Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1476475
25 PREP RALLY: CLASS 5A | 8.21.2022 HARRISON GOBLINS 2021 RECORD 7-4, 4-3 5A-West COACH Chris Keylon RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 6 defense KEY PLAYERS RB Beck Jones (Sr., 5-10, 210), WR Talon Stephens (Sr., 5-8, 155), OL Taylor Baker (Sr., 6-3, 310), OL Jonathan Schaffer (Sr., 6-1, 260), LB Tristan Thompson (Sr., 5-9, 190), DL Evan Dixon (Sr., 6-0, 280). THE SKINNY The Goblins will have a new leader this season as Chris Keylon, a former assistant coach at the school, replaces longtime coach Joel Wells. Keylon was the head coach at Riverview last season. … Beck Jones is a workhorse in the backfield for Harrison and the senior will shoulder a bigger role this season. … Six starters return on defense, including experienced linemen Evan Dixon and Abe Estes. The Goblins held their last three regular-season foes to just 16 combined points before falling to state champion Pulaski Academy in the opening round of the playoffs. … Linebacker Tristan Thompson will be a nightmare for opponents to block. Thompson registered 89 tackles in 2021 and likely sees that number go higher this season. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "The benefit of me coming back is that the kids know me. The system is the same, and they know me and I know them. So we've really had a good summer and we've done more this summer than we have in the past, like more practice time and conditioning, working on toughnesss. Just working to build physical and mental toughness. We performed well in the camps. Looming ahead to the season, you never know until you get out there and start playing. We've got a lot of good playmakers, but probably the strength of our team is the offensive line." — Chris Keylon SCHEDULE Aug. 26 ......at Springdale Oct. 7 at Shiloh Christian* Sept. 2 .......Mountain Home Oct. 14 ................... Alma* Sept. 9 .......at Batesville Oct. 21 .......... Dardanelle* Sept. 23 .....Farmington* Oct. 28 ....... at Clarksville* Sept. 30 .....at Prairie Grove* Nov. 4 ............ Pea Ridge* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Abe Estes Tristan Thompson Evan Dixon PEA RIDGE BLACKHAWKS 2021 RECORD 1-9, 1-6 5A-West COACH Brey Cook RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 2 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Gavin Dixon (Jr., 6-2, 180), WR Kayden Rains (Jr., 6-1, 160), WR Evan Anderson (Sr., 6-2, 180), WR Jonathan Lyons (Sr., 5-9, 145), DL Isaac Whitehill (Sr., 5-10, 175), OL Mason Harling (Sr., 6-2, 280), OL Connor Pierce (Sr., 6-2, 300). THE SKINNY The Blackhawks move into their third year in Class 5A looking to make a move in the new 5A-West. Longtime 4A-1 Conference mates Shiloh Christian and Prairie Grove, along with 4A-4 Conference member Dardanelle also make the move to 5A, giving Pea Ridge three schools similar in size. … Quarterback Gavin Dixon passed for 2,000 yards a year ago and the junior will shoulder most of the offense this season. … The Blackhawks have size upfront in seniors Connor Pierce and Mason Harling each tipping the scales at 280-plus pounds. … Defensively, senior Isaac Whitehill will anchor the interior of the line, and linebacker Malachi Bierman will be a run-stopper in the middle. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "Our numbers have improved and we've been able to add kids. Our numbers have grown by about 15 or 20 on that roster. And the biggest piece of that is building the culture that welcomes kids in from the hallway. We've got our work cut out for us. We know that. From top to bottom, we know the 5A-West is going to be a challenge. The biggest key for us is to focus on our game and improve on what we do every single day." — Brey Cook SCHEDULE Aug. 26 ......Gravette Oct. 7 ................. at Alma* Sept. 2 .......at Huntsville Oct. 14 .. Shiloh Christian* Sept. 16 .....at Gentry Oct. 21 ........... Clarksville* Sept. 23 .....Prairie Grove* Oct. 28 ..... at Farmington* Sept. 30 .....at Dardanelle* Nov. 4 ...........at Harrison* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SHILOH CHRISTIAN SAINTS 2021 RECORD 13-2, 7-0 4A-1 Conference COACH Jeff Conaway RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Eli Wisdom (Sr., 6-0, 175), RB Bo Williams (Jr., 5-10, 195), QB Garrett Odom (So., 6-0, 165), WR Bodie Neal (Sr., 6-1, 180), OL/DL Thomas Reece (Sr., 6-1, 265), OL/DL Cooper Darr (Sr., 6-4, 245), LB Noah DeJarnatt (Sr., 6-0, 215), LB Cole Glenn (Sr., 6-2, 190). THE SKINNY The Saints make the move from 4A to the 5A-West after appearing in three consecutive 4A