriously. “It’s my job to show people the right way to do things,� he said. “In the past, I’ve not been vocal. I’ve always been a silent leader, but I am trying to be more vocal this year.�

David Beavers Class: Senior Position: OL The biggest difference between the Pirates of 2014 and the Pirates of 2015 are size and speed, Beavers said. “We have a lot of underclassmen, but I think we are pretty evenly matched to last year’s team. The offensive line is the backbone of the whole team. We don’t succeed without it.�

Jacob Janssen Class: Senior Position: RT “We’re definitely more of a unit,� Jans-

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sen said. “We have more people on the same page. I don’t know if we are stronger, but I think we can be as good as or better than last year’s team.� Janssen’s leadership role on the team is that of a helper. “I just try and lift people up when they are down and make sure people don’t quit,� he said.

Frank Flores Class: Senior Position: Safety / WR Flores didn’t quite agree with his teammates’ assessment that the team has grown closer than last year’s squad. “We aren’t as close,� he said. “That group was tight. We still have some work to do in that area. These past few weeks have been better. I think we’ll get there.�

2014 RESULTS at Atkins Cedarville Mayflower at Subiaco Academy Pulaski Robinson at Clinton Pottsville at Ozark Dardanelle Arkansas Baptist Postseason at Gosnell

51-20 35-0 45-44 22-12 26-20 14-0 16-15 12-6 40-0 58-26

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35-7

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Johnson

Turner

Noah Johnson Class: Senior Position: LG What’s different about the Russellville Cyclones? Just about everything. Johnson said practices have been more extreme than last season. “They’re harder with more lifting,� he said. “Just overall more extreme. The coaches help all the players and push us to be better, especially the offensive line.�

Drew Turner Class: Senior Position: RT “There’s a lot more discipline,� Turner said. “The coaches are big on body language and how you act. Look around, no one is sitting on their helmets or on a knee. We run everywhere.� Turner said the Cylones are more efficient this year. “We will be running the ball a lot.�

Phommavongsa

CAPTAIN’S LOG James “Paco� Phommavongsa Class: Senior Position: DE Phommavongsa put on weight and explosiveness by wresting through the offseason. Phommavongsa said the two sports overlap quite a bit. “Wrestling prepared me by giving me agility and endurance,� he said. “It’s the same skills football requires.� Phommavongsa said the Cyclones would shock some people in 2015. “But only if we can stay together as a family and work hard,� he added.

McKown

Harris

Cole McKown Class: Senior Position: Safety/WR “The coaches are pushing us hard,� McKown said. “We don’t want a repeat of last year. The coaches expect full effort. They expect things to be done the way they want them to be done. We go 10 plays at 100 percent effort before we get a break. We want to compete. We want to be able to go out there and win.�

Larkin Harris Class: Senior Position: H-back Harris contemplated the changes on the football team since Billy Dawson took over as head coach. “Everything has gotten,� he paused, thinking. “It’s a real culture change. There’s more focus on weights and speed. We’ve made huge gains in the weight room. We were really far behind there, as far as strength goes, but we are getting there.�

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Russellville has new coach, new direction ,

Cyclones #BELIEVE15 BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com

, , , , ,

There’s a buzz around the Russellville Cyclones football program, and first-year head coach Billy Dawson wants it that way. The excitement, he said, benefits the kids and brings the community closer together. “I think the kids can sense it and feel it,� he said. “It’s an important way to start the school year. It’s important, I think, because as the high school football program grows, it grows community support. You can feel it all over town when the football team is successful. You can feel it in the hallways of our school. It’s a pride factor.� Dawson took over the Cyclones after Jeff Holt was reassigned last spring. Holt was the Russellville head football coach for 16 years. More than that, only two coaches from the previous staff remain for the 2015 season. It’s a whole new Cyclones football program.

“I think we’re going to be fun to watch,� Dawson said. “I think they’re going to play really hard. It’s going to really different than what we’ve been in the last 15 years in terms of style and philosophy. Our kids will be a really good reflection of our community. Dawson “And our new staff is awesome. The excitement the community has in our program is the same excitement I have in our new coaching staff. They are going to have a positive impact in these kids’ lives on and off the field.� With only four offensive starters and three defensive starters returning, Dawson said the team was inexperienced — but not without merit. “I think we have a really good chance to be good on the offensive line,� he said. “I think we have a chance to be good in the secondary. We aren’t returning many guys that played a lot, so we’ll be relatively young, even though we have a lot of players.� That’s the way it goes in high school football, Dawson said, and there’s little you can do about it. Dawson said building a program that never seems to have an experience problem or a rebuilding year, begins by planning ahead. “It’s the cycle of high school football,� he said. “You’ll lose a

big senior class, and you have to rebuild. You hope to avoid it. Thirty years ago, my dad told me, ‘You have to coach next year’s team this year. You have to get people ready to play, and get them that experience.’�

