RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Vilonia coach Jim Stanley understands one thing about his football team this year - they will have to grow up quickly in the tough 5A West Conference.
Vilonia, 4-6 last season, returns one starter on offense and four on defense on a team that only has eight seniors.
"We're young, Stanley said. "We're just going to battle every week. If we stay
healthy and kids get better we're going to be okay. But it's going to be tough because they
are going to make mistakes. If you make one mistake in the league we are in, it's bad. Insome leagues you can make mistakes and get away with it, but not in the 5A West." Clay Patterson (6-3, 270) is the Eagles' only returning offensive starter and is expected to provide leadership to a group of inexperienced linemen. Vilonia will start three
sophomores in its backfield: James Sax (6-1, 185), Trey Lewis (6-0, 175) and Jacob Weidmier
(5-10, 225). Senior Eric Ebmeyer (6-0, 165) will start at quarterback.
Vilonia had some early-season success, defeating rival Beebe and winning against Monticello in the Hooten's Classic before being hit hard by injuries.
"We started out good and then had a lot of injuries," Stanley said. "Injuries just came back and killed us midway through the year.
We were devastated by injuries for most of the year."
On defense, the Eagles return Taylor Sweetin, Brent Hughes, Zack Mitchell and Kyle Roberts. Stanley said Hughes and Sweetin were hurt most of the year and Roberts missed half the season with an injury.
Stanley is optimistic about the future thanks to a solid sophomore class that was successful last season.
"We've got a really good 10th-grade class," the coach said. "But we are really throwing them into the fire this year in our conference. That's a tough place to start as a 10th-grader. We'll be happy in a couple of years from now, but this year they will have a lot of growing pain."
Vilonia has installed new turf this year, following the likes of Greenbrier and Conway.
Vilonia has a total of 55 players, which is down from years past. Stanley said the school normally dresses out around 70 players.
"This is a small senior class for us," Stanley said. "We only have seven or eight seniors on this team; normally we have 18 or 20. It's going to be a tough year, but we are going to be competitive."
VILONIA EAGLES
Sept. 4 ...................... Searcy
Sept. 11 ..........at Jacksonville
Sept. 18 ................. at Beebe
Sept. 25 ................Harrison*
Oct. 2 ......at Siloam Springs*
Oct. 9 ....................at Alma*
Oct. 16 ............Greenwood*
Oct. 23 ......................CAC*
Oct. 30 ............ at Morrilton*
Nov. 5 .............. Greenbrier*
Special, Pages 211, 212, 213 on 08/23/2009