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Almarez Kilgore Sturgeon Both Reynolds Ayers Schader Watson Ulrich Rhoden FARMINGTON CARDINALS 2018 RECORD 3-4, 2-5 5A-West Conference COACH Mike Adams RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 3 defense KEY PLAYERS WR Drew Sturgeon (Sr., 6-1, 165), QB MarQuaveon Watson (Sr., 5-7, 150), LB Colton Kilgore (Sr., 6-1, 210), LB Hayden Cox (Jr., 5-11, 190), FB/LB Josh Stettmeier (Sr., 6-2, 225), RB Jaden Schader (Sr., 6-1, 205), RB DeCory Thomas (Jr., 5-11, 145), OG Hayden Grantham (Sr., 5-10, 275). THE SKINNY Farmington will unveil its new $16 million sports complex that includes a football stadium, indoor facility, and outdoor track on Sept. 6 when the Cardinals open the season against Prairie Grove. … Coach Adams is excited about senior Josh Stettmeier, a home-school athlete who will play organized football for the first time. Stettmeier is expected to play fullback and outside linebacker for the Cardinals. … Drew Sturgeon returns after catching 56 passes for 834 yards and eight touchdowns last season. … Adams says he may be the best receiver in Arkansas. … Junior Tate Sutton, the pro- jected starter at quarterback, will miss a second straight year after he tore his labrum again. … Senior MarQua- veon Watson will likely move from receiver to compete at quarterback with junior Ian Cartright and sophomore Miles Harvey. COACH SPEAK "We got better last year on defense, but we're still not where we want to be," Adams said. "We changed from an even to an odd front defense and it seemed to fit out personnel better. We feel like we've got some playmakers over there, so we're excited about that side of the ball." — Rick Fires • @nwarick SCHEDULE Sept. 6 ......... Prairie Grove Oct. 11 .......at Greenbrier* Sept. 13 ........... at Gravette Oct. 18 .................Vilonia* Sept. 20 ............ Pea Ridge Oct. 25 ............Huntsville* Sept. 27 .......... Clarksville* Nov. 1 ...........at Morrilton* Oct. 4 .................. at Alma* Nov. 8 ............at Harrison* — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. CLARKSVILLE PANTHERS 2018 RECORD 2-8, 1-6 5A-West Conference COACH Khris Buckner RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 8 defense KEY PLAYERS HB Nick Buckner (Sr., 6-2, 200), HB Bryce Buckner (So., 6-0, 2 3 0 ) , H B J a m i e W h i t e (Sr., 5-8, 170), OL Michael Powell (Sr., 6-4, 310), WR Jace Donaldson (Sr., 5-10, 160), LB Eduardo Almaraz (Sr., 6-2, 190), OL Joseph Ayers (Sr., 6-3, 310). THE SKINNY This is the season fourth-year coach Khris Buckner has been pointing toward with almost two dozen seniors and an infusion of younger players from a successful junior high program. … Senior Nick Buckner is healthy after missing time last season with a leg injury. The halfback triggerman in Clarksville's single-wing attack is a playmaker. … Sophomore Bryce Buckner was thrust into the lineup last season after injuries hampered the Panthers. It was baptism by fire as he learned on the run. … Senior Jamie White is another backfield threat who accounted for more than 800 yards of offense last season. … Michael Powell is a dominating presence on the offensive line at 6-4, 310 pounds. … Senior linebacker Eduardo Almaraz powers the defense after piling up 91 tackles a year ago. He also had almost a dozen tackles-for-loss. … The Panthers will find out quickly if they are ready to make a move as defending Class 3A state champion Booneville makes a trip up to Johnson County to start the season. COACH SPEAK "We're excited. We've got 20 seniors, which is the most we've had since I've been here," Buckner said. "A lot of this group has started since they were sophomores, and it's a really good core group that has been working hard all offseason and in the spring. Our freshman team last year was solid, and they are moving up and will give us some depth that we have not had. We're just a lot stronger." — Chip Souza • @nwachip SCHEDULE Aug. 30 .......... Booneville Oct. 11 ...... at Huntsville* Sept. 6 ................... Paris Oct. 18 .................. Alma* Sept. 13................. Ozark Oct. 25 ..... at Greenbrier* Sept. 27.. at Farmington* Nov. 1 ................ Vilonia* Oct. 4 ..............Harrison* Nov. 8 ........ at Morrilton* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. HARRISON GOBLINS 2018 RECORD 12-1, 7-0 5A-West Conference COACH Joel Wells RETURNING PLAYERS 9 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Ben Johnson (Sr., 6-0, 175), RB Gabe Huskey (Sr, 5-11, 175), FB/LB Brooks Both (Sr., 6-1, 225), WR/DB Rilee Jones (Sr., 5-11, 160), WR/DB Colton Shaver (Sr., 5-10, 185), C Zach Schaffer (Sr., 6-1, 285) OL/NG Trey Stith (Sr., 6-0, 230), DE Landen Stephens (Sr., 6-0, 210), LB Bryant Ulrich (Sr., 5-11, 210). THE SKINNY The core of last year's conference cham- pionship team and state semifinalist remains intact as the Goblins will once again contend for the 5A-West and Class 5A state titles. … Gabe Huskey should continue to draw colleges' attention after he ran for 2,150 yards and 33 touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 692 yards and 7 TDs. … Ben Johnson passed for 1,677 yards and 23 TDs with only 3 interceptions last year, and he ran for 545 yards and 8 TDs, five of them coming in playoff games. … The duo of Colton Shaver and Rilee Jones combined to catch 44 passes for 896 yards and 16 TDs, and they also team up in the secondary, where Shaver had 43 tackles and five interceptions and Jones added 18 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups. … Trey Stith will be a three-year starter at guard and will serve extra duty as noseguard. … Landen Stephens earned all-state honors after he recorded 54 tackles and 6.5 quarterback sacks. … Both serves his roles well as he is a blocker at fullback (ran for 142 yards and 4 TDs) and at linebacker, where he recorded a team-high 114 tackles. He is joined at linebacker by Bryant Ulrich, who had 68 tackles and three interceptions. … The 5A-West schedule will favor Harrison this year as the Gob- lins host Morrilton in the league opener, then Greenbrier and Alma in consecutive weeks. COACH SPEAK "We have a lot of guys that have played varsity football back, and obviously that's every exciting for us," Wells said. "Defensively, we still have to settle on the back end to get ready to play. The expectations are very high, especially with everybody coming back on offense. There's no excuse for us not to be good, but we still have to get ready. We still have a long way to go, and I told our guys we haven't beaten anybody yet. We have to practice with a purpose and get ready for Week 1." — Henry Apple • @nwahenry SCHEDULE Aug. 30 ........... at Pea Ridge Oct. 11 .............at Vilonia* Sept. 6 .. at Mountain Home Oct. 18 ...........Greenbrier* Sept. 13 ......Siloam Springs Oct. 25 ................... Alma* Sept. 27 ............. Morrilton* Nov. 1 ..........at Huntsville* Oct. 4 ............ at Clarksville* Nov. 8 ........... Farmington* * — 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. HUNTSVILLE EAGLES 2018 RECORD 2-8, 0-7 5A-West Conference COACH Matt Williams RETURNING PLAYERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS C/DL Jonathan "Bubba" Rhoden (Sr., 6-0, 310), OL/DE Rain Turn- er (Sr., 6-5, 250), HB/LB Kolton Shepherd (Sr., 5-11, 190), RB/LB Slayter Watkins (Jr., 5-11, 200); OL/DL Col- by Shepherd (Sr., 6-1, 235), RB/DB Justin Reynolds (Jr., 5-10, 175) THE SKINNY Matt Williams was promoted from defen- sive coordinator to head coach during the offseason to replace Randy Barnhill, who remains with the school. … Huntsville, which has bounced around between 5A and 4A over the past few years, will head back to 4A next season. … Slayter Watkins is not only the leading returning rusher with 129 yards and 2 TDs, but he's also the leading return- ing receiver with 10 catches for 54 yards. … Jonathan Rhoden returns as a three-year starter at center and will also see playing time as noseguard. … Colby Shepherd will also be a three-year starter on the offensive line, but he moves from tackle to guard and will play defensive end. … Brooks Wiggins takes over at quarterback. … Kolton Shepherd moves from H-back to a slot position and has probably the best hands on the team, and he'll also see time at outside linebacker. … Rain Turner will be a returning starter at defensive end and could see time on the offensive line. COACH SPEAK "Last year, we ended the season with 28 kids, and nine of those were seniors," Williams said. "We're up into the 40s now, so we have a lot of new faces. We have some kids who didn't play last year that came back, so we're excited. We have some good skill players, but they're inexperienced. We have some good linemen, but we're thin in that area. In Class 5A, not many teams have to play a lot of players both ways much, but we have to play a lot of them both ways. But the summer's been great and the kids have worked hard. We're excited to get started." — Henry Apple • @nwahenry SCHEDULE Sept. 6 ................at Gentry Oct. 11 ............ Clarksville* Sept. 13 ..............Berryville Oct. 18 ......... at Morrilton* Sept. 20 ................... Elkins Oct. 25 ...... at Farmington* Sept. 27 ......at Greenbrier* Nov. 1 ................Harrison* Oct. 4 ....................Vilonia* Nov. 8 ................. at Alma* * — 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. N. 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