The nitty gritty Dawson said the quarterback spot had been in contention between Michael Mullen and Cale Fulsom — both juniors — all summer. "We have split reps with them all summer," Dawson said. "And they've both done really well. We've charted every single throw they've had this summer. They've been on the block, so to speak." Mullen, however, broke his arm a week before school started. Dawson said he wasn't sure how things would shake out following the injury, but added that sophomore Ryan Talley could slip into the mix. Dawson said Russellville is still learning how to win. The current generation of Cyclones have won 15 games in five years. That’s not enough practice, Dawson said. When they were in junior high they were 5-45. “We have to learn how win,� Dawson said. “I think we’re gaining on that. It starts in the weight room, practice and winning the small battles. You have to concur the little things before you can concur Friday night.� Dawson said the offseason has been unlike anything the play-

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Conference: 7A/6A-Central Conference Head coach: Billy Dawson (0-0) Stadium: Cyclone Stadium 2014 Record: 2-8, 0-7 All time record: 515-506-46 (.504) in 107 seasons Key Games: Conway Offense: Spread • Defense: 4-3 Homecoming: Bryant • Senior Night: Alma Playoff record: 11-14 • Last Appearance: 2013

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2015 Russellville Cyclones Roster #

Name

Grade

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Steven Baty Jackson Hickey James Woods Marquis Rhode Cale Fulsom Ethan McGlone Rhett Barker Josiah Woodard Layton Bicanovsky Michael Mullen Ryan Talley Caleb Hartgen Caleb Stokes Jake Mars Logan Sloss Samuel Escue Jake Stringer Nate Turner Ryan Meador Bryland Young Rudy Diaz

12 12 12 12 11 12 11 10 11 11 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 11 11 11 11

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

Randy Velazquez 12 Kelynn Messic 10 James Phommavongs 12 Michael Chenowith 10 Angel Portillo 12 Daniel Cloud 11 Cole Skelton 11 Jordan Greer 11 Frankie Diaz 11 Cole Needham 11 Cole McKown 12 Dalton Webb 11 Clay Metz 10 JD Gunnels 10 Seth Plummer 10 Paul Chiolino 11 Zach Hoyt 10 Reed Atchison 11 Tyler Bailey 12 Presley Geurian 11 Dorian Riley 12 Bryn Woker 10 Zack Snook 10

48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Terrence Smith 10 Alex Abarca 12 Ashton Whitlock 10 Andrew Turner Colton Reynolds Hayden Spears Ryan Stokes Zac Harrington Noah Johnson Andrew Sotelo Jacob Roberts Colin Apple Wade Lamberson Matthew Campbell Devin Humphries Jacob Reed Jonathan Hughes Jonathan Torres Michael Sykes Jordan Granadeno Garrett Gray Tyreece Duvall Kris Patrick

74 75 76 77 78 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 92 93 94 95 99

Devon Owens Blaze Dorrough Chris Ruiz Brandon Deras Connor Meadow Keshawn Thomas Issac Rogers Kyle Evans Caleb Ball Zeke Birmingham Wesley Vanderheiden Thomas Simpson Adrian Cuevas Larkin Harris Blake Wright Kyle Taylor Xander Reavis Trey Robinson Darius Ross Abel Ayala

CYCLONES CONTINUED FROM 11

ers have been through in their collective careers. “The 83 kids that made it through offseason are different young men,” Dawson said. “That’s mentally and in body. Those small wins are so important.”

A balanced attack

The Cyclone's new offense will emphasize a balanced attack, getting multiple players the ball and forcing the defense to cover the entire field. “It’s personnel-oriented,” Dawson said. “We’ll use some tight ends, old fashioned pull-backs, four-wide, multiple looks and very balanced. It will never be predicated on one guy. It’s predicated on getting the ball to different guys and trying to use the whole field. The defense will have to cover us sideline to sideline.”

