OZARK HILLBILLIES
2016 RECORD 7-5
COACH Jeremie Burns
RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 5 defense
KEY PLAYERS QB Dawson Dietz (Jr., 5-10, 180), RB Baylor Ree (Sr., 6-1, 175), DE Brayden Smith (Sr., 5-11, 200), S Greg Patton (Jr., 6-1, 175), WR Hayden Atkinson (5-10, 150), LB Fisher Elder (Sr., 5-8, 205), OL Tyler Hayward (Sr., 6-0, 255).
THE SKINNY The Hillbillies return a number of key starters from last seasons’s team that advanced two rounds in the state playoffs. Ozark knocked off Ashdown in the first round before falling to Gosnell in the second round. … Junior Dawson Dietz was 87 of 157 passing for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns last season to lead the Hillbillies’ offense. He also ran for 495 yards and 9 touchdowns as a dual-threat QB. … RB Baylor Ree will be the featured back after rushing for 377 yards last season, along with Eddie Graham who rushed for 259 yards and 4 TDs as a sophomore. … Hayden Atkinson is the top returning receiver after catching 22 passes for 323 yards and 3 TDs last season. Adkinson is also a solid defensive back with 29 tackles and 1 interception last season. … Ree doubles as a linebacker where he had a team-high 84 tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss. … The Hillbillies have a tough nonconference schedule, opening with Gravette at home, then games against a much-improved Clarksville and perennial power Charleston in week three. … Ozark gets both Booneville and Dardanelle, two of the favorites in the 4A-4 Conference, at home this season.
COACH SPEAK “We have high expectations this year. We finished strong last year and had a big win over Ashdown in the first round. We only lost seven seniors, but a couple of those were big ones. We have a lot of starters back and a few other guys who have come in,” Burns said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ..........................Gravette
Sept. 8 ...................at Clarksville
Sept. 15 ....................Charleston
Sept. 22...................at Waldron
Sept. 29....................Booneville
Oct. 6 ......... at Subiaco Academy
Oct. 13 ........................ West Fork
Oct. 20.......................at Pottsville
Oct. 27....................... Dardanelle
Nov. 3 ............................at Dover
WEST FORK TIGERS
2016 RECORD 1-9 COACH Bob Wise RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 6 defense
KEY PLAYERS QB Marcus Johnson (Sr., 6-3 180) , RB/LB Taylor Poplin (Sr., 6-2 210) WR Logan Helms (Sr. 5-11 165), WR Zac Pope (Sr., 5-10 150), OL Justin Shafer (Sr., 6-3 290), OL Hunter Hardin (Sr., 5-11 210), OL/DL Braden Stephens (Sr., 6-0 230), WR/ TE Braden Wise (Sr., 6-1 165).
THE SKINNY Defensive coordinator Bob Wise takes over as head coach, after Brad Lindley took a job as an assistant in Fayetteville during the spring. Wise in his 13th year at West Fork, so he’s familiar with the people and the program, but also the problems — specifically lack of depth. … Smaller numbers also coincided with a move up to Class 4A, which led to the 1-9 finish, after back-to-back conference titles in 2014 and ‘15. … The Tigers hope to avoid injuries that plagued them a year ago that further depleted a team that had only around 25 on the roster. The roster size hasn’t changed, but Wise has a few return healthy beginning with senior quarterback Johnson, who missed all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. … Poplin will likely play some tailback and H-Back and also start at inside linebacker. Helms is a three-year starter at safety and also play some receiver. … Pope and Stephens are two that were injured a year ago, but should both see significant action this season.
COACH SPEAK “We’ve really tried to focus on the mental side of the game. Tweak the attitude. Being 1-9, it’s easy to kind of all into an attitude of just accepting it. We’ve tried to focus on things that we can control. With our injuries and our numbers, almost every position was kind of a revolving door. The kids and I agreed we don’t want a repeat of that, so we’re moving on. We’re going to try to spread the defense out and spread the ball around,” Wise said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ...................at Greenland
Sept. 8 ..........................at Elkins
Sept. 15 .................Prairie Grove
Sept. 22...at Subiaco Academy
Sept. 29.......................Waldron
Oct. 6 ......................... Dardanelle
Oct. 13 ...........................at Ozark
Oct. 20............................... Dover
Oct. 27....................at Booneville
Nov. 3 ............................Pottsville
BOONEVILLE BEARCATS
2016 RECORD 6-5
COACH Scott Hyatt
RETURNING STARTERS 8 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/DB Brandon Ulmer (5-10, 160, Jr.), HB Grant Rodatz (5-10, 210, Sr.), FB/LB Carson Ray (5-9, 195, Jr.), WR/DB Trent Wooldridge (6-0, 170, Sr.), OL/DL Noah Reyes (6-2, 225, Jr.)
