High school football report

LITTLE ROCK — Winston might get to return

Little Rock Parkview Coach William Hardiman said there is a “possibility” that junior Chris Winston will attempt to play this fall.

Winston, who was scheduled to be the team’s starting quarterback, collapsed from cardiac arrest while on the bench during a Jan. 19 home basketball game against Searcy.

A pacemaker was inserted, Hardiman said.

“He’s doing OK for a living man, you know what I mean?” Hardiman said.

Hardiman said Winston, 6-2, 220 pounds, has been going through light workouts with his summer basketball team.

But Hardiman said Winston will have to be “cleared by everybody,” if he does attempt to play again.

“A lot of people are saying no to football, but it’s a possibility,” Hardiman said.

“He wants to [play], I’ll put it that way. His family wants him to. If he has something wrong, contact is not what triggers it. It’s aerobic.”

As a tight end/defensive end, Winston was a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Super Sophomore team last fall after catching 21 passes for 305 yards and 2 touchdowns and making 17 tackles.

Hardiman said Winston also had been groomed the past two years to replace Ben Anderson at quarterback.

Anderson signed with Arkansas-Pine Bluff in February after throwing for 1,443 yards and rushing for 795 yards last season.

“He was our guy at quarterback,” Hardiman said of Winston.

AFCA update

Membership in the Arkansas Football Coaches Association remains more than 300, said its president, Springdale Coach Shane Patrick.

The AFCA, which Patrick formed last year to give coaches more input in policy-making decisions, is open to all collegiate, high school and junior high coaches in the state.

Patrick said the AFCA held a business meeting Thursday at the University of Arkansas and the organization has the support of Razorbacks Coach Bobby Petrino.

Former Arkansas Coach Danny Ford said more than a decade ago that a strong coaches association would improve high school football in the state.

Patrick said 225 coaches attended the inaugural AFCA Ronnie Roach Coaches Clinic on Feb. 11-13 at the Austin Hotel & Convention Center in Hot Springs.

“We just got nothing butpositive comments back from all the coaches there,” Patrick said.

Patrick said annual dues have been increased from $1 to $25 to help cover insurance policies for coaches and a membership directory.

The organization is also seeking a sponsor, Patrick said.

“Our goal is 100 percent of football coaches in the state of Arkansas being in it,” Patrick said.

For more information on the AFCA, contact Patrick at (479) 750-8839.

Watkins to Warren

Clark Watkins, who coached Fordyce for three seasons before resigning in April, is the new defensivecoordinator at Warren, Lumberjacks Coach Bo Hembree said.

Hembree’s younger brother, Brian, was an assistant at Fordyce in2008.

Warren and Fordyce were 8-4A rivals before theRedbugs were placed in Class 3A for the 2010-2012 cycle.

Watkins’ father, Bobby, had been Fordyce’s athletic director before retiring this spring. He coached Fordyce to the Class 4A state championship in boys golf last fall.

Sylvan shuffle

Sylvan Hills Coach Jim Withrow made several changes in his staff during the offseason.

Withrow said defensive coordinator Johnny Rice has retired, and Chad Collins has been elevated from the junior high staff to coachoffensive linemen.

Former offensive line coach Wayne Halbrook will only teach this year, Withrow said.

Withrow said Denny Tipton, the school’s baseball coach, is returning to the football program as offensive coordinator.

Withrow said he will run the defense this fall.

Scrimmage schedule AUG. 23 Pea Ridge at Fayetteville So., 5:30 p.m.

Riverview at Augusta, 6:30 p.m.

Van Buren, Rogers Heritage at Greenwood, 7:30 p.m.

AUG. 24 FS Northside at Conway Rogers at Vilonia, 7 p.m.

AUG. 27 Bentonville, Springdale Har-Ber at Tulsa Union Jamboree, 7:30 p.m.

Hamburg at Magnolia, 7 p.m.