Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1506239
PREP RALLY: CLASS 7A | 8.20.2023 16 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. robin@lundstrum.us CLASS 7A ROGERS MOUNTIES 2022 RECORD 9-3 overall, 5-2 7A-West COACH Chad Harbison RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 9 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/DB Dane Williams (Sr., 6-1, 195), RB Jacob Jenkins (Sr., 6-2, 205), WR Mabry Verser (Sr., 6-4, 210), TE Jansen Garner (Sr., 6-4, 195), OL Connor Simmermon (Sr., 6-2, 280), LB Isaac Chapman (Sr., 6-1, 205), DL Benet Tiner (Sr., 6-4, 210), DB Andrew Trenary (Sr., 5-10, 165), WR/DB Marcus Mounce (Jr., 6-0, 170). NOTABLE The Mounties have only 20 seniors on their rosters, but all of them have played and some of them will be three-year starters. … Williams, a converted defensive back and son of defensive coordinator Dale Williams, threw for 2,369 yards and 25 TDs last year in his first season at quarterback. … Jenkins set a conference record when he ran for 356 yards against crosstown rival Heritage and finished the season with 1,507 yards and 17 TDs, earning him an offer from Harding. … Verser, an all-conference selection, caught 54 passes for 746 yards and 7 TDs last fall and has offers from Central Arkansas and Harding, while fellow receiver Graycen Cash added 48 catches for 559 yards and 5 TDs. … Garner had 25 receptions for 321 yards and 5 scores last fall, and serves as QB when Rogers utilizes its Wildcat package. … Simmermon, an all-state lineman last year, makes a shift from right guard to left tackle and heads a veteran offensive line. … Senior kicker J.T. Miller, whose 38-yard field goal with 9 seconds remaining gave the Mounties a win over Fayetteville, focused in improving his hangtime on punts and distance on his kickoffs during the offseason. … Chapman earned all-state honors last year at outside linebacker with 52 tackles. QUOTABLE "Only 20 seniors on the roster isn't too good in the 7A-West, but we have more depth returning this year than the previous two seasons. So we have some experience coming back in some crucial places — quarterback, running back, some guys on defense. We also have some younger depth behind those guys. We have a lot of depth on defense. Dane Williams has that year of experience under his belt, and that's irreplaceable at that position. Jacob Jenkins had a great season last year and just needs to build on that." — Harbison. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... LR Southwest Oct. 6 ...........Bentonville West* Sept. 1 ....... Tulsa Bishop Kelley Oct. 13 .............. at Springdale* Sept. 8 ....... at Farmington Oct. 20 ................. Bentonville* Sept. 22 ..... at FS Southside* Oct. 27 . at Springdale Har-Ber* Sept. 29 ..... at Fayetteville* Nov. 3 .......... Rogers Heritage* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted ROGERS HERITAGE WAR EAGLES 2022 RECORD 3-7, 1-6 7A-West COACH Eric Munoz RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/LB Domenic Castenada (Jr., 5-10, 175), RB Amere Dingle (Sr., 5-9, 175), OL Stephen Kelly (Sr., 6-2, 205), OL/DL Jovany Garcia (Sr., 5-10, 225), LB Jacob Armijo (Sr., 5-9, 190), WR/DB Christian Flores (Jr., 6-1, 170), DB Matthew Hightower (Sr., 5-10, 175), WR/LB Terrail Myers (Jr., 5-11, 165). NOTABLE Castenada, who had 65 tackles last year as an outside linebacker, now assumes the quarterback position, and Munoz said a lot will be asked out of him. … Dingle ran for almost 700 yards in eight games last season and will be assisted by Landon Harper and Kiren Brown in the offensive backfield. … Kelly, who trimmed 20 pounds off his frame in the offseason, moves from right tackle to left tackle. … Garcia, a converted running back, moves to the offensive line, while the War Eagles will count on sophomores to fill the void. … Armijo returns at outside linebacker after compiling 90 tackles in just eight games last season and will be Heritage's defensive leader. … Flores played a number of positions last year and compiled 90 tackles, but he will be at strong safety this fall and will also see some time at receiver. … Hightower returns at another safety position, but he could be used at linebacker on some occasions. … Myers had 65 tackles as an inside linebacker last season, but he will take over an outside linebacker spot this fall." QUOTABLE "I think energy and determination is what our kids are. We don't have a lot of seniors like we did last year, and these guys that are seniors, it's their last go-around and they're fired up. But it's the younger guys that are stepping up, and we're having to count on a lot of young guys to step up and help us. We're always going to adapt to what we have year-in and year-out because in high school you don't recruit your players. They're what you have, so you might see some different things offensive and defensively this year." — Munoz. