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PREP RALLY: CLASS 5A | 8.20.2023 24 Shiloh n Continued from Page 23 Pirates, played at Prairie Grove and later served as an assistant coach under Abshier. Senior Conner Hubbs is back to lead Prairie Grove's traditionally strong running back from the Wing-T formation. Alma won six games last year aer posting a combined five wins the previous two seasons. Senior quarterback Jackson Daily, the son of former Arkansas fullback Adam Daily, is one of seven returning starters from the Airedales. Daily is a dual threat who was stout enough to start at tight end last year for the Airedales. Pea Ridge, Dardanelle and Clarksville each hope to show improvement aer finishing with losing records last season. "Our biggest weakness is up front and that's the worst weakness to have in a tough conference," Clarksville coach Khris Buckner said of the Panthers, who were 0-10 last season. "We have two returning starters on the line, so we'll really count on those guys. We are mixing and matching to try to find the right group." Gavin Dixon | Pea Ridge File Photo CLASS 5A ALMA AIREDALES 2022 RECORD 6-4, 3-4 5A-West COACH Rusty Bush RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Jackson Daily (Sr., 6-2, 221), WR Drake Stogsdill (Sr., 5-9, 167), C Zach Millsap (Sr., 5-11, 228), DL Donald Mulligan (Sr., 5-9, 190), OL Eric Johnson (Sr., 5-10, 205) NOTABLE The Airedales missed the playoffs by one game last year but return five on each side of the ball this season. … Senior Carlos Rodriguez and junior Israel Towns-Robinson combined for 1,073 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago on 190 attempts, which will increase this season. … Towns-Robinson will also lead the defense at end. … Senior receiver Drake Stogsdill returns as the leader receiver last year with 34 receptions for 450 yards and three scores. … Senior Jackson Daily takes over at quarterback after starting at tight end last season. … Alma averaged 32.5 points per game last year. … Alma started the season 4-0 last year, which was its best start since 2004. QUOTABLE "We're extremely fired up about what we've got offensively. That's six or seven and that's not counting other guys that had significant playing time on Friday night. We feel good about what we have coming back." – Bush. SCHEDULE Aug. 24 ...... at Van Buren Oct. 6 ................ at Pea Ridge* Sept. 1 ....... Siloam Springs Oct. 13 .................... Harrison* Sept. 8 ....... at Pryor, Okla. Oct. 20 ......... at Prairie Grove* Sept. 22 ..... at Clarksville* Oct. 27 ................. Dardanelle* Sept. 29 ..... Farmington* Nov. 3 .......... Shiloh Christian* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... Ozark Oct. 6 ............ at Prairie Grove* Sept. 1 ....... at Morrilton Oct. 13 .................Farmington* Sept. 8 ....... at Elkins Oct. 20 ................... Pea Ridge* Sept. 22 ..... Alma* Oct. 27 .................. Dardanelle* Sept. 29 ..... at Shiloh Christian* Nov. 3 .................. at Harrison* * – Denotes 5A-West conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted CLARKSVILLE PANTHERS 2022 RECORD 0-10, 0-7 5A-West COACH Khris Buckner RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 6 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Luke Siebenmorgen (Sr., 6-0, 210), QB Angel Alvarez (Jr., 5-10, 205), RB Nathan Powell (So., 6-0, 170), RB Ali Martinez (Jr., 5-9, 170), WR Kaden Martinez (Sr., 6-1, 185), OL Landon Edgomon (Jr., 5-10, 275), OL Jesus Santiago (Sr., 5-10, 240), RB/DB Coal East (Sr., 6-1, 165), LB/FB Rhett Fultz (Sr., 6-0, 220), DB Juan De La Rosa (Sr., 6-1, 180). NOTABLE If it could go wrong for Clarksville last year in a winless season, it did go wrong for the Panthers. … They were competitive in several games that could've gone their way (leading 35-7 against Dardanelle, being tied 14-14 early against Pea Ridge before a key player ejection). … Luke Siebenmorgen returns to guide the offense at quarterback and be the team's unquestioned leader after breaking his leg and ankle in the conference opener last year. … Nathan Powell and Ali Martinez both ran for more than 1,000 yards in JV action last year and look to be primary varsity ball carriers now. … Martinez has qualified for the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the state track meet the past two years. … Coal East will also get carries, returning to the team playing for the first time since 7th grade. East has flashed big-play potential in team camps and 7-on-7 action this summer. … Depth on the offensive line is a question mark heading into the season with two returners in Landon Edgomon and Jesus Santiago looking to make big impacts. … All-state soccer goalie and forward Juan De La Rosa brings his elite athleticism back to the football program after taking last year off. QUOTABLE "Our season kind of snowballed on us last year. This conference is so good and there isn't a week off. We are ready for a fresh start. We don't have much to build off, but the guys are excited. One thing I love about this group is they all like each other. We had a little bit of animosity last year. That isn't the case with this group." — Buckner. FARMINGTON CARDINALS 2022 RECORD 7-4 overall, 5-2 5A-West COACH J.R. Eldridge RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Cameron Vanzant (Sr., 6-0, 170), RB Russell Hodge (Jr., 5-10, 175), RB/ WR Luke Elsik (Jr., 5-10, 165), OL Hunter Marshall (Sr., 5-9, 260), OL Truitt Rowland (Sr., 6-1, 260), LB Morgan Shader (Jr., 5-10, 200) NOTABLE Eldridge led the Cardinals to consecutive 8-win seasons in his first two years as coach at the school …. Farmington must replace a few all-state players, including WR Peyton Funk, who signed with Ouachita Baptist, and LB Cooper Gardenhire, who signed with Delta State (Miss.). ….. Vanzant is a three-year starter at quarterback who was limited to five games last season after he suffered an ankle injury in a nonconference game at Rogers. Vanzant is the younger brother of former Farmington basketball star Makenna Vanzant, who is playing at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. …. Elsik is the younger brother of former Farmington running back Caden Elsik, an All-State player who rushed for 900 yards in 2021. QUOTABLE "Cameron Vanzant missed about five games last year because of injury, so I think he's really hungry to get back on the field. He's done a great job leading our offense. Going into spring football, we were really inexperienced on defense because we lost a lot of leaders from last year over there. Guys like Cooper Gardenhire, David Stettmeier, and Sam Wells, one of our best safeties who stepped in at quarterback for us after Cameron got hurt. But our guys on defense now have really stepped up behind those guys and tried to learn and progress with what we're doing." — Eldridge. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... Greenbrier Oct. 6 .................... Dardanelle* Sept. 1 ....... at Springdale Oct. 13 ............... at Clarksville* Sept. 8 ....... Rogers Oct. 20 ..........Shiloh Christian* Sept. 22 ..... Harrison* Oct. 27 ............... at Pea Ridge* Sept. 29 ..... at Alma* Nov. 3 .......... at Prairie Grove* * — Denotes 5A-West Conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Drake Stogsdill Carlos Gonzalez Jacob Johnson Charlie Mobley Zach Millsap Jackson Daily Hunter Reaves Coach Rusty Bush