Dawson’s offense has been built and established for 23 years. Dawson said it can be as big as the team needs or as small as they have to have it. “It’s been very productive over the years,” Dawson understated. Dawson is 91-14 at his previous school, Nashville, with three straight state championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Defensive tweaks One of the remaining coaches from 2014 is defensive coordinator David Wheeler. Dawson said he has known Wheeler for many years and likes his defensive philosophy — but there were a few tweaks. “We changed the way we line up, call things and teach some things,” Dawson said. “David and I are on the same page on many things. The things we tweaked we feel like are the directions we needed

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to go.” The Cyclones have concentrated on proper tackling. Dawson said he and Wheeler came up with a knee-tackling circuit the players have gone through. “We’ll see where that takes us,” he said. “We’re just concentrating on getting the kids confident on what we’re doing more than worrying about what the other team is doing.”

Many returns “We don’t know who is going to be our return guy yet,” Dawson said. “We have four to five guys back there right now trying to figure that out.” Russellville narrowed its place kicker and punters down to two — Cole Skelton or Nate Turner. Dawson said he thought they’d be pretty solid. Dawson named Josiah Woodard, Ryan Talley, Jackson Hickey and James Wood

among those competing for spots on kickoff return and punt return.

Key players, key games Dawson said the team hasn’t talked much about key games. Right now, they’re more focused on improving themselves than what teams they want to beat the most. “We’re just more concerned with ourselves,” Dawson said. “There’s not a team on our schedule I’ve heard mentioned. In their own little circles, I’m sure they’ve talked about it.” Dawson listed players he knew would be key contributors: Drew Turner, Noah Johnson, James Phommavongsa, Caleb Stokes and Cole McKown. “People are going to have to play unselfish and at a high football level for us to compete on Friday,” Dawson said. “Football is here now. It’s now. It’s time.”

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RHS’ Top 10 Most Played Opponents Games Played 89 80 64 47 45 44 41 38 34 34

Opponent

Record

Conway Morrilton Van Buren Benton Clarksville Springdale Fayetteville FS Southside Paris Rogers

30-54-5 49-29-2 30-29-5 18-25-4 32-11-2 14-29-1 12-28-1 10-28-0 27-7-0 20-13-0

First — Last 1909-2014 1909-2014 1909-2014 1925-2013 1913-1982 1931-2009 1954-2011 1965-2013 1918-1960 1972-2005

CROWD CONTROL N Name: R Regan St Stringer Parents: D David and D Denise S Stringer Age: 17 Class: Senior What is the m most difficult thing about cheer? The most difficult thing about cheer is putting together the routine and making it clean and difficult. What has made the cheer squad so successful lately? The determination and hard work from everyone on the team is the main contributor to our squad’s success. How does cheerleading help the football team? The cheer squad helps the football team by cheering them on during every game, rain or shine. Along with the

dance team, we are responsible for putting together the senior football players’ gifts for Senior Night and decorating the locker room before the first home game and Homecoming. What’s something about cheer that nobody knows or understands? I believe that nobody understands how hard we work to be a good sideline cheer squad and competition cheer squad. We don’t just go out there and flip and throw people in the air. We work really hard because it isn’t as easy as it looks. Name: Paige Burris Parents: Bob and LeAnne Burris Age: 17 Class: Senior What is the most difficult thing about cheer? The most difficult thing about cheer is that there is no offseason. We start with football, then our competition season starts. While competing we put together a school dance as a fundraiser

as well as begin cheering for basketball. After basketball, comes tryouts and then summer practices and camps for the following school year. Cheer requires dedication to the team, which sometimes means giving up your free time for the sport you love. What has made the cheer squad so successful lately? The cheer squad has been successful lately because all of the cheerleaders have two common goals. First, to cheer the Cyclones to a win at every game. Second, to be the best 6A cheer squad in Arkansas. The community support we have received in the past year has been above and beyond. Last year, we raised around $15,000 through fundraisers and donations from people and businesses in the community that allowed the whole team to travel to Orlando, Fla. to represent Russellville in a national competition. It is a lot easier to be successful when you have an entire community supporting you.

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Russellville — Opponent Capsules MORRILTON — The Cyclones lead the series 49-29-2; first meeting in 1910, an 11-8 Morrilton win (TDs worth five points in 1910). 2015 marks the 35th consecutive season the Cyclones and Devil Dogs have opened against one another, and the teams have played every season since 1958. RHS won in 2014, 42-21. Morrilton went 4-6 in 2014 after winning the Class 5A state championship in 2013 (122). Morrilton won state Class AA titles in 1971 (13-0) and 1973 (11-2). Cody McNabb became Devil Dog head coach in 2010 after serving as RHS’s defensive coordinator, and he has career record of 33-23-0 (.589) at Morrilton. RHS has won 11 of the past 13 meetings. ROGERS HERITAGE — Heritage won the first meeting between the two schools on Sept. 12, 2014, at David Gates Stadium, 7-6. Heritage opened in 2008 becoming the second high school in Rogers. The War Eagles were 4-8 in 2014, losing 30-28 to FS Southside in the Class 7A quarterfinals. The coach is Perry Escalante who has a 34-44-0 (.436) record at Heritage. POTTSVILLE — Cyclones lead series 6-0-0. After an 80-year hiatus, RHS won in 2014, 35-28 (RHS trailed 28-13 at the half). In the loss, the Apaches’ Dead T offense rushed for over 500 yards. Schools played five times between 1921-1934, with the 97-0 win in 1921 representing most points ever scored in a single game by a Cyclone football team. PHS finished 2014 with a 7-4 record, losing 35-20 to Arkadelphia in the 1st round of the Class 4A playoffs. Coached by Bryan Rust (former head coach at Hector), whose overall record is 58-31-2 (.648) at Pottsville. BRYANT — Conference opener and Homecoming. Bryant won last season at Hornet Stadium 34-6 after RHS led 6-0 early. Hornets lead series, 6-32. Schools first played in 1987, RHS won 16-14. 1988 game was RHS HC that ended in a 0-0 tie, the last scoreless game for the Cyclones and only the 10th scoreless game ever played by RHS in the more than 1,050 total games since 1909. Bryant holds a 2-1-1 edge over Cyclones in RHS homecoming games, the last one a 38-7 Hornet win in 2010. The 2014 Hornets were 9-2-1, losing to eventual state champion Bentonville, 17-7, in the Class 7A quarterfinals. Hornet head coach is Paul Calley, a former All-AIC player at Henderson State. Calley has amassed

a 94-39-4 (.701) record at Bryant, including four conference titles (2004, 2007, 2010, and 2011). Bryant has never won a state football championship. GREENWOOD — Cyclones lead series, 5-4-0. Bulldogs won last season, 40-0, at Smith-Robinson Stadium after winning the previous two meetings by identical 42-7 scores. RHS won first five meetings between 1943-83 before dropping the last four. Cyclones won first meeting in 1943, 26-6. Greenwood won 50 straight football games during the 2010-13 seasons, 3rd all-time in Arkansas high school history behind Barton (63) and Dollarway (51). Bulldogs have claimed seven state football championships in three different classifications (4A, 5A, and 6A) since 2000. Bulldogs were 7-4 last season, losing 24-14 to El Dorado in the Class 6A quarterfinals. Coach Rick Jones, named the 2012 National Federation of State High School Coaches Association’s Football Coach of the Year, has a 12621-0 (.857) at Greenwood. LITTLE ROCK CATHOLIC — Rockets lead series, 19-8-0. First played in 1936, a 6-0 Catholic win. Rockets won 21-17 at last season’s RHS homecoming played in a deluge that included a 90-minute lightning delay. Teams played

every season for 15 consecutive seasons between 1956-70 (Rockets won 12) w/the first 13 of these games as co-members of Region 3AA (Catholic moved up to Class AAA in 1969). Rockets were 5-6 in 2014, losing 24-14 to FS Northside in the 7A quarterfinals. Coached by John Fogleman whose two-year record at Catholic is 10-12-0 (.455). The 7A Rockets won state football championships in 1971, 1984 and 1985. VAN BUREN — Cyclones narrowly lead the Pointers in one of its oldest series, 30-29-5. First played in 1909, a 6-5 Pointer win (TDs worth five points until 1912). RHS and VB have played 64 times, the third most games against any opponent in school history. First game played at Cyclone Stadium was against the Pointers on Sept. 9, 1983, a 35-0 Cyclone win. Pointers won 31-14 last season at Blakemore Field. Pointers, who were 4-6 in 2014, have a new man at the helm in 2015, Greg Werner (1984 FSN grad). Werner compiled an overall 206-96-0 (.682) head coaching record in 26 previous seasons in Oklahoma (Poteau, Broken Bow and Nowata). Led 4A Poteau (OK) High to a 12-2 record in 2013, and its first state championship game appearance in 50 years. The 7A Pointers, who have won

