NWADG Prep Rally Football Preview

PREP RALLY: CLASS 7A | 8.22.2021 16 CLASS 7A ROGERS HERITAGE WAR EAGLES 2020 RECORD 1-10 overall, 0-7 COACH Steve Hookfin RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Carter Hensley (Jr., 6-3, 195); RB Eli Craig (Sr., 5-10, 200); WR Brady Laird (Sr, 6-3, 190); OL Hunter Seals (Jr., 6-6, 310); LB Tyson Brown (Sr., 5-11, 210); OL Markelo Jennings (Jr., 5-10, 270); RB Jacob Limus (Jr., 6-0, 215). THE SKINNY Hoofkin finally gets a regular offseason program with his team this year after being hired late in 2019 and dealing with covid-19 last year. … The War Eagles start the season with two dubious streaks they would love to end quickly — a 34-game losing skid against teams from Arkansas and a 25-game losing skid in 7A-West Conference play. … Hoofkin said the team will try to focus on being more run-oriented on offense and try to shorten the game in its favor. … Hensley assumed the starting quarterback spot last season and threw for 900 yards while rushing for 500 yards. … Craig ran for almost 500 yards in the final three games last season after a leg injury in the preseason scrimmage game. … Seals is the lone returning starter on the offensive line and will man the right tackle slot. … Jennings will switch to the offensive line after playing defense last fall. … Brown, who sports a 35 on his ACT, returns to fill the middle linebacker position. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "I think the biggest change for our team is our mindset. We're working extremely hard, and any time you work hard and you're accountable — showing up every day — you expect a certain amount of success. It's been good to have an offseason to see what we have, to develop in the weight room for us to establish our identity. I think we're finally becoming a team and understanding what it takes to be a team. No fault to any individuals or any coach, but we were individuals playing football." — Steve Hookfin SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... Farmington Oct. 8 ............. at Bentonville* Sept. 10 .... at Van Buren Oct. 15 ............FS Southside* Sept. 17 .... at Alma Oct. 22 .. at Bentonville West* Sept. 24 .... Springdale* Oct. 29 ............... Fayetteville* Oct. 1 ........ Har-Ber* Oct. 6 ................... at Rogers* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted ROGERS HIGH MOUNTIES 2020 RECORD 6-3 overall, 3-2 COACH Chad Harbison RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Noah Goodshield (Sr., 5-9, 165); RB Josh Shepherd (Sr., 5-11, 170); WR Kade Seldomridge (Sr., 5-7, 150); TE Joel Garner (Sr., 6-5, 210); OL Ulises Ortiz (Sr., 5-10, 230); OL Chris Galdamez (Sr., 6-4, 305); DE Brady Porter (Sr., 6-3, 215); LB Marion Slater (Sr., 6-0, 235); DB Jared Robinson (Sr., 5-11, 175). THE SKINNY Harbison was promoted to head coach after being the offensive coordinator last season, and the coaching staff has made a number of changes. … Rogers' defense will have to learn its third new system in as many years under new defensive coordinator Dave Williams, who joins the Mounties from Texas. … Goodshield switches to quarterback after he was an all-conference receiver last season. … Shepherd ran for 621 yards and 10 TDs last fall, as well as caught 14 passes for 189 yards and three scores. … Seldomridge, who recently made a verbal commitment to play baseball at Central Arkansas, was an all-conference receiver with 51 receptions for 617 yards and 9 TDs. … Garner, an all-conference performer, will line up as a receiver at times as well as play tight end. … Ortiz recorded the team's highest blocking grade after starting every game at center. … Porter returns at defensive end after he had 27 tackles and three sacks last year. … Slater will be a three-year starter and made 42 tackles in his first year as an inside linebacker. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We feel good about what we've got. We have some key guys coming back. We have two starters on the offensive line coming back. But we're going to be young on defense. We're going to be young on the team as a whole. Our biggest group is our sophomores, and there is going to be a number of those players that will contribute. We're going to be young, but I do like our team. I like the direction we're going, and I like the work ethic we have." — Chad Harbison SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... Siloam Springs Oct. 8 ........ Bentonville West* Sept. 3 ...... at Stilwell, Okla. Oct. 15 ............at Springdale* Sept. 10 .... Muskogee, Okla. Oct. 22 ............... Bentonville* Sept. 24 .... at FS Southside* Oct. 29 .................at Har-Ber* Oct. 1 ........ at Fayetteville* Nov. 5 .................... Heritage* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SCHEDULE Aug. 28 ..... at McKinney, Texas Oct. 8 ..............Springdale* Sept. 3 ...... at North Little Rock Oct. 15 at Bentonville West* Sept. 17 .... FS Northside Oct. 22 .... at FS Southside* Sept. 24 .... Bentonville* Oct. 29 ................. Rogers* Oct. 1 ........ at Heritage* Nov. 5 ......... at Fayetteville* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game # — Thursday game. All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SPRINGDALE HAR-BER WILDCATS 2020 RECORD 5-7 overall, 4-3 COACH Chris Wood RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS RB Hudson Brewer (Jr. 6-2, 190), RB/ WR Lane Reiter (Sr., 5-8, 165), WR Ethan Fender (Sr., 5-10, 175), WR Peyton McKee (Sr., 6-0, 180), WR Drue McClendon (Sr., 6-0, 170), OL Jack Struebing (Sr., 6-3, 270), OL Sergio Miranda (Sr., 6-0, 275), DL Lattimer Wilmoth (Jr., 6-0, 245), LB Warren Hall (Sr., 5-10, 190), DB Britt Wittschen (Jr., 5-7, 175). THE SKINNY Har-Ber expects to utilize a little more up-tempo play this fall after Benji Mahan was hired as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator. … McClendon, who started 10 of Har-Ber's 12 games at quarterback, moves over to receiver this year and will continue to be the team's punter while Keegan Lehman and Luke Buchanan battle for the quarterback slot. … Brewer was the top running back in Class 7A last fall with 1,579 yards and 16 TDs rushing. … Rieter helps some in the backfield while also catching passes. … Fender was an all-conference selection after he caught 25 passes for 404 yards and 6 TDs. … Struebing will be in the starting lineup for the fourth straight season and has offers from a number of schools, while Miranda is back at a guard spot. … Wilmoth, who had 25 tackles last season, is the team's lone returner on the defensive line. … Braxton Scott, a backup quarterback, moves to the defensive backfield. … Wittschen returns at free safety after he entered the starting lineup late last season. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "Our expectations never change. When you come into this deal, you set your stamp on playing at War Memorial Stadium in December. We know there are some fantastic ball clubs out there that stand in the way of that, but you have to have those dreams and those visions because you can't achieve those things. I know you have to take it day by day, but the expectation from our fan base isto play deep in November with a chance to go to War Memorial and play for a state title." — Chris Wood SPRINGDALE HIGH BULLDOGS 2020 RECORD 3-8 overall, 2-5 COACH Brett Hobbs RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Landon Phipps (Sr., 6-1, 190); RB Da'von Sparks (Sr., 5-8, 170), WR Ta'jon Sparks (Jr., 5-9, 165); FB/LB Nic Thompson (Sr., 6-0, 210); OL Isaac Cooper (Sr., 5-11, 240); OL Giovanni Almarez (Jr., 6-3, 290); LB/ DB Ricardo Gonzalez (Sr., 5-8, 170); WR/DB Danners Wiley (Sr., 5-10, 170); SS Eduardo Hernandez (Sr., 5-8, 160). THE SKINNY Hobbs, a former Springdale standout, took over for Zak Clark as head coach in May after spending the last 5 years there as the defensive coordinator. … Hobbs' first priority was to have a more aggressive team this season. … The Red'Dogs, unlike many teams, hope to slow things down on offense and focus on more time management by being a little more run-oriented. … Phipps was originally a receiver, but returns as quarterback after throwing for 1,421 yards and 7 TDs and running for 600 yards and 15 TDs, and he will also see time at free safety. … The Sparks brothers are expected to perform double duties this fall. Da'von Sparks plays running back and mans one corner position, while Ta'jon Sparks plays receiver and the other corner. … Cooper and Almarez return to the offensive line, but Cooper remains at right tackle while Almarez moves to left tackle. … Thompson shifts from defensive end to linebacker and will also play at fullback/H-Back at times. … Hernandez returns at strong safety, where he notched 50 tackles and broke up nine passes last fall. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "Being from Springdale, I think we always have high expectations. We have a good group of seniors coming back, and I think they are buying into what we are doing. We want to be able to go out there each and every week and compete." — Brett Hobbs SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... Van Buren Oct. 8 ..............at Har-Ber* Sept. 3 ...... at Choctaw, Okla. Oct. 15 ................ Rogers* Sept. 10 .... Farmington Oct. 22 .......... Fayetteville* Sept. 24 .... at Heritage* Oct. 6 ........ at Bentonville* Oct. 1 ........ Bentonville West* Nov. 5 ..........FS Southside * — Denotes 7A-Central Conference game # — Thursday game. All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Goodshield Seldomridge Garner Hensley Craig Laird Fender McKee Phipps Sparks Bentonville Glass Inc. serving nw arkansas since 1971 • residential • automotive • commercial 507 south main street, bentonville, arkansas 479-273-5545

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