Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1506239
43 PREP RALLY: CLASS 4A | 8.20.2023 .com Life.Changing.Internet 139 N Mock Street Prairie Grove 479-846-7200 www.pgtelco.com FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS BACK - proud to support our athletes CLASS 4A GRAVETTE LIONS RECORD 6-5, 5-2 4A-1 COACH Kelby Bohannon RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Gabe Holmes (Jr., 6-0, 215), RB Kyler Austin (Sr., 6-0, 205), WR Kayden Brown (So., 5-10, 150), WR Connor Acosta (So., 5-8, 140), OL Morgan Dagley (Jr., 5-7, 270), LB James Marta (Jr., 5-9, 160), LB Garrett Merworth (Sr., 5-11, 195), DL Jace Arnold (Sr., 5-10, 180), DL Josiah McGee (Sr., 5-10, 170), DB Eric Vogt (Jr., 5-10, 140), DB Carter Flynt (Jr., 5-9, 150). NOTABLE Gravette coach Kelby Bohannon rebounded nicely last year, as the Lions won five more games than they did during the previous season. … Gabe Holmes, the team's leading receiver last year earning all-conference honors, took most of the snaps at quarterback looking to make an impact at a new position. He had 1,263 total yards with 15 touchdowns last year as a big-play threat for the Lions. … Kyler Austin, who earned all-league honors and is one of the team's leaders on and off the field, returns after rushing for 649 yards with 7 touchdowns on 133 carries despite missing three games because of an injury. … Kayden Brown brings elite speed as a dynamic playmaker at wide receiver and on special teams, where he returned a kickoff for a 74-yard touchdown last year in the playoffs. … Morgan Dagley leads the line up front that has lost some depth because of injuries. … Jace Arnold and Josiah McGee set the tone on the defensive line again for the Lions. … Senior defensive back Ian Leonard (143 tackles, 3 interceptions with one going for a 53-yard touchdown) will start the season out with an injury, but he hopes to be back at some point in his final year. QUOTABLE "We want to keep building off what we started last year. All the credit goes to the kids for all the work they continue to put in. They've really bought into what we are selling. There is a little bit of buzz about us right now. We will need to stay healthy, but we want to be in the conversation as a top three team in this conference. I have faith in our guys to go compete against anybody. We want to try our best to be at the top." — Bohannon. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... Pea Ridge Oct. 6 ................. at Huntsville* Sept. 1 ....... Inola (Okla.) Oct. 13 .................... Berryville* Sept. 8 ....... at Prairie Grove Oct. 20 ...........at Green Forest* Sept. 22 ..... Elkins* Oct. 27 .......................... Ozark* Sept. 29 ..... at Lincoln* Nov. 3 .................... at Gentry* * – Denotes 4A-1 conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Gabe Holmes Ian Leonard GREEN FOREST TIGERS RECORD 1-9, 0-7 4A-1 COACH Greg Tibbitt RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS RB Ridge Gordon-Swofford (Jr., 6-1, 225), QB Brityn Gilliam (Jr., 6-2, 145), TE Braden Epperly (Jr., 6-2, 185), OL Bradley Davis (Sr., 6-2, 305), DL Carlos Lemus (Sr., 5-6, 240), DL Fernando Gonzalez (Sr., 5-8, 260), DB Boris Tobar (Jr., 5-8, 140). NOTABLE The Tigers offense will again rely on returning running back Ridge Gordon-Swofford, who elevated the offense with his 716 rushing yards on 183 carries with 6 touchdowns. He was coming off an ACL injury, but that didn't stop him from making a big impact on the team and looks to take it to another level now fully healthy … Brityn Gilliam, who started mostly at free safety last season, has taken over the reigns of the quarterback position after getting some experience as the signal caller last year. The coaching staff loves his athleticism and intelligence. … Green Forest will look to keep opposing defenses honest with play-action passes with the threat of Gordon-Swofford running the ball. … Tight end Braden Epperly hauled in a team-high 118 receiving yards last year among returners. … Bradley Davis leads the offensive line and brings plenty of experience back to that unit. … Carlos Lemus and Fernando Gonzalez are both seniors that look to make a big impact again on the defensive line. … QUOTABLE "We are very junior oriented this year. We only have five seniors, so they are very important for us this year. This could be a big turning point season for us. I've preached that all offseason. We've got two good classes with our juniors and sophomores that had some success at the JV level. That depth is key. We are talented, but we are going to be young. We finished a team camp in July and I was talking to my defensive coordinator noticing there were nine sophomores on defense when we were watching. I feel like we underachieved last year, but we have been focused on getting better. We are ready to see what these guys can do." — Tibbitt. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... at West Fork Oct. 6 .......................... Gentry* Sept. 1 ....... Greenland Oct. 13 ......................at Elkins* Sept. 15 ..... at Cedarville Oct. 20 ......................Gravette* Sept. 22 ..... Lincoln* Oct. 27 ............... at Huntsville* Sept. 29 ..... at Ozark* Nov. 3 ..................... Berryville* * – Denotes 4A-1 conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Brityn Gilliam Ridge Gordon-Swofford LINCOLN WOLVES RECORD 5-6, 3-4 4A-1 COACH Reed Mendoza RETURNING STARTERS 8 offense, 8 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Drew Moore (Sr., 6-2, 200), RB/ LB Kale Jones (Jr., 5-11, 180), WR/LB Keller Price (Sr., 5-9, 180), WR/DB Jace Birkes (Sr., 6-0, 155), OL Ryan Provence (Sr., 6-2, 205), OL/DL Kaleb Roy (Sr., 5-10, 240), OL/DL Bryce Bradley (Sr., 5-10, 245), LB Demetrius Self (Sr., 5-8, 200), DB Trace Wallace (Sr., 5-10, 160). NOTABLE Lincoln moving up to Class 4A last season continued to make program history, making the playoffs for a third consecutive season for the first time ever. … Drew Moore, a three year starter, returns as the quarterback after throwing for 2,904 yards with 36 touchdowns. … Coaches say Moore is another coach on the field with his experience. He had one of his better games of the year against Greenland, where he tossed for 434 yards with 5 touchdowns. Moore also had 334 yards and 6 touchdowns against Huntsville. … Kale Jones, a two-time all-conference running back, returns after rushing for 912 yards on 148 carries with 9 touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 418 yards and 2 touchdowns. … Jones projects to get the ball even more being the quarterback in some packages. … Wide receivers Jace Birkes (42 catches for 1,045 yards with 12 touchdowns) and Keller Price (58 catches for 781 yards and 14 touchdowns) return as outside playmakers. … Ryan Provence, Kaleb Roy and Bryce Bradley all return to set the offensive line up for success. QUOTABLE "We have a good group of kids that are making history. We were picked last by the other coaches last year. You feel good about that with the competitive side of it. Returning eight starters on both sides of the ball sets us up to have a really special year. We didn't lose a whole lot from last year. I think people are sleeping on us. But we know the preseason doesn't matter. We just look to take that next step forward and not just get in the playoffs. We want to be still playing when Thanksgiving is here." — Mendoza. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... at Greenland Oct. 6 ............................ Ozark* Sept. 1 ....... at Westville (Okla.) Oct. 13 ............... at Huntsville* Sept. 8 ....... Mena Oct. 20 ........................ Gentry* Sept. 22 ..... at Green Forest* Oct. 27 ................ at Berryville* Sept. 29 ..... at Lincoln* Nov. 3 .......................... Elkins* * – Denotes 4A-1 conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Kaleb Roy Jace Birkes HUNTSVILLE EAGLES RECORD 2-8, 2-5 4A-1 COACH Eric Henderson RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/WR Dax Wiggins (Sr., 6-1, 153), QB/WR Marcus Sheppard (Jr., 6-2, 185), RB Kolby Phillips (Jr., 6-1, 160), RB Jaxon Ferguson (Jr., 5-7, 150), RB Isaiah Hale (So., 5-10, 177), OL Brett White (Sr., 6-1, 240), OL Logan Wallace (Sr., 5-10, 220), OL Paxton Harriman (Sr., 5-11, 209), NOTABLE Huntsville first-year coach Eric Henderson takes over the program after coming from Stuttgart the past three years. … The coaching staff took a competition approach heading into the season not naming any starters even during the early parts of August. …Dax Wiggins and Marcus Sheppard competed over the summer for the starting quarterback job. There is an option the Eagles could go with a two-quarterback system this season as well. … Kolby Phillips, Jaxon Ferguson and Isaiah Hale will look to get the majority of the team's carries bringing different strengths. … Henderson said he loves the overall potential of the team's pass catchers, mostly made up of sophomores, but is seeking a few to step up and take that role. … Upfront the team is guided by Brett White, Logan Wallace and Paxton Harriman. … The team is making up for lost time on the defensive side of the ball after spending plenty of time installing the offense. QUOTABLE "The community, kids and school have been great to me so far in my first year. It's been an awesome experience here. We haven't named many starters right now going into August. Kids are just competing and that's what we want. Everything was wide open for us before the season started. With the seniors, it's a big change for them. But they've embraced the challenge. This group has bought in and now it's about getting us to the non-thinking point of just making plays. We have been getting close. We are going in the right direction. We have been seeing some big strides gained from just the previous day." — Henderson. SCHEDULE Aug. 25 ...... at Lamar Oct. 6 ........................Gravette* Spet. 1 ....... Prairie Grove Oct. 13 ....................... Lincoln* Sept. 8 ....... at Pea Ridge Oct. 20 ................ at Berryville* Sept. 22 ..... Gentry* Oct. 27 ...............Green Forest* Sept. 29 ..... at Elkins* Oct. 3 ........................ at Ozark* * — Denotes 4A-1 conference game All kickoffs 7 p.m. unless noted Bentley Sparrow Dax Wiggins