Westside moving forward
Jonesboro Westside Coach Chad Mitchell said it’s sometimes better to take two steps backward before taking one step forward.
After many steps backward, the Class 4A Warriors have taken a big step forward this fall.
Westside (6-1, 3-1 3-4A) clinched its first winning season since 1986 with Friday night’s 42-22 victory at Brookland.
“That’s been kind of a motivation in making that step forward,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell, 36, is in his second season at Westside after spending the previous six years at Van Buren, where he was an assistant in 2006-2009 and strength coach in 2009-2011. Westside finished 4-7 last fall, earning just the second playoff berth in school history.
Westside employs the same ground-oriented triple option Flexbone attack that Van Buren Coach Mike Lee ran when Mitchell was there. Lee is now the athletic director at Bryant.
“You can do it, if you’ve got the dudes,” Mitchell said.
Westside rushed for 575 yards against Brookland, led by senior slotback Mickeal Quillman, who ran 12 times for 204 yards and 3 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Chase Mann rushed 26 times for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Mann, 5-8, 180 pounds, has rushed 106 times for 1,015 yards and 7 touchdowns this season.
“Last year was his first year to read the option,” Mitchell said. “He’s really done a good job this year making decisions.”
Westside’s only other playoff appearance was 1986, when the Warriors finished 9-1 in the regular season.
Mitchell said the 2013 start has generated excitement around school, but he’s stressed humility to his players.
“We’re trying to make them better men down the road,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell graduated from Salem in 1995 and from Arkansas State in 2004. He spent four years (1995-1999) in the Marine Corps.
PRESCOTT Honoring legend
Prescott will honor former coach Eddie Jackson by renaming its home field before the Nov. 1 6-3A game with Genoa Central, second year Curley Wolves Coach Tommy Poole said.
Poole said Prescott’s school board voted Tuesday night to rename the venue Eddie Jackson Field at Cummins Stadium.
Jackson led Prescott, which now plays in Cummins Stadium, to Class A state championships in 1973 and1975 and the Class AA state title in 1995.
“He is Prescott football,” Poole said. “Everybody around here will tell you that.”
Jackson coached Prescott in 1973-1996. Poole is a 1994 Prescott graduate and played wide receiver and safety for Jackson.
“I give him all the credit, outside of my family, for who I am today,” Poole said.
Poole said Jackson will attend the ceremony. He coached Genoa Central in 2010-2012 before health problems forced him to retire in the off season. Genoa Central didn’t begin playing varsity football until 2010.
Poole was 3-0 against his mentor. Spring Hill, then coached by Poole, beat Genoa Central 56-0 in 2010 and 42-6 in 2011. Prescott beat Genoa Central 47-17 last fall.
Despite the success, Poole said he didn’t enjoy coaching against Jackson.
“It was very intimidating,” Poole said.
Poole’s twin brother, Robert, is Prescott’s superintendent and a former Curley Wolves football player.
BOONEVILLE Top ‘Cats?
Class 4A Booneville is unbeaten, and it’s easy to understand why.
The tradition-rich Bearcats have outscored opponents 236-26 in the first half and are plus-11 in turnover margin.
“We’ve played well,” Booneville Coach Scott Hyatt said. “We were young last year and surprised a few people. We thought if our offensive line improved and stayed healthy that we could win a conference championship.”
Booneville (7-0, 4-0 4-4A) hosts winless Dover on Friday night before closing at Pottsville (7-0, 4-0) and at Maumelle (6-1, 4-0). Pottsville is at Maumelle on Friday night.
“Things will shake out in the next three weeks,” Hyatt said.
Hyatt has coached Booneville since 2007, leading the Bearcats to conference titles in 2009, 2010 and 2012. Junior fullback Bryson May, the son of Booneville defensive coordinator and former Bearcat Ricky May, has rushed 90 times for 626 yards and 12 touchdowns thisfall.
“He’s grown up around the game,” Hyatt said.
Booneville, which won state championships in 1986 and 2000, will drop to Class 3A in the 2014-2016 cycle.
HIGHLAND Stewart’s stats
Highland junior wide receiver Deon Stewart set school records for catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in Friday night’s 44-40 loss at Gosnell, Rebels Coach Spencer Hill said.
Stewart finished with 13 receptions for 253 yards and 4 touchdowns. Stewart, who is already drawing college recruiting interest, has caught 25 passes for 566 yards and 7 touchdowns this fall. He’s also returned 10 kickoffs for 361 yards and 2 touchdowns and intercepted 6 passes at cornerback.
Hill said his other prized junior wide receiver, Avery Johnson, will play Friday night at home against Cave City. Johnson missed the Gosnell game because of concussion protocol, Hill said.
Johnson has caught 22 passes for 306 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed 40 times for 416 yards and 7 touchdowns this season. He is also a college prospect.
Class 5A Super Six
RK TEAM (REC.), NEXT
Camden Fairview (7-0), at Hope
Pulaski Acad. (7-0), at Mills
Batesville (5-2), at Blytheville
Alma (5-2), vs. Vilonia
Morrilton (5-2), at Huntsville
White Hall (6-1), at Hot Springs
Class 4A Super Six
RK TEAM (REC.), NEXT
Arkadelphia (7-0), vs. Ashdown
PB Dollarway (7-0), vs. Stuttgart
Valley View (7-0), vs. Jonesboro Westside
Hamburg (6-1), at Crossett
Warren (4-3), vs. Monticello
Malvern (6-1), at CAC
Sports, Pages 24 on 10/24/2013