The Little Rock Christian Warriors are in a new position entering the 2019 season.
No longer are they just a state championship contender. They're the defending state champions in Class 5A.
Warriors at a glance
COACH Eric Cohu
CONFERENCE 5A-Central
2018 RECORD 13-1, 7-0 (won Class 5A state championship)
KEY RETURNERS WR/DB Chris Hightower (Sr., 6-2, 190); RB Kendel Givens (Sr., 5-9, 220); DL Jackson Woodard (Sr., 6-1, 190); LB W.P. Kerfoot (Sr., 6-2, 187); DB Alex Veasey (Sr., 5-9, 162)
SCHEDULE
DATE;OPPONENT
Aug. 30;at Batesville
Sept. 6;Vilonia
Sept. 20;at Greenbrier
Sept. 27;Watson Chapel*
Oct. 4;Pulaski Academy*
Oct. 11;at LR Fair*
Oct. 18;at LR Parkview*
Oct. 25;White Hall*
Nov. 1;at Maumelle*
Nov. 7;Beebe*
*5A-Central game
Not that Coach Eric Cohu, entering his third year at the west Little Rock private school, or his team is content.
"One thing the kids want to do is sustain the success," Cohu said. "I think they realize that every 7-on-7, every team camp that we've been to, everybody on our squad knows we've got a target on our back.
"We're out to prove ourselves every day. We try to talk about respect and earning respect. You just don't show up and get respected. You have to earn it every day and every year. It's a new year, new season."
Senior wide receiver Chris Hightower agreed with his coach.
[PULASKI COUNTY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Read more previews at arkansasonline.com/arpreps/2019preview]
"We want to compete every single day, knowing we have a huge target on our back," he said.
The Warriors won their first state championship with a 52-38 victory over archrival Pulaski County in the Class 5A state title game last season at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. They held the Bruins to seven points in the second half and forced five turnovers overall in what was the first Sunday state championship game ever because of inclement weather postponing the original game set for Friday.
Little Rock Christian's run to the state championship came two months after a 56-14 loss to Pulaski Academy, a game in which quarterback Justice Hill did not play because of a hamstring injury. The run included road playoff victories at Texarkana and Morrilton to reach the state championship game in Little Rock.
"You try to take any adversity and respond in a positive way and learn from it," Cohu said. "Our guys realized that we weren't the same team when we played PA the first time. That's what we want as coaches, to always get better as the season goes on. We're out to prove something. Hat's off to our 2018 team that did that.
"But I try to remind these guys, it's 2019 and everything starts over. Everybody is 0-0 right now."
The Warriors will lean on Hightower and classmate Kendel Givens at running back.
Givens rushed for 1,559 yards and 17 touchdowns on 201 carries last season. He scored two touchdowns in the state championship game.
Hightower caught a team-high 12 touchdown receptions and finished with 58 catches for 986 yards. He also scored two rushing touchdowns.
"They are outstanding players," Cohu said.
Cohu expects Givens and Hightower to be the Warriors' leaders.
"For the both of us, it's stepping out of our comfort zone," Givens said. "We're being more vocal instead of leading with our actions. We're having to be more vocal with our young guys."
At quarterback, the Warriors will have to replace Hill, who completed 210 of 292 passes for 2,710 yards with 36 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and rushed for 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns on 112 carries.
Junior Colin Cooper (597 yards, 7 touchdowns, 4 interceptions in 2018) and senior Akeem Gilmore will split time at quarterback early in the season, Cohu said.
"We feel like both of them can help us," he said.
Defensively, Cohu said the Warriors have a strong nucleus, led by senior defensive linemen Jackson Woodard (53 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles) and Pearson Dennis (3 sacks), and junior linebackers Corey Platt (49 tackles, 1 interception) and W.P. Kerfoot (89 tackles, 5 interceptions). Senior Alex Veasey (103 tackles, 3 sacks) leads the secondary.
In its nonconference schedule, Little Rock Christian opens at Batesville, then hosts Vilonia before heading to Greenbrier after an open week.
The Warriors host Watson Chapel to begin 5A-Central play Sept. 27. A week later on Oct. 4, the Warriors take on the Bruins at Warrior Field in a rematch of last season's title game.
Instead of focusing on another state championship, Cohu -- who went 22-3 in his first two seasons at Little Rock Christian -- said he wants the Warriors to continue what they have been doing since he's been at the school.
"We want to compete at the highest level every week," Cohu said. "It's not who we're playing, it's how we play. We want to definitely be focused on us playing our best football week in and week out. We want to improve as the season goes on. We want to build on our strengths and make sure our weaknesses are nullified."
Sports on 08/18/2019