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7 PREP RALLY: CLASS 7A | 8.30.2020 HENRY APPLE NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BENTONVILLE — Jody Grant has never lacked for quality linebacker play throughout his 17-year tenure at Benton- ville. The Tigers' head coach, however, is about to enjoy a dynamic duo at the inside linebacker slots for the third straight sea- son. Cole Joyce and Keegan Stinespring return as the cogs inside Bentonville's de- fensive machine that is year in and year out among the best in the 7A-West Conference and possibly the state. "To have two guys of this caliber to start since they were sophomores and go all the way through is special," Grant said. "It's one of the reasons why our defense is so good. They're comfortable with what we are doing. They're comfortable about making the calls and checks, and they know the adjustments we make. "They're great football players, but more importantly they are great kids and great leaders. We're fortunate to have them. We've always had a great linebacker here or there, but to have both of them there — I would argue they are the best linebacker tandem in the state. Any time you play with that level of linebacker in our scheme, you have a chance to be successful on defense." They wear similar numbers on the field — Joyce wears No. 42 while Stinespring has No. 45. Their numbers on the field were very similar last season as Stinespring recorded 106 total tackles, five tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks while Joyce compiled 104 total tackles, four quarter- back sacks, seven tackles for loss and eight pass breakups. And they do it while using their greatest component — speed. Joyce, who has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, runs sprints and relays on the Tigers' track team, while Stinespring has shown he can fly to all parts of the field to make tackles and plays when necessary. "Their strength is their ability to fly to the football and do damage when they get there," Grant said. "They're very explosive, and they react fast. They were doing that as sophomores, but now they understand there are a lot fewer mental mistakes since they were sophomores. "Now they can make the adjustments that we used to make for them because they're so used to being out there. Now they have the ability to recognize certain things and have that ability to grow in the film room, and they understand what we're looking for on the field. It's a treat and makes our jobs easier to have guys like that on the field." How Bentonville uses the two players is an interesting matter in itself. Joyce (6-0, 220), who had scholarship offers from a dozen NCAA Division I schools before he made a verbal commitment in June to Central Florida, is the bigger of the two linebackers, but he is used more in the Tigers' pass coverage. He broke up two passes in a game against Tulsa Booker T. Washington, then did it again in the 7A-West Conference opener last year against Van Buren. He then broke up a pass in each of the last four regular-season games while recording at least six tackles in those games. "I love to see him go back in pass coverage," Stinespring said. "He's blocking down balls all the time. It's really fun to see a ball go out of the quarterback's hand, and it gets blocked right at the line of scrimmage. That's fun to watch. "Then the way he flies out on a jet sweep or anything like that. He just looks like a rocket, going out there super fast and tackling the runner 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage because he's so fast. That's really fun to see." Stinespring (5-11, 205) hasn't made a verbal commitment yet, but he has already received offers from a number of schools. While Joyce might step back in pass cov- erage, Stinespring is the one that gets to be used in blitz packages and tries to wreak havoc before a play can get started. "I think we have a really good bond from playing 3 years together... We've always been goofy and funny with each other on the field. We now have this bond that nobody else has on the team." – Keegan Stinespring "You have a lifetime guarantee on all repairs and paint for as long as you own your vehicle." All Major & Minor Repairs Auto Glass Replacement Free Estimates BOB MOREY'S AUTO BODY, INC. 1019 N Walton Blvd Ste 7 • Bentonville, AR 72712 479-271-7292 Mon-Fri 7:30am to 5:00pm Proud Sponsor of Bentonville Athletics See Bash Bros., Page 8