49 games over the past 18 years and compiled a 30-104-0 record over the past 13 seasons, won state football titles in 1912, 1930, 1977 and 1996. ALMA — Alma leads series, 6-4-0, after 20-16 win last season at Airedale Stadium. First game in 1928, a 51-0 Cyclone win. Teams didn’t play again until 1989, a 28-13 Cyclone win. Alma leads 3-2 over the past five seasons with the home team winning each game. Alma moved from 5A to 6A in 2014, and is scheduled to move back to 5A in 2016. Airedales posted a 6-6 mark last season, losing 32-27 to Jonesboro in Class 6A quarterfinals. Coached by Doug Loughridge in his third season as Airedale skipper (two-year record of 16-9 at Alma). A former Cyclone assistant, Loughridge was head coach at Charleston, his alma mater, from 2007-12 where he posted a 68-9 record (.883) and two state Class 3A championships (2008, 2011). Alma won state championships in 1980, 1997 and 1998. CONWAY — Conway leads series, 54-30-5. Their mascot, the Wampus Cat, is a mythical six-legged swamp cat. Conway won last season, 41-10, after leading 41-3 at halftime (largest halftime lead by either team in series history). Cats have won five straight in the Cyclones’ longest running series (teams have played 89 games since 1909, including three post-season matchups). Rivalry is one of the oldest and most storied in the annals of Arkansas high school football. Cyclones won initial meeting in 1909, 6-0. Teams have played every season since 1949 (67 straight seasons). The 2014 Wampus Cat won the 7A/6A Central conference title (7-0), finishing the regular season undefeated before losing 42-35 to Fayetteville in the Class 7A quarterfinals to end the season at 10-1. Conway’s 1964 11-0 team claims a mythical state championship (AAA recognizes LR Hall as ’64 state champs). Coached by Clint Ashcroft who has posted a 49-190 record (.721) at Conway. SILOAM SPRINGS — RHS leads series, 2-1-0, after Panthers’ 42-21 win last season at RHS. Cyclones won the first two non-conference meetings in 2012-13 by 28-16 and 45-23 scores. The 6A Panthers ended the 2014 season with a 5-7-0 overall record after losing 41-17 to eventual state champion Pine Bluff in the Class 6A quarterfinals. Coached by Bryan Rose whose record at the school is 23-41-1 (.362) entering the 2015 season.

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

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Pottsville Apaches

2015 Pottsville Apaches Roster Grade 11 10 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 12

No. Player 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 15

Bryce Prince Trint Clark Brayden Paul Josh Dugger Will Holsomback Kyle Reynolds Austin Bell Cole Duvall Nic Carter Jake White Peyton Lasher

10 11 10 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 11 11 12

16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 28 30 31 32 33

Kyle Nolan Rober Philpott Greyson Stevens Alec Metz Billy Lowe Michael Dunlap Dawson Kilburn Jake Dugger Preston Anthony Ty Maness Mason Johnson Samuel Holland Austin McNeely

Pottsville Apaches Head coach: Bryan Rust (58-31-2) Stadium: John Needham Stadium Key game: Dardanelle 2014 Record: 7-4, 5-2

Offense: Dead T Defense: 5-2 Playoff Record: 5-6 Last Appearance: 2014

2015 SCHEDULE Sept. 4 Gravette Sept. 11 Morrilton Sept. 18 Russellville Sept. 25 at Dardanelle* Oct. 2 at Arkansas Baptist* Oct. 9 Ozark* Oct. 16 Dover* Oct. 23 at Subiaco Academy* Oct. 30 at Pulaski Robinson* Nov. 5 Clinton* (Thursday) * Denotes Conference game

12 10 11 11 10 10 10 11 12 12 10 11 11

34 35 36 44 50 51 52 54 56 58 60 63 64

Travis Monk Stephen Judkins Payton Garner Josiah Prock Floyd Bryant David Miguel Joseph Fryar Caleb Hull A.J. Van Es Harley Bailey Seth Foster Gage Hoyt Austin Rhynes

11 65 Tony Duarte 12 68 Justyin Myers 12 72 David Piker 12 74 Alan Garcia Head coach: Bryan Rust Assistant coaches: Greg Coffman, Greg Jones, Shaun Bailey, Josh Falls, Ben Stang, Chris Dodson Managers: Mikayla Halstead, Mercedes Hutson, Sidney Milligan, Andi Rhinehard Film: Garrett Thomason, Landry Hunt, Tyler Philpot

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Pottsville optimistic about coming season BY CAMERON TATE newsclerk@couriernews.com

POTTSVILLE — Apaches head coach Bryan Rust said he believes his team will have to fight for some of its wins during the 2015 season. “I see a lot of games that we can win and a lot of games that we will have to play really well to win,” he said. “It all comes down to how much they want it. We’ll know a lot after the Rust first four games of the year.” Rust said Pottsville has managed to make rivals out of more than a couple of teams in the 4A-4 and tied for second place last year with Dover and Clinton. “Dardanelle was the team to beat last year,” Rust said. “They were our main competitors.” Even with the challenges the team will face, Rust said he is excited for the season to get underway. Even though he has had to fill the holes left by a lot of skilled players from last year, he said he is expecting big things from his this year. Jake Dugger will return at quarterback. Jake’s twin brother, Josh, returns at running back. The Duggers are said to be two of the team’s big playmakers. Also filling in as running back is Alec Metz, who played quite a bit last year but was not a starter.

“I see a lot of games that we can win and a lot of games that we will have to play really well to win. It all comes down to how much they want it. We’ll know a lot after the first four games of the year.” Bryan Rust Apaches head coach Austin McNeely has been moved to fullback. The team is still trying to get McNeely in other positions and may

put him at tight end, Rust said. Rust said he expects to see big things from David Piker. Rust said Piker was

FROM THEIR RIVALS “The thing about Pottsville, they’re so different and it’s so hard to get prepared for that Dead-T in three days of practice. They will beat people who have no idea how to line up against what they do because they’ve never seen it. When this current group of kids were in junior high, they went undefeated and won the conference championship. They have the ability to beat anybody.” Price

— Josh Price, Dardanelle Sand Lizards

an excellent blocker last year and will hopefully bring the same athleticism to the game this year. A few positions are still open to change, and nothing is set in stone, the coach pointed out. “We’re still in the battle times but hopefully we’ll have more answers in a few weeks,” Rust said. “Brice Prince, Austin Bell, Michael Dunlap and Jake White are all still trying to win the tight end spots.” However, Rust said Austin Ryan and Harley Bailey have “pretty much” secured their positions with their performance from last spring at left guard and right guard, respectively. McNeely returns at defensive end, while Tony Duarte, Seth Foster, Joseph Fryar, A.J. Van Es and Nic Carter compete for the other defensive line positions. Will Holsomback returns at outside linebacker. Rust said Holsomback has a lot of experience from last year. Payton Lasher and Josiah Prock are competing for the other outside linebacker spot. Ty Manus and Bill Low currently have the inside linebacker positions filled, although Rust said they still need to keep up their hard work. Kyle Reynolds returns at free safety. Josh Dugger saw a lot of time at corner last year. Josh may see little time at corner this year but will probably spend most of his time on offense. Jake Dugger will be another starting corner, with other players such as Greyson Stephens, Preston Anthony and Michael Dunlap competing in the secondary.

2014 RESULTS at Gravette Morrilton at Russellville Dardanelle Arkansas Baptist at Ozark at Dover Subiaco Academy Pulaski Robinson at Clinton

36-10 43-13 35-28 41-14 43-7 32-0 16-15 36-14 49-14 24-21

W W L L W W L W W W

Postseason Arkadelphia

40-21

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19

CAPTAIN’S LOG McNeely

Bailey

Maness

Prock

Van Es

Piker

Austin McNeely

Ty Maness

A.J. Van Es

Position: RB/DE Class: Senior “I think we are going to be better than last season,” McNeely said. “We have a lot of young players who are going to have to step up and take some ground. But if we can do that, I think we can finish better than last season.”

Position: LB Class: Senior Maness said he hoped to record 150 tackles in the fall. He said it was a lofty goal, but one he thought he could reach with hard work and determination. “I would like to be remembered as a good person and a hard worker on and off the field,” he said. Maness said defense would be a strength of the Apaches. “We are really good,” he said. “Our linebackers and secondary, we have key returners there.”

Position: OL Class: Senior Van Es said the team had a goal of winning conference and eventually state. He said the team would have to put in a lot of work if it was going to reach that goal. “And I want to be that guy that gets us ready for game time,” he said. “The guy that gets everyone riled up. I want to always be the guy that is working hard.”

Josiah Prock

Position: LT Class: Senior “The offensive line is stronger and quicker than last year,” Piker said. “We have a goal of getting better every day, and I think we are closer as a unit.” Pike said another goal the line had was simply to prevent quarterback Jake Dugger from getting sacked.

Harley Bailey Position: RG Class: Senior The Pottsville Apaches finished in a three-way tie for second in the 4A-4 Conference last season. Bailey said the team feels like it can have greater success this season but not without work ethic. “We have a lot better leadership,” he said. “I think we have a better work ethic, too. We have to come at it and play harder. We lost a lot of good players last year, but I think we will be better than a lot of people think. Bailey made a point to add his thoughts on the Arkansas Razorbacks: “Woo, Pig,” he said.