state championship games, winning the title in 2020. … Senior quarterback Eli Wisdom returns for his third season as the starter after compiling 4,000 offensive yards and 54 total touchdowns in 2021. Wisdom is being recruited by a number of Division I programs. … The Saints are loaded with experience in the trenches with seniors Thomas Reece and Cooper Darr, who combined for 155 tackles, 5 sacks and double-figure quarterback hurries last season. … Linebacker Noah DeJarnatt is almost unblockable. The senior registered 127 tackles and 3 sacks last season and had 19 tackles against Arkadelphia in the Class 4A semifinals. … Junior Bo Williams was a state powerlifting champion last season and brings toughness to the backfield as well as outside linebacker. … Bodie Neal steps in as the top receiver after catching 49 passes for 750 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2021. … The Saints won't open the season until Sept. 2, when they host Class 6A Little Rock Christian at Champions Stadium. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "Moving up to 5A is going to raise the standards in our program, but we want that. We want to play with the best because we know that makes us better. There are a lot of challenges that we will face, but there are also a lot of positives. We've had a good summer. We've gotten to play in a lot of 7on7s and team camps and I feel like we've gotten a lot of experience for players who were inexperienced, so we've been able to get those young guys comfortable and confident. That was one of our big objectives this summer and I think that's gone well. I feel like our seniors have done a great job of leading and really coaching up the younger guys to get them to play at the level that we know we need them to play at in the fall. So it's been a very productive summer." — Jeff Conaway SCHEDULE Sept. 2 ........ LR Christian Oct. 7 ..............Harrison* Sept. 9 ........ at Victory Christian, Okla. Oct. 14 ..... at Pea Ridge* Sept. 16 ...... at Lincoln Christian, Okla. Oct. 21 ....... Farmington* Sept. 23 ...... Dardanelle* Oct. 28 .at Prairie Grove* Sept. 30 ...... at Clarksville* Nov. 4 ................... Alma* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted PRAIRIE GROVE TIGERS 2021 RECORD 9-3, 6-1 4A-1 Conference COACH Danny Abshier RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 6 defense KEY PLAYERS OL Ryder Orr (Sr., 6-3, 275), OL James Moss (Sr., 6-0, 295), OL Corbin Bowlin (Sr., 6-3, 220), RB Ethan Miller (Sr., 5-9, 175), FB Coner Whetsell (Sr., 5-8, 175), QB Camden Patterson (Sr., 6-0, 150), LB Rhett Marrell (Sr., 5-9, 185). THE SKINNY The Tigers welcome back 15 starters as they make the move from 4A to 5A. Last season Prairie Grove advanced to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. … Senior Ryder Orr is a force on both sides of the ball. Orr is the lead blocker for the run-oriented Wing-T offense, and compiled 50 tackles in 2021 on defense. … Cam Patterson is one of nine returning offensive starters in a two-quarterback system. … Ethan Miller is the centerpiece on offense after rushing for 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. … Rhett Marrell is a ballhawk on defense after taking down 80 tackles in 2021. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We have nine out of 11 starters back on offense, and four of those are on the offensive line, so we feel real good about that. Our quarterback, Camden Patterson, played about half of every game last year. He split time every other series, so he played a lot last year. We've played a lot of these teams in the 5A-West. The new ones for us are Alma and Harrison. We were a little surprised when we found out we were going to 5A, but we're here and we're going to try and do the best we can." — Danny Abshier SCHEDULE Sept. 2 .......Huntsville Oct. 7 ......... at Clarksville* Sept. 9 .......at at Gravette Oct. 14 .......... Dardanelle* Sept. 16 .....Metro Christian, Okla. Oct. 21 ............... at Alma* Sept. 23 .....at Pea Ridge* Oct. 28 .. Shiloh Christian* Sept. 30 .....Harrison* Nov. 4 ...... at Farmington* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Connor Pierce Evan Anderson Bo Williams Cole Glenn Coner Whetsell Camden Patterson Jonathan Schaffer Talon Stephens Isaac Whitehill Jonathan Lyons Kayden Rains Malachi Bierman Ethan Miller Rhett Marrell Corbin Bowlin James Moss FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS HERE! IT'S TIME TO PLAY BALL! GOOD LUCK THIS YEAR! WWW.LUNDSTRUM4ARKANSAS.COM PAID FOR BY ROBIN LUNDSTRUM FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE.