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W W W . H A R P S F O O D . C O M HARPS H O M E T O W N F R E S H PREP RALLY: Class 3A THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018 47 GREENLAND PIRATES 2017 RECORD 5-5, 2-5 3A-1 Conference COACH Lee Larkan RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/MLB Levi Vaughn (Sr., 5-8, 170), DL Blake Haw- kins (Sr., 5-9, 150), WR/MLB Antonio Alvarez (Sr., 5-11, 150), DB/WR Kade Willyard (Jr., 6-2, 195), C Mason Barber (Sr., 6-0, 215), WR/DB Ethan Holte (Sr., 5-10, 165). THE SKINNY Expectations are high for the Pirates, as the team is as talented as any that have competed for the school. With the rest of the conference being so tough, it remains to be seen if Greenland can prove its talent record-wise. … The offense must replace a 2,000-yard passer in Austin Anderson, and Levi Vaughn is expected to step in after throwing only two passes in nine games last season. … Many of the team's statistical leaders from last season are gone, and the Pirates are excited to unleash some of the talent that has been wait- ing in the wings, including some strong receivers in Antonio Alvarez, Kade Willyard and Ethan Holte, who made plays when asked to last season. COACH SPEAK "I think we need to be in the playoffs, and I think we have a team that can win some games in the playoffs. We've got a bunch of average kids who've really worked hard in the weight room. They were putting on shoulder pads, and we noticed that a lot of the kids who wore larges last season wouldn't fit anymore. We've grown, and hopefully, that'll pay off for us this year." — Andrew Epperson SCHEDULE Aug. 31 ..................................Elkins Sept. 6 ................. at Mountainburg Sept. 14 ........................... at Gentry Sept. 21 .......................Charleston* Sept. 28 .................... at Mansfield* Oct. 5 ........................... Booneville* Oct. 12 ............................at Lamar* Oct. 19 .......................... Cedarville* Oct. 26 ..............................at Paris* Nov. 2 ...........................West Fork* * — Denotes 3A-1 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. CHARLESTON TIGERS 2017 RECORD 12-1, 7-0 3A-4 Conference COACH Greg Kendrick RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS POS QB Brayden Caudle (Sr., 6-2, 225), WR Brayden Ross (Jr., 6-5, 240), RB Hunter Kengla (5-10, 185), OL Shane Turner (Jr., 6-3, 217), LB Tanner Jones (Jr., 6-0, 171), LB/WR Dean Lea (Jr. 6-0, 215), DB Mason Keener (Sr., 6-5, 200). THE SKINNY The Tigers will miss standout Sean Michael Flanagan, who piled up nearly 5,000 all-purpose yards in his career, but Kendrick said they still have some offensive weapons. … Speed will still be an asset on both sides of the ball, Kendrick said. … Quarterback Brayden Caudle, who threw for almost 2,800 yards with 38 touchdowns and only four interceptions, returns to lead the offense. … The offensive line is one area the Tigers are a bit thin, but return juniors Shane Turner and Jonathan Williams. … There may not be the one stud at running back or receiver, but he has good depth at those skill positions, Kendrick said. … Senior Hunter Kengla rushed for 361 yards and finished with 246 yards receiving last year. … Keener will be a three-year starter in the secondary, while junior Tanner Jones returns at linebacker where he was in on more than 100 tackles a year ago. COACH SPEAK "Our identity will be a little different post-Sean Michael. That's comparing apples to oranges. We talk about getting one percent better every day. We won't be as explosive, but we feel like we have a lot of weapons that haven't been shown yet because they have set in the shadows of some of those guys." — Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB SCHEDULE Aug. 23 ..........................Melbourne Aug. 31 .......................... Dardanelle Sept. 14 ................................. Ozark Sept. 21 ....................at Greenland* Sept. 28 ........................ Cedarville* Oct. 5 ........................ at Mansfield* Oct. 12 .................................. Paris* Oct. 19 ..................... at Booneville* Oct. 26 ..........................West Fork* Nov. 2 .............................at Lamar* * — Denotes 3A-1 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. CEDARVILLE PIRATES 2017 RECORD 3-7, 2-5 3A-4 Conference COACH Max Washausen RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 11 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/LB Dylan Murray (Sr., 5-11, 138), C/DT Alex As- cencio (Jr., 5-11, 274), RB/FS Kelin Mitchell (Soph., 5-10, 156), RT/LB Billy Mongold (Sr., 5-9, 250), TE/DL Easton Mongold (Soph., 6-3, 250), HB/FS Isaiah Lawson (Sr., 6-0, 172). THE SKINNY Cedarville's football program has only experienced five winning seasons, but Max Washausen thinks his third year could include a playoff appearance. … A number of talented sophomores who were conference champions as freshmen will get their chance to prove their mettle if they can stay healthy and adjust to the speed of the game. … Fullback Tate LaRue was an all-conference fullback last year with 903 rush- ing yards, and he'll look to play a big factor for the team's success. … The entire starting offensive line returns to protect quarterback Dylan Murray. … Known for their wing-T formation, the Pirates will look to break down defenses with aggressive running mixed with some play-action passes. … The Pirates will have a size advantage as eight players weigh more than 200 pounds. COACH SPEAK "We want to be in the playoffs, and we want to be playing against a team in the first round that we have an opportunity to beat. We know we're in a very good conference, but we tell our guys, 'Hey, if we can make it through there and be a four or five seed, we're going to have a legit chance to play a competitive football team in the first round.'" — Andrew Epperson SCHEDULE Aug. 24 ....................... JC Westside Aug. 31 ................ at Mountainburg Sept. 7 ............................... Bigelow Sept. 21 ..............................Lamar* Sept. 28 ...................at Charleston* Oct. 5 ................................at Paris* Oct. 12 ..........................West Fork* Oct. 19 ......................at Greenland* Oct. 26 .......................... Mansfield* Nov. 2 .......................... Booneville* * — Denotes 3A-1 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. BOONEVILLE BEARCATS 2017 RECORD 10-2, 7-0 4A-4 Conference COACH Scott Hyatt RETURNING STARTERS 10 offense, 9 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/DB Brandon Ulmer (Sr., 5-10, 170), FB/LB Carson Ray (5-7, 200), HB Mike Hesson (Sr., 5-10, 170), OL Noah Reyes (Sr., 6-2, 240), OL Sammy Haynes (Sr., 5-10, 250), DL Marcus Nichols (Sr., 5-9, 235). THE SKINNY The Bearcats return all five starting offensive linemen and won the overall state weight meet, so their traditional running game looks to be a strength again. … But Ulmer gives them a good run/pass threat at quarterback. … Ulmer, an Arkansas State baseball commit, rushed for a team-high 762 yards and threw for 810, despite missing a couple of games because a knee injury and is also a key on defense at safety. … Ray is also a two-way player at fullback and linebacker, after scoring 15 touchdowns last year and adding 48 tackles. … The tandem of Marcus Nichols and Noah Reyes make a formidable 1-2 punch on defense, combining for more than 130 tackles a year ago. … Nichols squats 505 pounds, benches 345 and power cleans 335. … Reyes is a three-year starter on defense and made 16.5 tackles for loss a year ago. … Hesson, a senior, also rushed for almost 500 yards and also made 55 tackles to earn all-conference honors. … Hobbs was a threat a receiver with 22 catches for 483 yards and five touchdowns. COACH SPEAK "We've got to be able to run the ball to be successful. But we've thrown it more the last few years because we can. This year, I think we can do a little bit of all of it. This year is gonna go how the kids want it to go, what they put into it and their attitudes and their efforts." — Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB SCHEDULE Aug. 24 ...........................Clarksville Aug. 31 .............................. at Ozark Sept. 7 ..............................Pottsville Sept. 21 ............................at Paris* Sept. 28 ........................West Fork* Oct. 5 ........................at Greenland* Oct. 12 .......................... Mansfield* Oct. 19 .........................Charleston* Oct. 26 ............................at Lamar* Nov. 2 ....................... at Cedarville* * — Denotes 3A-1 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. said. "This year's gonna go how the kids want it to go. What they put into it, their attitudes and their efforts. "We've got our whole starting offen- sive line back. We won the overall state weight meet this year, so pretty strong right now. The biggest thing we don't have right is that dude that can just break away and go. We're not slow, but we're not fast." A healthy Brandon Ulmer should help the Bearcats' cause. The senior quarter- back is a two-way threat, rushing for a team-high 762 yards and throwing for 810 more despite missing 1½ games with a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament. He returned late in the season, after being fitted with a brace. But Hyatt ac- knowledged Ulmer, who also plays safe- ty, wasn't full speed. Ulmer is far from Booneville's lone offensive weapon, which also includes senior all-conference fullback Carson Ray, all-conference halfback Mike Hes- son and senior receiver Ethan Dobbs. The Bearcats' move down in classi- fication also sets up a nice conference matchup against longtime rival Charles- ton, which rolled through the league un- defeated a year ago and lost in the state quarterfinals. Booneville, Charleston and Lamar move into a revamped 3A-1 Conference that includes Greenland, West Fork, Par- is, Mansfield and Cedarville, while At- kins, Perryville and Two Rivers remain in the 3A-4. Tigers coach Greg Kendrick said his team is different from a year ago, after the graduation of standout Sean Mi- chael Flanagan, who is now at Oklahoma State after piling up almost 5,000 career all-purpose yards and 67 touchdowns. "That's comparing apples to orang- es," Kendrick said. "We're finding our identity post-Sean Michael, which is a hard pill to swallow for me. When you lose someone that's just special. Not only special as a player, but as a young man. v Continued from preceding page S. Haynes M. Hesson N. Reyes B. Ulmer A. Ascencio B. Mongold D. Murray I. Lawson B. Caudle B. Ross D. Lea H. Kengla E. Holte L. Vaughn A. Alvarez B. Hawkins See 3A, Page 48