David Piker Position: LB Class: Senior “Our athleticism and speed are strengths this year,” Prock said. “We know how to work. We know how to grind it out. I guess a weakness would be experience and size, but that won’t stop us or slow us down.”

Double trouble BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com

POTTSVILLE — No, you aren’t seeing double — the Pottsville Apaches have identical twins and seniors Josh and Jake Dugger playing at quarterback and halfback. Jake — the quarterback — took over for standout quarterback Michael Perry last season. Josh shines as one of the many ball carriers in the Apaches’ Dead-T offense. “You know, they aren’t that big,” Pottsville head coach Bryan Rust said. “When they were in junior high school, looking at them, I didn’t think they could play an entire game because they were both so small.” Rust was wrong. The Dugger brothers were part of a ninth-grade team that went undefeated and won the 4A-4 Conference, and they’ve been key contributors for Pottsville for two years. Jake

accounted for more than 1,000 yards in 2014. Josh rushed for around 1,500. “They are competitive with each other,” Rust said. “They get along great, but they push one another. They have a chemistry that is unmatched.” The pair are soft spoken, often glancing at each other before answering any questions posed to them. The brothers can and do finish each other’s sentences. “Being twins brings a lot of chemistry to the field,” Josh said. “We know where we’ll be at. If we are running the option, he knows I’ll be right there, and he knows when and where to pitch the ball.” Rust said their quiet nature belies their personalities occasionally. The pair, Rust said, are often “up to something.” “They get that from their father,” Rust went on. “They’re mischievous, instigators. They like getting things going. They won’t say a word, but they’ll be right in the middle of it.”

Rust motioned across the Pottsville Indoor Practice Facility, where the Apaches were taking a break. Senior running back and defensive end Austin McNeely had Jake pinned to the turf in a headlock. “McNeely is 5’4, 250 pounds,” Rust said. “It’s funny, you see them, and he walks in the middle with the Duggers on either side. He’s like that cartoon bulldog, and they’re getting him to do all their dirty work. They love to mess with him. I promise you Jake was messing

with him just now. Watch.” Rust called McNeely over. “Why are you hitting on our quarterback?” he said. McNeely looked aghast, clearly believing he was in trouble. “He was picking on me coach,” he said. Rust laughed. “They are my best friends,” McNeely said. “And I can always tell them apart. One is a little uglier. Jake is a little uglier.”

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Hector Wildcats

2015 Hector Wildcats Roster

Hector Wildcats Head coach: Mark Taylor (26-9) 2014 Record: 9-2 Offense: Spread Defense: 50 Playoff Record: 10-12

#

Name

2 7 8 9 12 13 14 20 21 22 24

Ripley Meyers Braxton Hendrix Lucas Jones Jacob Hendrix Tanner Gaines Jacob Billingsley Jalen Ferguson Colton Foster David Duvall Cody Branyan James Sims

GO WILDCATS

30 33 35 42 52 54 56 58 60 62 65 70 75

Brandon Roper Zach White Tyler Dixon Justin Walker Brandon Lott Dalton Day Lee Parker Ty Ashlock Caleb Riley Ethan Brown Logan Church Josh Brown Zach Svolos

82 Trace McGhee Mason Condley Derrick Blalock Nathan Pitts Joe Bob Fillion Andrew Sears Cody Turney Bull Jacob Burch Jamie Haralson Camaron Graham Jaden Arias Jesus

FROM THEIR RIVALS “Let me put it this way: There’s no one like them in our conference. We are all playing for second, third, fourth and fifth place behind behind Hector.” — Jeff Stewart, Johnson County Westside Stewart

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Wildcats seek to preserve streak BY TRAVIS SIMPSON sports@couriernews.com

HECTOR — The Wildcats have won 19-straight 2A-4 Conference games dating back to 2012. That’s a trend Hector head coach Mark Taylor would like to keep going. “It’s our motivation,” Taylor said. “We talk about it every year. Our conference opponents want to knock us off. We use that as motivation to try and dominate the 2A-4.” And with 22 returning starters from a Taylor team that went 8-2 last year, dominating the conference seems all but eminent. Taylor said the goal was to win the 2A-4 — again — and to break through to become a contender at the state level. “That’s our next goal,” he said. “We want to be one of those top 1-3 teams. We always play them close, but we need to win.” The Wildcats return junior quarterback Tanner Gaines — now in his third year under center.He’s bigger, stronger and more accurate. Taylor expects big things out of him. “He’s improved his presnap and down-the-field reads,” Taylor said. “He understands what the defense is giving him, and he’s taking it. In turn, we give him more run-pass options than we have in the past.” Taylor said Hector is replacing a lot of size. “We were absolutely huge last year,” he said. “We are replacing three up front, and, to put that in perspective, that’s like 800-900 pounds off our front line.” Hector is replacing them with smaller guys, who Taylor said are athletic and quicker. “They are young as well,” he added. Taylor said Jamie Birch, Parker Lee,

