SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE SOUTHERNERS Heavy on experience

THREE RIVERS AREA — Entering his fourth year as head coach of the Southside Batesville Southerners, Jon Johnston returns seven offensive starters and five defensive starters from a 2-8

team. With 11 seniors on the squad, John

ston expects the Southerners to be more"Our

goal is

like e v

er ybody

else's andthat is to make the playoffs," Johnston said.

"With a little luck and the ball bouncing our way a few times, and if we can stay healthy, I think we've got a chance at the playoffs." The key to the Southerners' success on offense will be senior Donnie Cooper, a 5-11, 190-pound running back/receiver who has started the past two seasons.

"He's just a really hard worker," Johnston said. "He's a really good athlete." Behind center will be another returning starter, junior quarterback Jered Dahl, a 5-10, 160-pound signal caller.

"He started every game for us last year," Johnston said. "Hopefully he can lead the team. Last year we were in more of a run-oriented offense, but this year we expect to go back to running the Spread.

Hopefully he can make good decisions with the ball and not turn it over." Up front, the Southerners' offensive line averages around 260 pounds, with

four of last year's starters returning, in

cluding 5-11, 265-pound senior guard

Camden Bolin and 6-0, 255-pound senior

tackle Josh Edwards.

"Any success we have is going to be be

cause of the offensive line," Johnston said.

"They're all seniors and have been playing

for two or three years. They should have

experience. Any success we have is going

to be on their shoulders because we're go

ing to expect a lot out of them." On defense, Johnston will depend on

a trio of linebackers to guide the team out

of a multiple set with a 5-3-3 base. Coo

per and Dahl man the outside linebacker

spots while the middle linebacker is Tren

ton Tosh, a 5-8, 180-pound sophomore.

"He did a really good job for the junior high last year, and we think he can step in and do it," Johnston said. "He actually played the last couple of games for us last year. He's one that's just always around the football." With only 30 players on the 2009 roster, depth is a concern, and Johnston expects the offensive line to double on the defensive side of the ball as well, rotating in and out to retain their freshness.

"Depth on both sides of the ball is a concern," he said. "We don't have a whole lot of depth anywhere.

But we are going to have more than we did last year so it's going to be a little better. We're [also] nowhere near as fast as the top teams in the conference."BREAKING DOWN

THE SOUTHERNERS2-8 record for 200811 seniors7 returning starters on

both sides of the line8 2008 finish in conferenceSOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE

SOUTHERNERS

Sept. 4 .......... Mountain View

Sept. 11 ................Cave City

Sept. 18 at Jonesboro Westside

Sept. 25 ................ Stuttgart*

Oct. 2 ................. at Clinton*

Oct. 9 ..................... Lonoke*

Oct. 16 ........... at Marianna*

Oct. 23 .....at Heber Springs*

Oct. 30 ................... DeWitt*

Nov. 6 ........... at Bald Knob*