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... at Siloam Springs Oct. 6 ................at Bentonville* Sept. 1 ....... at Louisburg, Kan. Oct. 13 .............. FS Southside* Sept. 8 ....... LR Southwest Oct. 20 .....at Bentonville West* Sept. 22 ..... Springdale* Oct. 27 ................. Fayetteville* Sept. 29 ..... Springdale Har-Ber* Nov. 3 .....................at Rogers* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... at Harrison Oct. 6 ... at Springdale Har-Ber* Sept. 1 ....... Farmington Oct. 13 ....................... Rogers* Sept. 8 ....... at Conway Oct. 20 ................. Fayetteville* Sept. 22 ..... at Rogers Heritage* Oct. 27 ..............at Bentonville* Sept. 29 ..... Bentonville West* Nov. 3 ............... FS Southside* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SPRINGDALE BULLDOGS 2022 RECORD 1-9 overall; 1-6 7A-West COACH Brett Hobbs RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Jack Pounders (Jr., 6-2, 185), FB Lajket Kannangaki (Jr., 5-10, 220), OL Maurice Olvera (Sr., 5-11, 235), OL Zach Turner (Sr., 5-8, 275), SB/DB Cayden Aaserude (Sr., 5-9, 160), LB Brandon Laughter (Sr., 5-11, 230), LB Mychael Dickerson (Sr., 6-1, 215), DB Tryston Skelton (Sr., 5-11, 165), DL Alexander Santana (Jr., 5-9, 265) NOTABLE Springdale made a significant change with its offense during the offseason as the Red'Dogs will use the Flexbone formation and run the triple option after hiring Bryce Bray as offensive coordinator. … Pounders, who threw for 812 yards and 2 TDs last season, now will be called upon to read defenses and decide to run or make the pitch. … Kannangaki, who ran for 182 yards last season, added 15 pounds to his frame and is expected to gain the tough yards with his physical running. … Olvera is a three-year starter and anchors the offensive line. He has added 30 pounds to his frame in the offseason. … Aaserude, who split time between quarterback and receiver, now will add slotback to his list of duties and will be moved around. He will also start at safety. … Laughter is back at outside linebacker for a third year and compiled 75 tackles and 2 sacks last season. … Skelton returns at free safety, where he compiled 70 tackles and had 3 interceptions last season. … Turner will take over the right guard position after playing on defense last fall. … Santana will lead the defensive line and had 3 sacks last fall. QUOTABLE "I'm excited about this group. What I like about this group is this is the first group that has been with me all the way through high school. These seniors have been with me since I took over, so I think they understand the expectations of getting that Springdale tradition — being tough football players and a tough team to deal with every Friday night. I'm hoping the Flexbone will give us an advantage. That's why every day is so important as we transition to a new offense, so getting the opportunity to learn and getting those reps are critical to us. A lot of teams don't see it and have only a week to prepare for it." — Hobbs. SPRINGDALE HAR-BER WILDCATS 2022 RECORD 1-10 overall, 1-6 7A-West COACH Brent Eckley RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS WR Hayden Wood (Jr., 6-3, 175), WR/ DB Ashton Stewart (Sr., 5-8, 150), OL Landon Hughes (Jr., 6-0, 270), LB Dawson Bremer (Sr., 5-11, 180), DB Will Langley (Sr., 5-9, 150), OL Rowan Graham (JR., 5-11, 220), WR Trae Serrano (Jr., 5-9, 150), OL Jardon Land (Sr., 6-6, 285). NOTABLE Eckley, who is in the Missouri Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, becomes only the second head coach in Har-Ber's history. … The Wildcats' defense will be considered "old" because of more seniors being there. … Bremer has 63 tackles last fall from his inside linebacker spot and will be joined there by junior Tate Beam at the position. … Langley will make a switch from safety to cornerback. … Stewart, a returning starter at safety, could be the Wildcats' only two-way starter as he could also double as a receiver. … Wood returns at receiver, where he caught 46 passes last year for 464 yards and a touchdown. … Hughes will make a position switch, going from center to left tackle, while Graham will take over the center spot after playing right tackle last fall. … Serrano, a running back last year with 223 yards on the ground, moves to receiver but could still be asked to carry the ball on jet sweeps. … Land started the last three games at right tackle but is recovering from an injury he had while competing with the Wildcats' wrestling team. QUOTABLE "What I've experienced is really good kids. They've been good workers. They've asked each other to work hard, just like we've asked them to work hard. As far as their competitive personality, I don't know if we're there yet or not, but they've done a great job of doing what we've asked them to do. There's good systems in place, but at the same time if you've had success with something it's better to go with that. We've made some adjustments. There are some things we've able to absorb from the previous program, then there are some things we've added to it." — Eckley. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... LR Parkview Oct. 6 .................... Springdale* Sept. 1 ....... at Bixby, Okla. Oct. 13 .....at Bentonville West* Sept. 15 ..... Mustang, Okla. Oct. 20 .......... at FS Southside* Sept. 22 ..... Bentonville* Oct. 27 ....................... Rogers* Sept. 29 ..... at Rogers Heritage* Oct. 6 ................at Fayetteville* * — Denotes 7A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Kiren Brown Geo Garcia Evan Curry Bryce Essex Brandon Laughter