Lizards looking for more

Dardanelle Coach Josh Price and his players haven’t forgotten how the 2014 season ended.

The Sand Lizards won their first 13 games on their way to a Class 4A semifinal matchup against Warren at Keenan Field in Dardanelle. It had been a near fairytale ride up to that point, with the town rallying around the team more and more with each step it took toward the school’s first appearance in the state championship football game.

Dardanelle led 16-14 when Warren lined up to try a field goal with 3:17 left in the game. The Lumberjacks missed, but a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave Warren another chance and Kevin Cortez made it count by nailing a 31-yard attempt that gave the Lumberjacks a 17-16 victory and ended Dardanelle’s state title hopes.

Price and his players haven’t gotten over the loss yet, but they are trying to channel that frustration into making their first trip to Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium for the state championship game in December.

“You’re so disappointed, but you’re excited to go finish the deal,” Price said.

Dardanelle suffered some significant losses with the graduation of Kristian Thompson, T.J. Tucker and Parker Witt, but it returns 12 starters from a team that won the 4-4A Conference. That group includes seniors Chris Kershner, Daniel Craig and Caden Brown, and it is a big reason why the Sand Lizards will open the 2015 season as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s No. 1 team in Class 4A.

The versatile Kershner, 5-9, 175 pounds, moves to quarterback after hauling in 42 receptions for 932 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. It won’t be a completely new experience for Kershner, who saw time at quarterback as a sophomore in 2013 when Thompson was injured.

Price said Kershner’s mobility will make him a threat similar to Thompson.

“He’s so much bigger and stronger,” said Price, comparing Kershner from his sophomore season to this season. “He’s physically mature. He’s a lot faster.”

Craig, 5-9, 205, played H-back and tight end last season but will move to running back to help fill the void left by Tucker, who had 1,756 yards and 20 touchdowns a year ago.

“He’s such a smart football player,” Price said. “The last two years he’s done everything on offense.”

The offensive line returns four starters. Tackles Caleb Hicks, 6-2, 235, and T.J. Gentry, 6-4, 225, and guards Brown, 5-11, 260, and Josh Holmes, 5-11, 185, are expected to be one of the most physical offensive lines in Class 2A.

“They control the line of scrimmage,” Price said.

Dardanelle brings back seven starters from a defense that allowed an average of 11.5 points a game last season. Craig had a team-high 131 tackles, including 40 unassisted. Kershner recorded nine interceptions at safety, while Brown, Hicks and Holmes will anchor the defensive line.

“We want to be really good on defense and dominate on special teams,” Price said. “All that other stuff, we’ll let it take care of itself.”

The Sand Lizards open the season at home Sept. 1 against Danville before traveling to Class 3A semifinalist Booneville. A stellar nonconference start that included a 68-34 rout of Danville and shutouts of Booneville (28-0) and Clarksville (48-0) helped propel the Sand Lizards to a 7-0 finish in the 4-4A Conference and the program’s best season.

“You go back to last year, we weren’t very good in the scrimmage against Paris,” Price said. “Then you turn on the film to Week 8, Week 9, it’s so amazing we got so much better.

“If you can improve throughout the season, you have a chance to have a special season.”