GREENWOOD BULLDOGS
2016 RECORD 12-1 COACH Rick Jones RETURNING STARTERS 7 offense, 16 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Connor Noland (Sr., 6-2, 195), RB Kenny Wood (Sr., 5-11, 192), OL Hayden Cantrell (Sr., 6-6, 312), DL Jon Womack (Sr., 6-1, 300), LB Nick Vota (Sr., 5-10, 168), CB Ethan Escalante (Sr., 6-0, 175), DL Hunter Webb (Sr. 6-0, 280). THE SKINNY The Bulldogs came up short in the Class 6A state championship game for the second year in a row after a 12-0 start, losing to Russellville 37-23. … Noland has committed to play football and baseball for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He passed for 2,095 yards and 18 touchdowns in splitting time at quarterback with graduated senior Luke Hales. … Senior running back Kenny Wood rushed for 1,164 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall. … Jones is in entering his 14th season at Greenwood with a record of 150-23. COACH SPEAK “There probably is some satisfaction (on back to back 12-1 seasons), but not around here. Not that we’re not proud of our kids, that’s not the issue. We set a goal to be the best and when we fell short of it, it’s disappointing. It’s heartbreaking,” Jones said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ................. FS Northside
Sept. 8 .................FS Southside
Sept. 15 .........................at Alma
Sept. 22...............at Texarkana
Sept. 29................... El Dorado
Oct. 6 ................. Siloam Springs
Oct. 13 ..................at Russellville
Oct. 20........................ at Benton
Oct. 27......................... Sheridan
Nov. 3 ...............at Lake Hamilton
- — Denotes 6A-West Conference game
SILOAM SPRINGS PANTHERS
2016 RECORD 1-9 COACH Bryan Ross RETURNING STARTERS 2 offense, 4 defense KEY PLAYERS QB Landon Ellis (Jr., 5-10, 157), RB Kaiden Thrailkill (Jr., 5-10, 186), OL Corbin Collins (Jr., 6-2, 273), OL Isaac Knudsen (Sr., 6-2, 237), LB Chase Chandler (Jr., 5-9, 199), LB Jacob Rowe (Sr., 5-9, 178). THE SKINNY Siloam Springs rallied from 14-0 down to beat Sheridan 24-21 to open 6A-West Conference play in Week 4 on a last-second field goal by Luke Gumm, but it was the only win the Panthers would get all season. … Siloam Springs led both Harrison and Van Buren in the second half before coming out on the losing ends in Weeks 2 and 3. … The Panthers lost their final six games of the year by 23 points or more. … Junior quarterback Landon Ellis takes over the reins of the Panthers’ offense, though the coaches are very high on sophomore Taylor Pool, who missed all of his freshman season with a hand injury. … The Panthers host Rogers on Sept. 1, the fourth straight year they’ve played the Mounties to open the season. COACH SPEAK “I like what we’ve got. As far as our skill (positions), I think we’ve improved there. We just don’t have a lot of depth. We’ve got a lot of guys that are playing both ways some. It still comes down to staying healthy,” Ross said.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 1 ............................Rogers
Sept. 8 ......................at Harrison
Sept. 15 .....................Van Buren
Sept. 22..................at Sheridan
Sept. 29.........................Benton
Oct. 6 ....................at Greenwood
Oct. 13 ..................Lake Hamilton
Oct. 20.................... at El Dorado
Oct. 27........................ Texarkana
Nov. 3 ....................at Russellville
- — Denotes 6A-West Conference game