ALMA AIREDALES
2016 RECORD 8-4
COACH Doug Loughridge
RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 6 defense
KEY PLAYERS QB/LB Garrison Jensen (Sr., 6-1, 215), WR/S Brayden Johnson (Sr., 6-4, 205), RB/LB Tyler Alexander (Sr., 6-2, 220), RB Caleb Pike (Sr., 5-11, 185), TE Zach Oliver (Sr., 6-2, 210).
THE SKINNY The Airedales are the favorites in the 5A-West coming off an 8-4 season, but must replace do-it-all quarterback Noah Dotson and his 3,500 yards of total offense. … Garrison Jensen steps in at QB to replace Dotson, and brings a toughness to the position as an all-state linebacker. Jensen was also a short-yardage runner last season in the red-zone and scored 16 touchdowns. He was 12 of 18 passing for 129 yards in limited duty. … Senior WR Brayden Johnson is about as good as they come. The 6-4 wideout caught 81 passes for 1,153 yards and 9 touchdowns last season. Johnson is also an exceptional safety with a pair of interceptions and 38 tackles last season. … Senior Tyler Alexander is a solid two-way player at fullback and linebacker. Alexander led the team in tackles last season with 111 and had 4.0 tackles for loss. … The Airedales must replace their entire offensive line. … The Airedales open the season against longtime Crawford County rival Van Buren, then take on Springdale High and Greenwood before opening 5A-West play.
COACH SPEAK “We have a great senior class and lots of players back on the defensive side of the ball. We don’t have a lot of experience back on offense, but that’s OK because we have a lot of players who were role players last year and we’re breaking in a whole new junior offensive line, which is great because we’re going to have those guys for two years. I like our attitude and I like how physical we have been. I think we have a good base nucleus to get us going in those early games until those younger guys can come along,” Loughridge said.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 29..................at Van Buren
Sept. 8 ......... at Springdale High
Sept. 15 ...................Greenwood
Sept. 22..................... at Vilonia
Sept. 29..................Farmington
Oct. 6 .............................Morrilton
Oct. 13 ....................at Clarksville
Oct. 20.......................at Harrison
Oct. 27........................Greenbrier
Nov. 3 ..........................Maumelle
- — Denotes 5A-West Conference game
CLARKSVILLE PANTHERS
2016 RECORD 2-8
COACH Khris Buckner
RETURNING STARTERS 5 offense, 4 defense
KEY PLAYERS QB Nicholas Buckner (So., 6-1, 175), RB Colton Gregory (Jr., 5-9, 185), OL Chuy Jimenez (Sr., 5-11, 280), LB Fernando Lares (Jr., 5-11, 210), OL Elysai Montes (Sr., 6-4, 290), WR J.C. Gonzales (Jr., 5-9, 180), OL Tyler Whitfield (Sr., 6-0, 250).
THE SKINNY The Panthers are going into the way-back machine
and reviving the single-wing offense this season, which will be a challenge for opponents to prepare for. … Nicholas Buckner, the son of coach Khris Buckner, will direct the offense at quarterback. The sophomore has blazing speed (10.8 seconds in the 100 meters). … RB Colton Gregory returns after rushing for 450 yards last season and 3 TDs. … The offense will benefit from the blocking of fullback Fernando Lares. … OL Chuy Jimenez is a major talent after earning all-state honors as a junior. Jimenez is penciled in at tackle, but could shift over to guard to utilize his quick feet on pulling plays, Khris Buckner said. Jimenez is a two-way starter who also anchors the defensive line. Last season Jimenez recorded 66 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss. … Khris Buckner is a Clarksville graduate who spent time coaching in Nebraska and Oklahoma before returning to his alma matter. He was a standout quarterback for the Panthers in the early 1990s.
