TRI-LAKES AREA — 2008 marked the Malvern Leopards' first playoff appearance in eight years, but a 30-29 loss to Booneville in the first round has only made this year's team hungry for more success and a playoff victory in 2009.
"We got better as the year went along last year," head coach John Fogleman said. "We started 0-3 and made a run through the conference. We lost our last three games, and two of them were one-point, last-second wins, and then another was a tough one to Nashville [a 41-23 loss where Malvern led 23-14 at halftime]. Even though we finished there with some losses we're going to build on them. Playing some meaningful games there in October and November is a new thing, so we're going to build on that.
"[To go back to the playoffs] is what we want and what we expect. These guys are working and still learning how to win and let it mean something."
The 4-7 team returns 15 seniors, five starters on offense and seven starters on defense, including a well-stocked defensive line that is the strength of the team. The 2009 Leopards' defensive line includes 6-0, 245-pound senior Kevin Bell ("He's the strongest player we've got," Fogleman said. "He's a good ballplayer. He'll play defensive line and linebacker for us, and he'll also play offensive guard."), 6-1, 289-pound senior Osha Johnson, 6-4, 261-pound junior Grady Ollison and 6-1, 224-pound junior Mitchell Whitman.
"All those guys started on defense last year, and they're all back on the defensive line," Fogleman said. "They can move."
As strong as the Leopards' defensive line is, Fogleman doesn't have a clear idea of how his team will play when opposing teams break containment, as the Leopards' perimeter defense and outside linebacking is a concern.
"We're good on the inside right now; we need to get better on the outside," Fogleman said.
Offensively, the Leopards return a quartet of skill players. Junior wide receiver James King (5-11, 180) led the Leopards last year with 36 catches for 651 yards and 11 touchdowns. Senior running back Mario Jamerson (5-6, 183) contributed 28 catches for 331 yards and four touchdowns and 47 rushes for 273 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on an interception return and a kickoff return.
"He had close to a thousand yards all-purpose," Fogleman said. "He's a guy we'll get the ball to in certain ways."
Junior running back Dontail Henson (5-8, 172) added 71 rushes for 278 yards and two touchdowns and will join Jamerson in the backfield, and senior wide receiver Trent Bryant (6-0, 170) caught 20 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
"Those guys right there have some experience, and they're talented," Fogleman said. "We'll have to build around them.
"We've got some talent."
The Leopards return only two starters on the offensive line - seniors Quenton Welch and Justin Yamauchi - so constructing a new line and finding depth is a concern for Fogleman, who will use his defensive linemen sparingly on the offensive side of the ball.
"Our defensive line is our strength of our team right now," he said. "We don't want to jeopardize that by keeping them out there the whole time. We want them to perform first on defense and then plug them in on offense in situations. At the end of the year if we need them in there the whole time, that's one thing, but we're not going to do that at the beginning of the year."
Tri-Lakes, Pages 12 on 08/30/2009