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We support Bulldog Football t 479-637-4182 • Waldron, AR PREP RALLY: Class 4A THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018 38 power running of senior Lane Dalton mixed in with speedsters like senior Garrett Heltemes. "We won't be as flashy," Abshier said. "We don't have as much size, but we do have some speed. The main thing for us will be ball control. Can we sustain drives and can we play defense against everyone we'll face, and there are some good offenses? "We have to outwork everyone else and if we do that, and play together, we'll be all right." Shiloh Christian coach Jeff Conaway doesn't want to take preseason predic- tions for granted either. He avoided making predictions about other teams, but said he "likes the way our team is coming to work and coming together." The team is led by playmaker Jaret Russ, two-way star Micah Button and offensive lineman Logan Kalleson, the league's top college prospect in the Class of 2019. "We're going to have to capitalize in the big games. We did that last year in Week 10 (a 17-14 home win against Pea Ridge)," Conway said. "We're going to have to play extremely well every single week. There are a lot of strong teams in our league and every one of them is capable of beating you. "You have to show up to play every week." Pea Ridge lost several playmakers off last year's team that reached the state semifinals. The Blackhawks, who are two years removed from a state finals appearance, will rely heavily on a veter- an defense behind senior defensive end Mike Mahoney and senior linebacker Tristin Brewer, among others. "The preseason things, the rankings, it's great for high school football," said Blackhawks coach Stephen Neal. "That gets people pumped up and it gets peo- ple excited. But, in the end, I don't really pay a whole lot of attention about that. "We're Pea Ridge and we can only control what we do. We're focused on us and how good we can get, not about the other teams." 4A-1 v Continued from Page 37 SHINE ON TAJAE WHITE SCHOOL Gravette POSITION Quarterback CLASS Senior HEIGHT 5-8 WEIGHT 155 TWITTER HANDLE @tajae_white12 THE DIGITS Completed 66 of 154 passes for 794 yards and six touchdowns, then ran the ball 165 times for 904 yards and 10 scores. Defensively, he had an interception and recov- ered a fumble in limited action. CRUSHING ON Football I LISTEN TO All sorts of music — rap, a little Saudade, a little Iration, Black Boy JB. I BINGE WATCH I just got done watching "Last Chance U: Season 3." I also got done watching "Scandal" and "Quantico." I DRIVE A '03 Dodge Neon MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW How young I am. I'm a senior and I'm only 16. I won't turn 17 until September. MY HERO IS Probably my dad FAVORITE MEAL I like chicken and rice with cheese — oven baked. That's good stuff. WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT FOOT- BALL IS The bonding that you make, not only with your teammates but the other team as well. IN 10 YEARS I WILL Hopefully doing physical therapy and owning my own busi- ness. TAJAE WHITE NWA Democrat-Gazette/HENRY APPLE Pea Ridge coach Stephen Neal said he appreciates preseason rankings but he isn't overly focused on them. "We're Pea Ridge and we can only control what we do," he said. "We're focused on us and how good we can get, not about the other teams." See 4A-4, Page 41