Depth missing, but talent remains

The third in a series of articles looking at the top team in each classification going into the high school football season.

Most of Warren's 22 starters have to play only on one side of the football, but Coach Bo Hembree can't afford to get any of those starters hurt.

That's life for the Lumberjacks these days, with only 34 players participating in fall camp.

"We got a lot of experience coming back," Hembree said. "We just don't have to depth."

Still, the experienced players who return this season are enough to make Warren the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's preseason No. 1 team in Class 4A.

Receiver/defensive back Darveon Brown, receiver Jaylon Marshall, defensive tackle Aaron Church and defensive back Caylx Harris are among the 14 starters Warren returns from a runner-up team that lost 14-12 to Booneville in the Class 4A state championship game last season.

Quarterback Drake Jones exhausted his eligibility, and the Lumberjacks will count on senior Justin Gorman to replace him. Gorman, 5-10, 175 pounds, who started six games as a sophomore and one as a junior, completed 30 of 56 passes for 476 yards and 4 touchdowns last season.

"He's got a lot better this summer and this fall," Hembree said. "It's a big role to fill. He's done a good job so far."

Kilay Cox, 5-7, 160, returns at running back. The senior missed a month last season because of a broken ankle, but he still managed to score seven touchdowns.

Hembree said Brown, a four-year starter at receiver and a two-year starter at cornerback, is the Lumberjacks' leader after finishing with 51 receptions for 837 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago.

Hembree also calls Brown, 5-10, 170, one of the better players he has coached at Warren, which includes the likes of Jarius Wright and Chris Gragg, both of whom played at Arkansas and are currently in the NFL.

"We have to find ways to get him the ball," Hembree said of Brown, who has orally committed to Arkansas State.

Senior receiver Jaylon Marshall, 6-1, 185, flourished in his first year as a starter. Marshall, who also has orally committed to ASU, caught 33 passes for 731 yards and 7 touchdowns.

"He's going to be fun to watch," Hembree said. "He's big and physical. He can run. He's gotten so much better."

Senior J'Kyron Hines, 5-8, 195, leads an experienced offensive line. Hines has played center the past two seasons but is moving to left guard. Seniors Wesley Cornish, 6-0, 270, and Austin Emanuel, 5-11, 215, are at left and right tackle, respectively, and classmate Adam Nolan, 6-0, 270, returns at right guard.

Hembree said senior Lafoy Smith, 6-1, 245, and junior Dakota Herron, 5-6, 205, are batting for the starting center position.

Church, 5-10, 210, leads a Lumberjacks defensive unit that returns six starters. Church recorded 32 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble last season. He is the brother of former Warren defensive lineman and Ouachita Baptist standout Bryan Church.

"He's just unbelievable," Hembree said of Aaron Church. "He's hard to block. He's quick off the football and has a great motor. He's a four-year starter that we have to have. We need him to play big for us."

Smith has started the past three seasons at defensive end. He finished with 48 tackles and two sacks last season.

Harris, 5-10, 180, had 90 tackles and two interceptions last season. Brown finished with 18 tackles, 1 interception and 6 pass breakups at cornerback. Also expected to contribute in the secondary are senior Patrick Smith and sophomore Dennis Daniels, the brother of former Warren standout Ricardo Kemp.

Warren has another tough nonconference schedule, opening with Class 7A Fort Smith Southside on Sept. 2 at Golden Lion Stadium in Pine Bluff. The Lumberjacks also travel to traditional Class 4A power Stuttgart on Sept. 12 and play host to Class 5A Pulaski Academy on Sept. 19.

Playing three tough games before entering 8-4A Conference play is by design.

"The game is so fast for them," Hembree said of playing teams such as Southside and Pulaski Academy. "They can run so many formations. When you get back to playing teams the same level as us, the game slows down."

Warren is one of three teams from the 8-4A in the Democrat-Gazette's preseason 4A Super Six. Pine Bluff Dollarway, which returns to the 8-4A after a two-year run in 2-4A, is No. 3 and Star City is No. 5 to open the season.

"It's a lot tougher," Hembree said. "Six, seven years ago, the 8-4A was tough. It's tough now. You had two teams make it to the semifinals and three to the quarterfinals."

"That's going to be a challenge for us. It's going to be fun, but it's going to be a challenge on Friday night."

Sports on 08/21/2014