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Which Section of the State Runs High School Football?

By: Cade Carlton

Football season is rapidly approaching, with the beginning of the season slated for kickoff on August 24. The closer football season gets, the more we begin to have the conversation about which conference and which team is better, especially at the college level. So, instead of writing a piece on why the SEC is or isn’t better than the Big 10, I choose to keep it local and look at the best sections of the state in high school football.

The argument will go off the last three years, and for the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on 5A-6A. In the next segment, we’ll take a dive into Class 2A-4A. The stipulations we’ll look at in this article are:

·         State Championships won

·         Regular season record

·         Strength of conferences top to bottom

Let’s start first with the eastern part of the state. Over the course of the last three seasons, the 5A-East has seen three teams win 10 or more games in football. Over the course of the last three years, five teams from the 5A-East have made the Final Four, and two years ago, Wynne played for a state championship. Last season, the 5A-East was the strongest conference in the 5A, and maybe the state, with Nettleton, Wynne and Batesville all combined for 31 wins and two of three made the state semis. While the conference has been gaining momentum over the course of the last few seasons, one thing that hurts them is the strength of the conference from top to bottom. Since the 2015 season, 12 teams in the conference have finished with a record of .500 or below, making it a four-horse race for the playoffs almost every year. 

Now, let’s examine the 5A-Central football conference that boasts arguably the best team in the 5A, year in and year out. The 5A trophy has gone to Pulaski Academy the last three seasons. The Bruins have won a total of 41 games in that span, but how strong is the conference outside of them? Only six teams not named PA have finished with seven or more wins in the Central since 2015, and only two teams have advanced to the state semifinal round of the postseason. So, is the conference really strong, or do they just happen to have the best team in the state?

As for the 5A-South, there always seems to be three solid teams at the top every single year. Over the course of the last three seasons, the top three teams average eight, seven and six wins, respectively. The biggest strength of the 5A-South is that there is no one team that runs the conference like there is in the Central, and for the most part, the East. Over the course of the last three seasons, there have been three different conference champions, and this past seasons champ-Watson Chapel-didn’t even qualify for the playoffs in 2015. While the conference has an argument for being the most completive in the 5A, they’ve only sent one team to the state semifinal round since 2015. So, can the conference be considered strong if it consistently fades out in the postseason?

Now, let’s go over to the western part of the state and look at the 5A-West. After Little Rock Christian Academy’s deep run in 2015, the 5A-West has been fairly mediocre as a whole. They haven’t made it out of the second weekend once, and over the course of the last two years, the conference champion has won 6 and 7 games, respectively. Compared with the other three conferences, the West looks to be the weakest. 

If we base success solely off championships, then obviously the 5A-Central is the best conference in the state, but if you throw in wins, state playoff runs and straight of conference top to bottom, the 5A-East has a very strong argument. 

Now, we’ll shift to the 6A to close out this article, where the divisions are almost even. We’ll start with the east, which has featured three different conference championship winners since 2015. Four teams in the conference have tallied 10 wins or more in a season, and five teams have advanced to the state semifinals, including two playing for a championship. The East has one championship under its belt, thanks to Pine Bluff’s win in 2015. Although the East is usually strong at the top, it does have a bit of a depth issue. For the last three years, two teams have finished with two or fewer wins at the bottom of the conference, and the 4 seed has been mostly made up of teams that are .500 or below. Despite that, the conference still has teams like Pine Bluff, Jonesboro and Searcy, who always seem to be competitive, and both the west and east have placed the same number of teams (6) in the semifinals since 2015.

On the other side of the coin, the west has taken the last two state championships. Four teams have finished the season with double digit wins, while Greenwood has gone a combined 37-2 since the start of the 2015 season. Despite the fact that Greenwood has a hold on the league, much like PA does on the 5A-Central, the division has shown it’s depth over the last three seasons, as Greenwood is the only team to finish top-3 in the conference in multiple years. Much like the East, there is a huge drop-off at the bottom of the conference. Outside of Greenwood, the conference is very similar to the east, they just happen to have a dynasty. Does that make them better than the east? Perhaps. But, let’s not forget both divisions have sent six teams to the semifinals in the last three years, and the state championship is just 2-1 in favor of the west. 

Every year is the same for football in the natural state. No matter how much success teams in the east have, they can never seem to get the recognition that teams in the west and central get, but maybe it’s time to look up and see that there is no one dominant division in the 6A or 5A. 

NEA Tournament….Is Change Coming?

By: Ryan Fletcher

            The Northeast Arkansas Invitational Tournament is the annual tournament that all of our local fans look forward to.  Folks from around the area will take off work to spend a day out at First National Bank Arena with the opportunity to watch some of the top talent play.  The tournament often presents opportunities to see unlikely matchups with teams from different conferences and classifications pitted against one another.  Sometimes you get lucky to see some of Northeast Arkansas’ top rivals faceoff in a key matchup deep into the tournament.  It’s an event that is a tradition that needs to carry on for years to come.  However, as the game has changed, the tournament has not.  Multiple administrators, coaches, and fans have clamored for much needed change for many years but those changes have fallen on deaf ears.  The committee has stuck to their guns over the years, but that may all change come this December.