With 22 returning starters from a team that went 8-2 last year, dominating the conference seems all but eminent. Brandon Lot, Zach Svlos and Ethan Brown will return up front and will play “a huge part in our success.” Hector graduated running back Tyler Brashear in the spring. Brashear rushed for 1,003 yards and 21 TDs. Taylor said he would be hard to replace, but he was confident in the abilities of senior Jacob Billingsley. “He’s making the most of his opportunity to play,” Taylor said. “He’s the guy that sat behind Gus Nichols and Tyler Brashear for the last two years. He’s a great running back, he was just behind those guys. He is very capable of producing big gains.” Gaines will have a sure-handed target at wide receiver in 2015. Jalen Furgeson pulled in 750 yards on 43 receptions last year. “He’s terrific after the catch. He’s so quick and so fast. He’s just a tremendous player. He runs the tunnel screen, and it’s been a weapon for us in the past. We have to find way to have him touch the ball 10-12 times per game.” Defensively, Hector will have to fill a few holes. The Wildcats lost their entire defensive line. Colton Foster, who recorded 11 sacks in 2014 at ouside linebacker, will bring his experience to the defense. Dalton Day and Zach White will both return, but Taylor said the line was still his biggest concern. “We have to replace the TNT,” he said. “Tackle, nose, tackle.” Strength: Confidence, speed and experience. Weakness: Unproven defensive linemen.

“It’s our motivation. We talk about it every year. Our conference opponents want to knock us off. We use that as motivation to try and dominate the 2A-4.” Mark Taylor Hector Wildcats head coach

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CAPTAIN’S LOG Gaines

Day

Condley

Foster

Ferguson

Billingsley

Tanner Gaines

Mason Condley

Class: Junior Position: QB Gaines said he spent the offseason working on his quarterback skills. “I went to a lot of camps. I worked on being a great QB, not just a great athlete. I worked on my footwork and my form,” he said. Gaines said the Wildcats hoped to keep their win streak alive this season, as well as make it deeper in the playoffs.

Class: Senior Position: LB Condley moved to Hector from Pottsville during the offseason. He said the experience has been extremely positive. “The school is more laid back,” he said. “I can learn at my own pace.” As for the football team: “Coaches here seem to understand me a little bit better. The offense and the defense is easy to learn,” he said.

Class: Senior Position: RB Billingsley played behind stand-out running backs Tyler Brashear and Gus Nichols his sophomore and junior year. This year, he’s ready to make the position his own. Billingsley said he knew he had big shoes to fill. “I just have to go all out every play,” he said. “We all do. We have to play hard and we can never quit, no matter how big the other team is.”

Jacob Billingsley

Colton Foster

Class: Senior Position: WR Ferguson has been pulling down passes from quarterback Tanner Gaines since ninth grade. Their chemistry, Ferguson said, should help the Wildcats win some games. “Besides that, our skill positions and our defense are very strong. We have some youth, but they are learning really quick,” he said.

Dalton Day

Jalen Ferguson

Class: Senior Position: LB Day said the defense ought to be “very strong” this season, but that the defensive line will have to step up. “Overall, we have a lot of starters coming back on the defensive side of the ball, but our line is pretty young,” he said.

Class: Senior Position: DE Foster said one of the goals this year was to build up the underclassmen. “We were brought up by last year’s seniors,” Foster said. “They left us where we are right now. I want to leave that legacy for the younger generations.”

2014 RESULTS Marshall at Hackett at Hartford WYC at Magazine at Mountainburg at Union Christian Decatur Bearden JC Westside Postseason BYE Rison

52-18 20-6 42-6 42-7 43-10 43-6 31-14 39-7 35-20 55-12

2015 SCHEDULE W W W W W W W W L W

Sept. 4 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 5

at Marshall Hackett* at Strong at WYC* Magazine* Mountainburg* Union Christian* at Decatur* at Bearden at JC Westside* (Thursday)

* Denotes Conference game

38-30 L

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