NWADG Prep Rally Football Preview

PREP RALLY: CLASS 4A | 8.22.2021 44 SHILOH CHRISTIAN SAINTS 2020 RECORD 14-1, 7-0 4A-1 Conference COACH Jeff Conaway RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 8 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Eli Wisdom (Jr., 6-0, 175), RB/DB Ben Baker (Sr., 5-9, 165), WR Cooper Hutchinson (Sr., 5-11, 185), LB Kaden Henley (Sr., 6-3, 225), OL/DL Thomas Reece (Jr., 6-1, 260), OL/DL Cooper Darr (Jr., 6-4, 240). THE SKINNY The Saints came within a whisker of a perfect season in 2020 and ended a decade-long state championship drought by rolling to the Class 4A state title. Shiloh Christian returns the nucleus of that team and are the favorite to repeat. … The Saints' explosive offense is led by junior all-state QB Eli Wisdom, who passed for 2,100 yards and ran for 1,400 more. He accounted for 47 total touchdowns. … Senior LB Kaden Henley committed to the University of Arkansas two weeks after the state championship game. Henley recorded more than 150 tackles last season. … Senior Ben Baker played a variety of roles for the Saints in 2020, will be the primary back this season. … The Saints have a solid core or receivers led by Cooper Hutchinson and Jacob Solomon. … Defensively Thomas Reece and Cooper Darr will be tough to run against and Wisdom will see plenty of action at defensive back where he often lines up opposite the opponent's best receiver. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We have a lot of guys returning that got a lot of experience last year. We've redefined this team as Shiloh Christian team No. 33 and we're going to find our own identity. Last year is over. There is no carry-over. So we're looking forward to finding our new identity in 2021 and seeing what this team is capable of." — Jeff Conaway SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... at Pea Ridge Oct. 8 ..... at Prairie Grove* Sept. 3 ...... at Poteau, Okla. Oct. 15 ............. at Gentry* Sept. 10 .... Sand Springs, Okla Oct. 22 .................. Elkins* Sept. 24 .... at Berryville* Oct. 29 ...........at Gravette* Oct. 1 ........ Green Forest* Nov. 5 ............. Huntsville* * — Denotes 4A-1 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted LAMAR WARRIORS 2020 RECORD 5-5, 2-3 4A-4 Conference COACH Josh Jones RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Landon Harrison (Sr., 6-0, 170), RB/LB Joe Dalton (Sr., 5-10, 200), WR Skylar Smith (Sr., 6-3, 175), OL Bryce Grace (Sr., 6-2, 280), OL Casey Carpenter (Sr., 6-1, 225). THE SKINNY The Warriors lost their final three games of the 2020 season to spoil a 5-2 start. Veteran coach Josh Jones has plenty of firepower this season to compete for a top seed in the 4A-4 Conference. … Senior QB Landon Harrison returns to lead the Warriors' offense. Harrison passed for 1,200 yards and added 600 rushing with a combined 12 TDs. … Joe Dalton returns at RB and will be a hammer for the Warriors' run game. … OL Bryce Grace leads a veteran unit and should provide running space for Dalton. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We've got a good bunch of kids showing up every day, the ones on the roster. It's not a huge roster but they are showing up and they are a good bunch of hard-workers," said Josh Jones. "Depth is one of those things you don't want to talk about much. Then the kids get it into their heads. We don't have a ton of depth but the kids that we do have a pretty good. If we can keep those kids healthy, then we should be OK." — Josh Jones SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... Huntsville Oct. 8 ................ Waldron* Sept. 3 ...... Gentry Oct. 15 .................. Dover* Sept. 17 .... Carlisle Oct. 22 ........ at Riverview* Sept. 24 .... at Pottsville* Oct. 29 ...............at Ozark* Oct. 1 ........ at Dardanelle* Nov. 5 .................... Mena* — * Denotes 4A-4 Conference game All kickoff 7 p.m. unless noted OZARK HILLBILLIES 2020 RECORD 9-4, 5-1 4A-4 Conference COACH Jeremie Burns RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 6 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/LB Ryker Martin (Sr., 5-8, 160), QB Landon Wright (Jr., 5-9, 170), RB Eli Masingale (Jr., 6-0, 190), WR/CB Payten Durning (Sr., 5-9, 155), OL R.J. Karns (Sr., 6-1, 300), OL Brock Burns (Sr., 6-5, 290), OL Bryar Yates (Sr., 6-1, 320). THE SKINNY The Hillbillies must find a way to replace the bulk of their offense, but veteran coach Jeremie Burns has the weapons to do it. Ozark will run the football behind one of the largest offensive lines in the state. … Burns plans to use both Ryker Martin and Landon Wright at quarterback. Martin is a strong runner, while Wright is a passing threat. … Payten Durning returns as a receiver and all-conference defensive back. … That trio of senior linemen (Brock Burns, R.J. Karns and Bryar Yates) all tip the scales at 300 pounds. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We're just glad to be back with these guys and be back on the field after everything we had last year with the covid. We've had them all summer with team camps and 7-on-7, so we're really looking forward to the start of the season. I think our conference will be pretty even again. We battle with these teams every year and there are great coaches in the 4A-4. We expect a battle every week in this conference." — Jeremie Burns SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... at Clarksville Oct. 8 ....................... Open Sept. 3 ...... at Booneville Oct. 15 ................... Mena* Sept. 17 .... Charleston Oct. 22 ......... at Pottsville* Sept. 24 .... Dardanelle* Oct. 29 ..................Lamar* Oct. 1 ........ Dover* Nov. 5 ........... at Waldron* — Denotes 4A-4 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted WALDRON BULLDOGS 2020 RECORD 4-6, 1-5 4A-4 Conference COACH Doug Powell RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Matt Brigance (Jr., 5-8, 170), RB Gabino Grano (Sr., 5-9, 180), RB/LB Trenton Hunt (Jr., 5-10, 175), WR/DB Trevor Hunt (Jr., 5-10, 165). THE SKINNY The Bulldogs opened the 2020 season with three straight wins before losing five of the next six games including a forfeit in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs when covid-19 decimated the line unit. … Waldron returns 5 starters each way but must find a way to replace graduated all-state quarterback Braden Williams. … Junior Matt Brigance takes over at QB and will provide a dual-threat at the position. … Twins Trenton and Trevor Hunt should be playmakers at RB and WR respectively, and both are major assets on the defense as well. … The Bulldogs have a quirky schedule with six road games including the first five of the season. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID "We like what we've seen from Matt Brigance in summer team camps. He's going to be a little different guy, but we feel really confident that he will do a good job for us. Our schedule was an inherited schedule. It was supposed to have been a 6-4 split. But Subiaco went 8-man and so we lost a home game this year. So that's why we're six away and three home. It's just kind of how that nonconference fell. But if we can win these games on the road, I'll feel really good about that." — Doug Powell SCHEDULE Aug. 27 ..... at Gentry Oct. 8 ................at Lamar* Sept. 3 ...... at Mansfield Oct. 15 ............. Pottsville* Sept. 17 .... at Atkins Oct. 22 .............. at Dover* Sept. 24 .... at Mena* Oct. 29 ........... Dardanelle* Oct. 1 ........ Open Oct. 6 .....................Ozark* — Denotes 4A-4 Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Harrison Harkreader Hampton Dalton Martin Karnes Gage Durning Hutchinson Henley Wisdom Sluyter • Fort Smith • Bella Vista • Hot Springs Proud to support the communiti we serve!! Balmer Burns

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