PREP FOOTBALL Class 5A Team Capsules

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF Ben Johnson, Harrison quarterback, throws the ball in a game vs Rogers Thursday, July 11, 2019, during the Border Battle 7-on-7 Tournament, in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Scholastic 7v7 series, at Branson (Mo.) High School's Pirates Stadium.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF @NWABENGOFF Ben Johnson, Harrison quarterback, throws the ball in a game vs Rogers Thursday, July 11, 2019, during the Border Battle 7-on-7 Tournament, in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Scholastic 7v7 series, at Branson (Mo.) High School's Pirates Stadium.

CLASS 5A TEAM CAPSULES

ALMA AIREDALES

SHINE ON ….

NAME Ben Johnson

SCHOOL Harrison

POSITION Quarterback

CLASS Senior

HEIGHT 6-0

WEIGHT 175

TWITTER HANDLE None

THE DIGITS Completed 81 of 132 passes for 1,677 yards and 23 touchdowns, then ran the ball 99 times for 545 yards and 8 more scores last season. … Completed 8 of 10 passes for a season-best 319 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Mountain Home, including a 99-yard TD pass to Gabe Huskey. … Ran for a season-high 170 yards and a touchdown in a win over Alma. … Five of his eight rushing touchdowns came during Harrison’s three playoff games. … Accounted for five touchdowns in the Goblins’ semifinal loss to Pulaski Academy.

CRUSHING ON The Arkansas Razorbacks

I LISTEN TO Country and Christian music. I like Zac Brown Band quite a bit for country, and I like Casting Crowns for Christian music

I BINGE WATCH I watch Star Wars quite a bit and Lord of the Rings.

I DRIVE A 2014 Chevy Silverado.

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW I play guitar pretty well. I started around the eighth grade, and I’m OK at it.

MY HERO IS Jesus … and Captain America.

FAVORITE MEAL I like shrimp a lot, so shrimp. Maybe hamburger.

WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT FOOTBALL IS Probably the feel there is to be on the same team and working together for one cause and getting it done.

IN 10 YEARS I WILL Hopefully coaching a state championship football team.

2018 RECORD 5-6, 5-2 5A-West Conference

COACH Doug Loughridge

RETURNING STARTERS 4 offense, 4 defense

KEY PLAYERS QB Landon Blair (Sr., 6-1, 250), RB Ben Henley (Sr., 6-0, 200), WR Grayson Bailey (Sr., 6-2, 160), OL Bobby Winfrey (Sr., 6-3, 200), DL Karsten Beneux (Sr., 6-1, 225), LB Gabe Jensen (Sr., 6-3, 230), LB Adrian Vardaman (Sr., 5-7, 195), OL Nick Archer (Sr., 6-1, 235).

THE SKINNY The Airedales stumbled out of the gate last season, losing all three nonconference games. A four-game win streak in conference play was followed by a late-season swoon that resulted in back-to-back losses that crushed its chance at a high playoff seed. A first-round matchup with Pulaski Academy ended Alma's season. ... Quarterback Landon Blair is a sledgehammer but is also an effective passer. He will benefit from the offseason hiring of former Charleston coach Greg Kendrick to be the offensive coordinator. Last season Blair, who split playing time, passed for 1,400 yards and ran for 400 more. ... Blair has his favorite target back in Grayson Bailey, who caught 44 passes for 776 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. ... Gabe Jenson is poised to have a breakout season after recording 81 tackles as a junior. ... Karsten Beneux is a two-way starter, but shines on the defensive line where he recorded 9 sacks last season. ... Alma's offensive line is big and talented, led by Nick Archer and Seth Cole.

COACH SPEAK "What hurt us last year was our start," Loughridge said. "We started out 0-3, which has never happened since I've been here. Losing to Van Buren early hurt us mentally because it's always a big one. Then Springdale had its best team in a long time. But then we ran off several in a row. I'll take a 5-2 conference record every year. That's usually a pretty good year. This league is really balanced. Every conference game is tough, there is not a team in the conference who will roll over for anybody."

-- Chip Souza • @nwachip

SCHEDULE

Sept. 6 at Van Buren Oct. 11 Morrilton*

Sept. 13 Springdale Oct. 18 at Clarksville*

Sept. 20 at Russellville Oct. 25 at Harrison*

Sept. 27 at Vilonia Nov. 1. Greenbrier

Oct. 4 Farmington Nov. 8 Huntsville

*-- Denotes 5A-West Conference game

All kickoffs 7 p.m.

.......

FARMINGTON CARDINALS

2018 RECORD 3-4, 2-5 5A-West Conference

COACH Mike Adams

RETURNING STARTERS 3 offense, 3 defense

KEY PLAYERS WR Drew Sturgeon (Sr., 6-1, 165), QB MarQuaveon Watson (Sr., 5-7, 150), LB Colton Kilgore (Sr., 6-1, 210), LB Hayden Cox (Jr., 5-11, 190), FB/LB Josh Stettmeier (Sr., 6-2, 225), RB Jaden Schader (Sr., 6-1, 205), RB DeCory Thomas (Jr., 5-11, 145), OG Hayden Grantham (Sr., 5-10, 275).

THE SKINNY Farmington will unveil its new $16 million sports complex that includes a football stadium, indoor facility, and outdoor track on Sept. 6 when the Cardinals open the season against Prairie Grove. ...

Coach Adams is excited about senior Josh Stettmeier, a home-school athlete who will play organized football for the first time. Stettmeier is expected to play fullback and outside linebacker for the Cardinals. ... Drew Sturgeon returns after catching 56 passes for 834 yards and eight touchdowns last season. ... Adams says he may be the best receiver in Arkansas. ... Junior Tate Sutton, the projected starter at quarterback, will miss a second straight year after he tore his labrum again. ... Senior MarQuaveon Watson will likely move from receiver to compete at quarterback with junior Ian Cartright and sophomore Miles Harvey.

COACH SPEAK "We got better last year on defense, but we're still not where we want to be," Adams said. "We changed from an even to an odd front defense and it seemed to fit out personnel better. We feel like we've got some playmakers over there, so we're excited about that side of the ball."

-- Rick Fires • @nwarick

SCHEDULE

Sept. 6 Prairie Grove Oct. 11 at Greenbrier*

Sept. 13 at Gravette Oct. 18 Vilonia*

Sept. 20 Pea Ridge Oct. 25 Huntsville*

Sept. 27 Clarksville Nov. 1 at Morrilton

Oct. 4 at Alma Nov. 8 at Harrison

*-- Denotes 5A-West Conference game

All kickoffs 7 p.m.

........

CLARKSVILLE PANTHERS

2018 RECORD 2-8, 1-6 5A-West Conference

COACH Khris Buckner

RETURNING STARTERS 9 offense, 8 defense

KEY PLAYERS HB Nick Buckner (Sr., 6-2, 200), HB Bryce Buckner (So., 6-0, 230), HB Jamie White (Sr., 5-8, 170), OL Michael Powell (Sr., 6-4, 310), WR Jace Donaldson (Sr., 5-10, 160), LB Eduardo Almaraz (Sr., 6-2, 190), OL Joseph Ayers (Sr., 6-3, 310).

THE SKINNY This is the season fourth-year coach Khris Buckner has been pointing toward with almost two dozen seniors and an infusion of younger players from a successful junior high program. ... Senior Nick Buckner is healthy after missing time last season with a leg injury. The halfback triggerman in Clarksville's single-wing attack is a playmaker. ... Sophomore Bryce Buckner was thrust into the lineup last season after injuries hampered the Panthers. It was baptism by fire as he learned on the run. ... Senior Jamie White is another backfield threat who accounted for more than 800 yards of offense last season. ... Michael Powell is a dominating presence on the offensive line at 6-4, 310 pounds. ... Senior linebacker Eduardo Almaraz powers the defense after piling up 91 tackles a year ago. He also had almost a dozen tackles-for-loss. ... The Panthers will find out quickly if they are ready to make a move as defending Class 3A state champion Booneville makes a trip up to Johnson County to start the season.

COACH SPEAK "We're excited. We've got 20 seniors, which is the most we've had since I've been here," Buckner said. "A lot of this group has started since they were sophomores, and it's a really good core group that has been working hard all offseason and in the spring. Our freshman team last year was solid, and they are moving up and will give us some depth that we have not had. We're just a lot stronger."

-- Chip Souza • @nwachip

SCHEDULE

Aug. 30 Booneville Oct. 11 at Huntsville*

Sept. 6 Paris Oct. 18 Alma*

Sept. 13 Ozark Oct. 25 at Greenbrier*

Sept. 27 at Farmington Nov. 1 Vilonia

Oct. 4 Harrison Nov. 8 at Morrilton

*-- Denotes 5A-West Conference game

All kickoffs 7 p.m.

.......

HARRISON GOBLINS

2018 RECORD 12-1, 7-0 5A-West Conference

COACH Joel Wells

RETURNING PLAYERS 9 offense, 7 defense

KEY PLAYERS QB Ben Johnson (Sr., 6-0, 175), RB Gabe Huskey (Sr, 5-11, 175), FB/LB Brooks Both (Sr., 6-1, 225), WR/DB Rilee Jones (Sr., 5-11, 160), WR/DB Colton Shaver (Sr., 5-10, 185), C Zach Schaffer (Sr., 6-1, 285) OL/NG Trey Stith (Sr., 6-0, 230), DE Landen Stephens (Sr., 6-0, 210), LB Bryant Ulrich (Sr., 5-11, 210).