COACH SPEAK “We’re looking to build on last year. We got here three weeks before fall camp started last year and tried to install a power run game. I think we had a great offseason in the weight room. We want to win our first game and win our first conference game to build confidence from there. We have some guys who have been through some valleys, but they have continued to battle. We have a really good sophomore class that did well last year,” Khris Buckner said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 .........................at Lamar
Sept. 8 ..............................Ozark
Sept. 15 .................... Dardanelle
Sept. 22..............at Farmington
Sept. 29.......................Harrison
Oct. 6 .......................at Maumelle
Oct. 13 .................................Alma
Oct. 20................... at Greenbrier
Oct. 27..............................Vilonia
Nov. 3 ........................at Morrilton
- — Denotes 5A-West Conference game
FARMINGTON CARDINALS
2016 RECORD 4-6
COACH Mike Adams
RETURNING STARTERS 8 offense, 3 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Trey Waggle (Sr., 6-0, 170), RB Caleb Williams (Sr., 5-9, 190), WR Xavier Stanton (Sr., 6-3, 185), OG Zach Newman (Sr., 6-3, 300), DE Jae Woods (Sr., 6-2, 200), FS Skyler Montez (Sr., 6-1, 185), RB/CB Javin Jowers (Sr., 5-10, 165), WR Jacob Gray (6-3, 190).
THE SKINNY Several playmakers return on offense, including quarterback Trey Waggle, which should help the team improve on its 18 points per game average from a year ago. … Waggle returns for his second season as starting quarterback after passing for 1,250 yards and 12 TDs last season. … Williams rushed for 423 yards and is a force as he bench presses 325 pounds. He’ll run behind an offensive line that returns four starters, including Newman. … Woods can be a force up front on defense. … Montez is a three-year starter at safety and had four interceptions last season. … Tough road games loom in conference play with trips to Alma, Greenbrier, Morrilton and Harrison — all teams projected to finish ahead of the Cardinals.
COACH SPEAK “We’ve got some size up front, some really good size and there are 300-pound benchers, so there’s some strength there, too. That’s a positive because we feel like if we have to mash people, then we’re going to be able to mash people. … Our goal is to get everybody to where we don’t have any who start both ways, and we could do that depending on how the defensive line develops,” Adams said.
SCHEDULE
Aug. 29............... Prairie Grove
Sept. 8 ......................Huntsville
Sept. 15 .............. at Pea Ridge
Sept. 22................. Clarksville
Sept. 29......................at Alma
Oct 6 ....................at Greenbrier
Oct. 13........................... Vilonia
Oct. 20.......................Maumelle
Oct. 27....................at Morrilton
Nov. 3 ...................... at Harrison
- — Denotes 5A-West Conference game
HARRISON GOBLINS
2016 RECORD 8-3
COACH Joel Wells
RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 7 defense KEY PLAYERS QB/LB Noah Ditmanson (Sr., 6-4, 210), RB Hunter Holtby (Jr., 5-10, 155), WR/CB Daniel McCormick (Sr., 5-10, 155), OL/DL Tyler Wolfe (Sr., 5-10, 205), RB/LB Mason Martin (Sr., 5-11, 195), DE Kyle Howerton (Sr., 6-0, 250), OG Hayden Vanderpool (Jr., 6-3, 290), OT Clayton Villines (Sr., 6-2, 270).
THE SKINNY Coming off first winning season under third-year coach Joel Wells, who guided the Goblins to a 4-6 mark in his first year before bouncing back with an 8-3 record and a trip to the playoffs last season. … Three all-state performers return led by Noah Ditmanson, who’s a dual-threat at quarterback and also shined at linebacker last season. Other all-staters are two-way players as well in Martin and McCormick. Martin had 88 tackles last season while McCormick had a Class 5A-best seven interceptions. … Hunter Holtby has 4.5 speed and ran for 10.4 yards per carry in limited action last season. COACH SPEAK “We’re going to have a good football team, but until you do it on the field, it doesn’t matter. We feel like we’re getting there. We feel like we’re going to have a much improved team from last year. We went from 42 to 56 players on the roster. We have a really good group and we have some really good seniors who have been with us since they were sophomores when we got here … “ think for the first time since we’ve been here we have a chance to win every Friday night. I’m not saying we’ll be the favorite, but we’ll have a chance to win every Friday,” Wells said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 .........at Mountain Home
Sept. 8 .............. Siloam Springs
Sept. 15 .at Little Rock Christian
Sept. 22..................... Morrilton
Sept. 29...............at Clarksville
Oct 6 ............................at Vilonia
Oct. 13 .......................Greenbrier
Oct. 20................................Alma
Oct. 27....................at Maumelle
Nov. 3 ........................Farmington
- — Denotes 5A-West Conference game