DOG DAYS 2015: Prairie Grove Tigers

Hutchison continues tradition at linebacker

Prairie Grove defender Dakota Hutchison scrimmages Aug. 20 with the team.
Prairie Grove defender Dakota Hutchison scrimmages Aug. 20 with the team.

PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove has a reputation for outstanding linebacker play, including Jacob Kahl, Brandon Nodier, and Jack Reynolds in most recent years.

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Dakota Hutchison

This year's headliner is Dakota Hutchison, a three-year starter who'll also return at offensive guard for the Tigers. Hutchison (5-foot-8, 210 pounds) mixes physicality with his intellect as a 4.0 student to occupy the most important position on the Tigers' defense.

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For more on this story, go to: youtube.com/nwademg… and ARPreps.com

PRAIRIE GROVE TIGERS

COACH: Danny Abshier

LAST SEASON: 7-4

OFFENSE: Wing-T

DEFENSE: 4-3

RETURNING STARTERS: Offense 4, Defense 6

POINTS PER GAME: 33.8

POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 21.7

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: Dylan Soehner (Sr., TE, 6-7, 250), Blake Faulk (Sr., RB, 6-0, 185), Sol Walker (Jr., WB, 6-2, 190), Isaac Disney (Jr., WR, 5-10, 145), Jack Stone (Jr., TE, 6-4, 220).

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: Dakota Hutchison (Sr., LB, 5-8, 210), Reed Orr (Jr., LB, 5-9, 180), Coty Hoskins (Sr., DE, 5-11, 175), Andrew Carrillo (Sr., DT, 6-0, 245).

KEEP AN EYE ON: At 6-foot-7, Dylan Soehner is a big-time target at tight end and one of the top college prospects in the state. He’s a threat any time the Wing-T Tigers decide to throw the football. “He wants the ball in his hands,” said Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier, who plans to get it to him.

OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK: Better ball security is a must for the Tigers, who lost three fumbles in a 27-20 defeat to Shiloh Christian that ended a 16-game conference win streak. The Tigers could have a dangerous run-pass balance with tight end Dylan Soehner and running backs Blake Faulk and Sol Walker. Junior Jack Stone is also capable at tight end, which could free up Soehner to split outside. Those are two big targets who could cause problems for Class 4A defenders.

DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK: Prairie Grove started the season giving up 34 points in a loss to Farmington and ended the year by allowing 49 points to Nashville. But the Tigers could be stout again with the return of six starters, including linebackers Reed Orr and Dakota Hutchinson and defensive ends Coty Hoskins and Jack Stone. Expect the Tigers to look more like the 2012 team that issued just nine points per game.

SEASON OUTLOOK: It’ll take more than one Division I prospect for the Tigers to regain their championship form. Dylan Soehner will lead but the Tigers will need contributions from across the board to capture their third conference title since 2005.

KEY GAME: Shiloh Christian, Oct. 9 at Prairie Grove. The Tigers’ slide to third place in the league began after a 27-20 defeat to the Saints at Champions Field. That ended the Tigers’ 16-game conference win streak. Prairie Grove then lost at home the following week to Pea Ridge, which won the conference championship.

QUOTING COACH ABSHIER: “You’ve got to hold onto the ball to win championships. We didn’t do a very good job of it last year in crucial situations.”

Prairie Grove Tigers

Date^Opponent^Time

Sept. 4^at Farmington^7 p.m.

Sept. 11^at Charleston^7 p.m.

Sept. 18^at West Fork^7 p.m.

Sept. 25^at Huntsville*^7 p.m.

Oct. 2^Gravette*^7 p.m.

Oct. 9^Shiloh Christian*^7 p.m.

Oct. 16^at Pea Ridge*^7 p.m.

Oct. 23^Gentry*^6 p.m.

Oct. 30^at Berryville*^7 p.m.

Nov. 6^Lincoln*^7 p.m.

  • — 4A-1 Conference game

— Rick Fires • @NWARick

Dakota Hutchison

SCHOOL: Prairie Grove

CLASS; Senior

HEIGHT: 5-8

WEIGHT: 210

POSITION: Linebacker, guard

NOTABLE: Three-year starter for Tigers, who finished 7-4 last season …. Will start at outside linebacker and guard. … A 4.0 student who hopes to become an orthopedic surgeon after completing his education.

"(Hutchison) is rock solid at middle linebacker," Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier said. "He's a hard-nosed player with leadership skills and a kid who gets good grades. I'm glad he's on my team."

Hutchison is a senior who hopes to become an Orthopedic surgeon some day. First, he's focused on helping return the 4A-1 Conference championship Pea Ridge wrestled away from the Tigers last season. Prairie Grove had won back-to-back league titles and 16 consecutive conference games before losing 27-20 to the Shiloh Christian at Champions Field in Springdale. The Tigers then tumbled to third place in the league after losing 28-20 to Pea Ridge the following week.

Prairie Grove finished 7-4 on the season after being eliminated 49-32 by Nashville in the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

"I think we'll be better this year because of all the hard work we've put in," Hutchison said. "We've really come together and bonded as a team."

That unity will be tested early for the Tigers, who begins the season with four consecutive road games. Pea Ridge opens Sept. 4 at Farmington, a former league rival. That matchup will be followed by road games at Charleston, West Fork, and Huntsville before the Tigers play at home against Gravette on Oct. 2. Shiloh Christian comes next before Prairie Grove hits the road again at Pea Ridge, the defending league champion.

"I think those early road games will be a good experience for us, especially at playoff time if we have to go on the road," Hutchison said. "We have to go in with a positive mindset and treat them like any other game."

Hutchison doesn't let his job as a play-caller and senior leader in football distract from his workload as a student. He has long-range goals that will persist long after he's taken off his Tiger uniform.

"I just try to manage my time well and take care of my school work," Hutchison said. "I get that from by parents, who've stressed the need for an education to me since I was at a young age."

Sports on 08/28/2015

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