THE SKINNY The core of last year's conference championship team and state semifinalist remains intact as the Goblins will once again contend for the 5A-West and Class 5A state titles. ... Gabe Huskey should continue to draw colleges' attention after he ran for 2,150 yards and 33 touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 692 yards and 7 TDs. ... Ben Johnson passed for 1,677 yards and 23 TDs with only 3 interceptions last year, and he ran for 545 yards and 8 TDs, five of them coming in playoff games. ... The duo of Colton Shaver and Rilee Jones combined to catch 44 passes for 896 yards and 16 TDs, and they also team up in the secondary, where Shaver had 43 tackles and five interceptions and Jones added 18 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups. ... Trey Stith will be a three-year starter at guard and will serve extra duty as noseguard. ... Landen Stephens earned all-state honors after he recorded 54 tackles and 6.5 quarterback sacks. ... Both serves his roles well as he is a blocker at fullback (ran for 142 yards and 4 TDs) and at linebacker, where he recorded a team-high 114 tackles. He is joined at linebacker by Bryant Ulrich, who had 68 tackles and three interceptions. ... The 5A-West schedule will favor Harrison this year as the Goblins host Morrilton in the league opener, then Greenbrier and Alma in consecutive weeks.

COACH SPEAK "We have a lot of guys that have played varsity football back, and obviously that's every exciting for us," Wells said. "Defensively, we still have to settle on the back end to get ready to play. The expectations are very high, especially with everybody coming back on offense. There's no excuse for us not to be good, but we still have to get ready. We still have a long way to go, and I told our guys we haven't beaten anybody yet. We have to practice with a purpose and get ready for Week 1."

-- Henry Apple • @nwahenry

SCHEDULE

Aug. 30 at Pea Ridge Oct. 11 at Vilonia*

Sept. 6 at Mountain Home Oct. 18 Greenbrier*

Sept. 13 Siloam Springs Oct. 25 Alma*

Sept. 27 Morrilton Nov. 1 at Huntsville

Oct. 4 at Clarksville Nov. 8 Farmington

*-- 5A-West Conference game

All kickoffs 7 p.m.

.......

HUNTSVILLE EAGLES

2018 RECORD 2-8, 0-7 5A-West Conference

COACH Matt Williams

RETURNING PLAYERS 5 offense, 5 defense

KEY PLAYERS C/DL Jonathan "Bubba" Rhoden (Sr., 6-0, 310), OL/DE Rain Turner (Sr., 6-5, 250), HB/LB Kolton Shepherd (Sr., 5-11, 190), RB/LB Slayter Watkins (Jr., 5-11, 200); OL/DL Colby Shepherd (Sr., 6-1, 235), RB/DB Justin Reynolds (Jr., 5-10, 175)

THE SKINNY Matt Williams was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach during the offseason to replace Randy Barnhill, who remains with the school. ... Huntsville, which has bounced around between 5A and 4A over the past few years, will head back to 4A next season. ... Slayter Watkins is not only the leading returning rusher with 129 yards and 2 TDs, but he's also the leading returning receiver with 10 catches for 54 yards. ... Jonathan Rhoden returns as a three-year starter at center and will also see playing time as noseguard. ... Colby Shepherd will also be a three-year starter on the offensive line, but he moves from tackle to guard and will play defensive end. ... Brooks Wiggins takes over at quarterback. ... Kolton Shepherd moves from H-back to a slot position and has probably the best hands on the team, and he'll also see time at outside linebacker. ... Rain Turner will be a returning starter at defensive end and could see time on the offensive line.

COACH SPEAK "Last year, we ended the season with 28 kids, and nine of those were seniors," Williams said. "We're up into the 40s now, so we have a lot of new faces. We have some kids who didn't play last year that came back, so we're excited. We have some good skill players, but they're inexperienced. We have some good linemen, but we're thin in that area. In Class 5A, not many teams have to play a lot of players both ways much, but we have to play a lot of them both ways. But the summer's been great and the kids have worked hard. We're excited to get started."

-- Henry Apple • @nwahenry

SCHEDULE

Sept. 6 at Gentry Oct. 11 Clarksville*

Sept. 13 Berryville Oct. 18 at Morrilton*

Sept. 20 Elkins Oct. 25 at Farmington*

Sept. 27 at Greenbrier Nov. 1 Harrison

Oct. 4 Vilonia Nov. 8 at Alma

*-- 5A-West Conference game

All kickoffs 7 p.m.

Sports on 08/22/2019

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