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Douglas Dominguez Pool Nethers Fesler Weaver GREENWOOD BULLDOGS 2018 RECORD 12-1, 7-0 6A-West COACH Rick Jones RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Jace Presley (Sr., 6-3, 182), RB Hunter Wilkinson (Jr., 5-10, 190), WR Treyton Dawson (Sr., 6-0, 178), OL Nathan Nethers (Sr., 6-1, 217), OL Kevin Douglas (Sr., 6-2, 271), OL Halen Carter (Sr., 6-0, 218), OL Michael Emberson (Sr., 5-8, 264), OL Traven Nichols (5-10, 271), DT Aniken Lewis (Sr., 5-8, 249), LB Eli Martin (Sr., 5-11, 192) S Logan Workman (Sr., 5-7, 140). THE SKINNY Greenwood is in search of its 10th state championship in program history and third straight 6A title after winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. … The Bulldogs won three straight 5A titles from 2005 to 2007 and again in 2010 to 2012, all under Rick Jones, who is 175-24 at the school. … Greenwood's first state title came in 2000 under Ronnie Peacock. … Greenwood will break in a new quarterback in senior Jace Presley after losing Peyton Holt to graduation. … The Bulldogs return junior running back Hunter Wilkinson, who had 750 rushing yards and 359 receiving yards. … Wide receivers Treyton Dawson (58-855) and Lazaro Angel (44-509) also return. … An offensive line led by seniors Nathan Nethers, Kevin Douglas, Halen Carter and Traven Nichols and Michael Emberson are being challenged by their coach to help keep the new QB upright. … Defen- sively Greenwood must replace seven starters from a defense that gave up only 13.4 points a year ago. COACH SPEAK "Our offensive lineman have a huge re- sponsibility, even more so this year than in the past," Jones said. "We've got to keep that quarterback up- right and we've got to keep him healthy. … Defensively we've got to replace a lot of really good football players. I think a big part of that is having guys that will focus and concentrate, be aggressive and be willing to chase the ball. That's the great thing about our defense the last four years, is we haven't had to beg them to chase the ball. They go out there and they're ready to go. That's the kind of mentality we need to make sure we keep." — Graham Thomas SCHEDULE Sept. 6 ................ FS Northside Oct. 11 Siloam Springs* Sept. 13 ..............FS Southside Oct. 18 ...at Russellville* Sept. 20 at Sand Springs, Okla. Oct. 25 ......... at Benton* Sept. 27 ................. at LR Hall* Nov. 1 ........... Sheridan* Oct. 4 ..................... El Dorado* Nov. 8 at Lake Hamilton* * — Denotes 6A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. SILOAM SPRINGS PANTHERS 2018 RECORD 5-6, 3-4 6A-West COACH Brandon Craig RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 8 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Taylor Pool (Sr., 5-11, 179), RB/DB Jackson Norberg (Sr., 6-1, 173), WR Gage Weaver (Sr., 5-9, 169), OL Jared Clark (Jr., 6-3, 318), DL Mariano Dominguez (Sr., 6-0, 255), DL Kolby Fesler (Sr., 6-3, 254), LB Camden Collins (Jr., 6-2, 174), K Harrison Losh (Sr., 5-9, 151). THE SKINNY The Panthers enter their second season un- der coach Brandon Craig, after going 5-6 in 2018 and mak- ing the Class 6A playoffs for the first time since 2014. … Elusive senior Taylor Pool, who started at safety in 2018, takes over at quarterback for the Panthers. … Siloam Springs must replace 1,580-yard all-state rusher Kaiden Thrailkill and will plan on using several players at running back, led by senior Jackson Norberg. … The Panthers return receiver Gage Weaver (27 receptions, 371 yards) along with several other experienced receivers. … Siloam Springs returns eight starters on defense led by senior defensive linemen Mariano Dominguez and Kolby Fesler and junior linebacker Camden Collins, who was a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Sophomore Team. COACH SPEAK "Our expectation is that we are going to con- tinue to improve and continue to compete at a higher level," Craig said. "We'll want to obviously move the needle from where it was last year. I think the expectations have grown in our program and people are excited and want to see us have success. But it still comes down to our kids making plays on the field and playing for one another. To keep moving that needle they're just going to have to commit to everything they can and doing whatever it takes to win." — Graham Thomas SCHEDULE Aug. 30 .............Van Buren Oct. 11 ..... at Greenwood* Sept. 6 ............Pryor, Okla. Oct. 18 .....Lake Hamilton* Sept. 13 .......... at Harrison Oct. 25 ........at El Dorado* Sept. 27 ........ at Sheridan* Nov. 1 ..................LR Hall* Oct. 4 ...................Benton* Nov. 8 ........at Russellville* * — Denotes 6A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. Defensively Greenwood must replace several starters from last year, but it still has veterans like lineman Aniken Lewis (5-8, 249) and Coleton Erwin (5-9, 264), linebacker Jayden Martin (5-7, 195) and safety Logan Workman (5-7, 141) in the mix. Several teams in 6A will be gunning for Greenwood, including Benton (10-3), which Greenwood defeated twice in 2018. West Memphis went 11-1 in 2018 and is favored to repeat as 6A-East champions. "Benton and West Memphis are both loaded talent-wise," Jones said, who add- ed he expects El Dorado to also be in the mix under new coach Steven Jones who led Junction City to the 2018 Class 2A state title. "I think they're excited and fired up," Rick Jones said. "We saw them in team camp. They look like a really, really for- midable opponent." Siloam Springs also hopes to continue its improvement under second-year coach Brandon Craig. The Panthers went 5-6 in 2018 and advanced to the Class 6A play- offs for the first time since 2014. "Our expectation is that we are going to continue to improve and continue to compete at a higher level," Craig said. "We'll want to obviously move the needle from where it was last year. I think the expectations have grown in our program and people are excited and want to see us have success. But it still comes down to our kids making plays on the field and playing for one another. To keep moving that needle they're just going to have to commit to everything they can and doing whatever it takes to win." v Continued from preceding page NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF • @NWABENGOFF Oren Stafford of Siloam Springs runs after a catch against Ada (Okla.) on July 12 during the Southwest Elite 7on7 Showcase at Shiloh Christian's Champions Stadium in Springdale. WE SUPPORT THE SILOAM PANTHERS! Come by and see us before the game! 100 E. UNIVERSITY • SILOAM SPRINGS • 479.524.2828 PREP RALLY: CLASS 6A | 8.22.2019 | 21