THREE RIVERS AREA — OFFENSE
QB - Wes McMullen, Heber Springs
McMullen is the head of an offensive juggernaut
at Heber Springs. He threw for more than 2,000
yards as a junior and will be expected to keep de
fenses from stacking the box.
RB - Braylon Mitchell, Heber Springs
Mitchell's a freight train looking for defensive
backs to punish for daring to get in his way. He
could easily top 2,000 yards this season.
FB - Michael James, Cabot
As a sophomore, some assumed James' big rush
ing numbers were a product of the run-always
scheme at Cabot. But the Three Rivers Co-Player
To Watch proved last year that he's no fluke.
WR - Jadrien Holiday, McCrory
Holiday will lead a talented group of receivers
for the Jaguars. He led the team last year with
more than 500 yards on 30 catches, including six
touchdowns.
WR - Tyler Gentry, Harding Academy
Gentry is the Wildcats' do-everything guy. He can
line up at a variety of positions, but with quarter
back Seth Keese getting comfortable under center
this year, look for Gentry to be one of his favorite
targets.
TE - Joe Hardin, Newport
Newport head coach Greg Brannon doesn't dish
out praise lightly. But of Hardin, the coach said,
"He may not be the biggest player out here, but I
tell you what, that's one heck of a football player
right there." Enough said.
OT - Derrick Ring, Rose Bud
The 260-pound Ring was described by his head
coach, Steve Rose, as the most athletic player on
the Ramblers' offensive line. He'll be tasked with
protecting the quarterback and opening running
lanes for standout Jimmy Smith.
OT - Jon Edmonds, Batesville
Edmonds will have to teach a collection of
underclassmen how to play on the line at the
varsity level. One thing you can't teach is size,
and Edmonds has plenty of it. The senior lists
at 6-6, 285.
OG - Camden Bolin, Southside Batesville
With a 350-pound bench press and a 450-pound
squat, Bolin gets the most from his 5-11, 260
pound frame.
OG - Wesley Grady, Newport
There's big, and then there's Wesley Grady. The
mammoth lineman will be the key cog in a tal
ented Greyhound line this season.
C - Stetson Evans, Riverview
Riverview was the surprise of the 3A classification
last year, and that was due in large part to its offen
sive line, anchored by Evans. The 6-2, 235-pound
senior hopes to help the Raiders take another step
this year: winning their first playoff game.
K - Roberto Jiminez, Batesville
With his 50-yard range on field goals and ability
to boom a touchback on every kickoff, Jiminez
greatly diversifies the Pioneers' attack. "He has the
chance to be the best kicker we've ever had," head
coach Dave King said.
DEFENSE
DE - Brad Brogdon, McCrory
Brogdon recorded 90 tackles last season and came
up with five fumble recoveries. He and teammate
Jerod Quintero promise to give opposing offenses
fits this season as they plug up the line.
DE - Alan Wright, Cave City
Wright has explosive quickness off the end, and
for a guy who's 6-5, 285, that's a lot of human mass
coming at the quarterback. He's gotten scholarship
offers from several colleges, but with the addition
of transfer Thamail Morgan, for now he's focused
on making Cave City's one of the most dominant
defenses in the state.
NG - T.J. Bertrand, Cabot
Bertrand has established himself as the Panther'
largest stud on a defense full of studs. The 6-0
260-pound lineman will clog up the middle again
this year and shut down opposing teams' running
game.
DT - Montgomery Fisher, Harding Academy The Wildcats aren't all that big on their lines this year, but Fisher gives them a little girth in the middle on defense.
LB - Ben Pepper, Rose Bud Ramblers head coach Steve Rose called Pepper, the team's leading tackler in 2008, the "quarterback of the defense." Pepper will need to pull his defensive comrades up with him if the Ramblers hope to contend for a playoff spot.
LB - Spencer Neumann, Cabot Off the field, Neumann's a soft-spoken, polite kid.
On the field, dude's a beast. The Three Rivers Co-Player To Watch tallied 114 tackles last season en route to an all-state selection. He and buddy Michael James will be a double dose of pain on both sides of the ball this year.
LB - Thamail Morgan, Cave City Off-the-field issues aside, there may be no better defensive player in the state than Thamail Morgan.
Look for him to exceed his 2008 stats with his transfer from Newport to Cave City.
S - Seth Keese, Harding Academy Who better to read quarterbacks than a quarterback? When Keese isn't leading the Wildcats down the field on offense, he's picking apart his counterparts in the secondary.
S - Spencer Forte, Beebe Forte was an all-state honoree last year after leading the Badgers in tackles. He'll be the punisher in a secondary that returns all four starters.
CB - Jordan Cain, McCrory Cain leads a highly talented secondary for Mc-Crory that features solid athletes at all four positions. Cain snagged four interceptions last year, a total he'd like to exceed in 2009.
CB - Matthew Showalter, Batesville Coming off an 80-plus tackle season in which he picked off four passes, Showalter is the most dangerous player roaming the Pioneers' backfield.
The junior will be expected to lead a secondary comprising mostly underclassmen.
Players were selected for the Three Rivers preseason team based on statistics from 2008 and coaches' comments from throughout the region.
Special, Pages 197 on 08/23/2009