High school football report

This time, no surprise for Knights

Cary Rogers
Cary Rogers

Centerpoint's first football playoff victory last November was beneficial, on and off the field.

That victory helped the Knights' numbers in the offseason, as 45 players are expected to be with the program when fall practice begins Aug. 1.

"We're accustomed to having 30 kids," Coach Cary Rogers said. "We've got more kids now who want to be a part of it with the winning."

The Knights, 8-4 last season, earned a 28-8 first-round victory at Elkins before falling 42-20 to eventual 3A champion Harding Academy in Searcy in the second round. But that taste of postseason success was satisfying for the Knights, who return senior quarterback Keenan Owens and senior wide receiver Lance Chambers.

"We only graduated five seniors, so our kids coming back realize it's a chance for them to go deeper in the playoffs and have a better year," Rogers said.

Owens was one of the state's top passers in 2015, completing 192 of 324 passes for 3,007 yards and 41 touchdowns. Chambers caught 51 passes for 1,068 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Having a two-year starter at quarterback gives Rogers confidence going into the season.

"He's looked real good," Rogers said. "He's grown. He's about 6-2 now, 185 pounds. He's got a good group to throw it to."

Centerpoint, which formed in 1995 with the consolidation of the Glenwood and Amity school districts and is located in Amity, opens the season Aug. 29 against Class 2A contender Mount Ida at Cliff Harris Stadium in Arkadelphia.

Expectations are high for the Knights this year coming off last year's success, which is new for Rogers, he said.

"Usually Hooten's [Arkansas Football] will come out and we'll be about No. 5, No. 6 and we'll get up and surprise everybody," Rogers said. "This year, Glen Rose, Prescott and [Benton] Harmony Grove are still strong teams, but people are looking at us, too, as being right in the mix.

"I don't think we'll surprise anybody this year. We're preaching to the kids that it's a tougher road to hoe and we can do it. It's just more of a challenge now that they're expected to win. The kids know it's a big challenge and I think they're up to it."

HAMBURG

Toughening up

Hamburg Coach Cecil Ray Cossey said several people called him crazy for scheduling one of Class 2A's most successful programs from the 2015 season in the Lions' season-opener.

But one thing Cossey is trying to do to get the Lions among the top teams in Class 4A is improve the program's nonconference schedule.

Hamburg faces 2015 Class 2A semifinalist England on Aug. 30 at Golden Lion Stadium in Pine Bluff, followed by a home game against Class 5A Camden Fairview (Sept. 9) and a trip to one of the top teams in the 7-4A Conference, Ashdown, on Sept. 16.

"Our nonconference schedule had to get tougher," Cossey said. "We've been 2-1 both years I've been here, but we haven't really known a lot about where we were."

It's part of Cossey's strategy to not only get the Lions ready for the rugged 8-4A Conference with Warren and Star City, but also to help his team get past the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. Hamburg lost to Dardanelle 45-7 in the second round last November, finishing 9-3 after a second-place finish in the 8-4A.

"In Arkansas, the nonconference is all about getting better," Cossey said. "I know this, if Hamburg comes out 3-0, people better watch out."

EXTRA POINTS

Benton Harmony Grove has moved its Week 1 opener against Saline County rival Bauxite from Sept. 2 to Sept. 1. The Cardinals and Miners have new head coaches this season, with former Bryant coach Paul Calley at Harmony Grove and former Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton at Bauxite. ... Little Rock Central's home game against first-year Class 7A school Bentonville West will be played at Central's Quigley-Cox Stadium on Sept. 9, according to the Little Rock School District's football schedule. The game was originally scheduled to be played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, but Little Rock Catholic, which plays its home games there, is hosting Jacksonville the same date.

Sports on 07/24/2016

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