THE SKINNY Booneville remains a relatively young team with only seven seniors, but that doesn’t mean the Bearcats aren’t experienced as they return their offensive backfield. … Ulmer returns at quarterback after taking over the position in Week 7 last year and provides a balanced run-pass threat with 352 yards rushing and 337 yards through the air. … Ray, son of former Bearcat standout Allen “Gator” Ray, moves to fullback after running for 420 yards and 4 TDs as a halfback and also starts at linebacker, where he returned a fumble for a TD last season. … Rodatz, who ran for 333 yards and 3 TDs, can play both positions and is a three-year starter on the defensive line. … Wooldridge is a three-year starter at receiver and at cornerback. … Reyes, who started every game as a guard, moves to a tackle spot while anchoring the defensive line from a tackle spot. … A 10-win season would allow Hyatt to earn his 100th victory at the school this year.
COACH SPEAK “We started several sophomores and juniors last year, so we’re starting a group with a little experience this year. We’re looking forward to seeing how they will develop through the year. We still have a few spots we have to fill, such as outside linebacker. I like our defensive line right now, and if those guys develop like I think they can, we’ll have a pretty good front three. We lost four games by 10 points or less, so going into this year I’m hoping our experience will help us win those close games,” Hyatt said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 .......................Pea Ridge
Sept. 8 ......................at Gravette
Sept. 15 .......................at Vilonia
Sept. 22......................Pottsville
Sept. 29...................... at Ozark
Oct. 6 ................................. Dover
Oct. 13 ........................at Waldron
Oct. 20....................... Dardanelle
Oct. 27........................ West Fork
Nov. 3 ........ at Subiaco Academy
SUBIACO ACADEMY
TROJANS
2016 RECORD 0-10
COACH Steven Moore
RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 5 defense KEY PLAYERS FB/LB Tom Johns (6-0, 175, Sr.), QB/WR/DE Luke Hertlein (5-9, 155, Sr.), WR Nathan Bourgeois (5-10, 150, Jr.), OL Ry-land Estes (5-8, 160, Sr.), OL/DL Chance O’Neal (6-2, 200, Sr.)
THE SKINNY Moore comes to Subiaco from Louisiana and takes over for former coach Mike Berry. … The Trojans will turn to the wing-T offense, hoping the formation’s use of misdirection plays can make up for the team’s lack of size and speed, and different variations of the base 4-3 defense. … Hertlein, a receiver last season, may have caused competition at quarterback by assuming that role while projected starter Hayden Frederick is out with a health issue, while Bourgeois will share time at receiver. … Johns, a starter at fullback last season, could split time between there and as a tight end. … Estes, a starter at right tackle last season, could move to right guard. … O’Neal will see time at offensive tackle as well as defensive end.
COACH SPEAK “We came together a little early to do some team-building stuff, which allows us to get a fresh start and institute our philosophies. The team has come together real quick as on-the-field stuff, but we are ahead of schedule as far as implementing offense and defense. We’ve embraced the fact that we’re going to be outnumbered and outsized, but the kids realize that hard work could even the field for them. They’re working hard in the weight room and on the field, and we’re looking a lot in the classroom. They’re catching on quick,” Moore said
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ...........................Brinkley
Sept. 8 .........................at Lamar
Sept. 15 ............Panama, Okla.
Sept. 22....................West Fork
Sept. 29.......................at Dover
Oct. 6 ...................................Ozark Oct. 13 ................... at Dardanelle
Oct. 20............................Waldron
Oct. 27.......................at Pottsville
Nov. 13 ........................Booneville
WALDRON BULLDOGS
2016 RECORD 5-5
COACH Ricky May
RETURNING STARTERS 6 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Trey Williams (6-1, 160, Sr.), FB/NG Cole Huddleston (5-8, 160, Sr.), OL Joel Cagle (5-7, 200, Sr.), OL Dillion Pickens (6-1, 240, Sr.), OL Gerardo Lopez (5-9, 230, Sr.), RB Levi Franklin (5-10, 150, Sr.).
THE SKINNY Waldron opened last season with a win over Mansfield and broke a 43-game losing skid, but back-to-back losses to end the season kept the Bulldogs out of postseason play. … Waldron will play its home games on field turf that will be finished just in time for its season opener. … Williams returns for his third season as the team’s quarterback, where he ran for 554 yards and 8 TDs and threw for 424 yards and 6 TDs, and he’s also the team’s punter. … Huddleston is a three-year starter at fullback and noseguard, where he compiled 54 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss. … Cagle and Pick-ens, both tight ends last season, will switch positions and join three-year starter Lopez on the offensive line, where they will play guard and tackle, respectively. … Those two are also three-year starters at linebacker, where Cagle earned all-conference honors last season. … Franklin will help out in the offensive backfield and is a three-year starter in the defensive backfield.
COACH SPEAK “The attitude has been wonderful. Our summer workouts, we had 93 percent attendance, so we are proud of that. They understand what we squandered away last year and how close to where we wanted to go. Last year’s team basically just wanted to win a game, so when we won five, they felt accomplished and let up at the end of the seasons. This year’s group wants to go to the playoffs. That’s their goal and their desire. They want to compete every game in the conference and not give up any games,” May said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ........................Mansfield
Sept. 8 ........................Cedarville
Sept. 15 ........................ at Mena
Sept. 22...........................Ozark
Sept. 29................at West Fork
Oct. 6 .........................at Pottsville
Oct. 13 ........................Booneville
Oct. 20....... at Subiaco Academy
Oct. 27............................... Dover
Nov. 3 .................... at Dardanelle