            Multiple suggestions have been made over the years.  In the past, the NEA tournament hasn’t had the competition it faces now.  Teams have opted to find tournaments in other parts of the state along with more local tournaments coming into competition with the NEA Tournament.  The Bad Boy Mowers Classic is the latest edition to the new local tournaments that have come into play.  That specific tournament has been named after a long time NEA legend Ronnie Brogdon.  Ironically, Brogdon sits on the NEA Tournament committee.  This tournament, like many others, offers teams more guaranteed games.  Trumann, Rivercrest, and Manila all rallied together to head to Highland leaving the NEA Tournament in the dust.  Supposedly, the primary reason was the guarantee of at least three games, win or lose.  The NEA Tournament Committee has always countered that if you win you will guarantee yourself games.  However, upsets occur and so do down seasons.  The idea that a team could play their first tournament game in mid-December, get beat, and not play again until the start of the new year is not good for teams.  It’s time to guarantee games and move away from the archaic idea that “we are going to keep it the same because that’s the way it has always been!”

            Something that fans would love to see more is a change in seeding.  In recent seasons, the tournament has been split up into two divisions in both boys and girls.  Those divisions have been separated mainly by classification/school population.  That often separates some of the tournaments top teams and creates an imbalance in competition.  A prime example would be the Bay Yellowjackets.  They have won four state championships over the course of the last eight years.  They are clearly a top team in the Northeast Arkansas Region.  However, their classification puts them in the lower division.  Why seclude great teams to the lower region only to trounce teams in the first two rounds.  Why have Nettleton play in the upper division and face teams in the first and second round that they will also destroy?  The first round and often the second round has become so unbearable to watch as games are so lopsided.  If you want to truly make it a tournament of champions, you dump the present alignment and seed the entire tournament from top to bottom.  Forget hurt feelings! 

            Another suggestion has been the location.  I will be the first to admit that it is very cool to house the event in the biggest gym on the eastern side of the entire state.  The “Convo” seats around 10,000.  The facility not only makes it a sports event, but it makes it a social event for the student athletes, coaches, and fans.  Honestly, I would hate to see it moved, but the good folks at First National Bank Arena charge an arm and a leg renting the place out on a daily basis.  On top of that, the tournament committee has to work their schedule around Arkansas State basketball and their home schedule.  If you are going to guarantee more games, can you then play all of those games in its present location?  The arena charges rent on top of getting all of the money from the concession stands.  Valley View and Brookland have recently built extra-large state of the art facilities, and of course Don Riggs Hurricane Gymnasium is another top facility that could house the tournament.  From a financial and logistical stand-point, would it be such a bad idea to move the tournament?  With the move, it creates the possibility of having more games and far more competitive games.  Personally, I want to see the tournament stay where it is, but it is high time the arena works with the committee in terms of cost and/or generating income (concessions).  

            In March of this year, the committee invited all of the area coaches out to meet about proposed changes that could occur.  The newest idea was to create three divisions in which the tournament committee would place each team into one of the three divisions and base it solely on how good each team was in that given year.  With that being said, once the committee makes a determination, schools will have an opportunity to appeal whether or not they should be in a higher or lower division.  This idea is splendid!  It gives fans what they have clamored for in terms of seeing far better games in nearly every round.  It also allows schools the chance to move up or down if the committee feels they are deserving.  Could seeding get political? Absolutely!  However, when coaches seed a bracket, politics often play a role and sometimes teams get a poor seed because of it.  

            Another intriguing proposal was to have a two-game guarantee.  This is something that has needed to occur for quite some time.  It’s is something that has caused many teams to find tournaments in other locations.  While there are some coaches in opposition to it, I don’t envision teams dropping out of the tournament if they were forced to play in a consolation bracket.  This is simply a no brainer.  I am sure many of these consolation games wouldn’t attract big crowds; however, the tournament has got to find away to bring the teams back that they have lost over the years.  Paragould, Greene County Tech, Manila, Trumann, Rivercrest, etc. are schools that should be in it every year.  Hopefully this guarantee would bring them back where they belong.  In addition, this tactic could possibly bring in some other schools from outside of the NEA area.  How fun would that be to see other top teams from other parts of the state traveling to play in the most popular tournament in our region and in Arkansas.  

Finally, because there is a two-game guarantee, there is simply no way all of the games can be played at the First National Bank Arena.  Therefore, it was proposed that another school or schools would help host these added games.  However, teams that go deep into their consolation bracket can work there way back into playing in the arena which is an added incentive.  I previously mentioned some potential places.  Brookland School District actually hosted the meeting that was held in March.  Could it be possible that this is the location where the consolation games will be held?  Sources close to NEA Sports have indicated that Brookland is the top candidate to be the added host.  They certainly have the facility for it.  

I think it is safe to say that the NEA Tournament is headed in the right direction.  It certainly has taken a while, but it seems changes are ahead.  While it’s only July, I for one cannot wait to see our top local talent play in a newly structured system that should leave fans on the edge of their seats.   

The Problem with Youth Sports.

By: Cade Carlton 

            We’ve all heard it before, the constant chatter of “my child is the next Lebron or Tom Brady or Mike Trout” and so on and so forth. Even at an early age, the pressure is on kids to succeed and perform at a high-level night in, night out in their respective sports. We’ve put so much stock in youth sports that it leads to burnout from great athletes before they reach the high school level.

            According to a study from 2017, there were over 36,000,000 kids that participated in youth sports, while the number of athletes participating in high school sports nationwide is just below 8,000,000. Yes, there are a number of kids that drop off because they aren’t talented enough to compete at the high school level. But, there are also a number of kids that drop off because they’re burnt out. The two major sports that see athletes drop due to fatigue are basketball and baseball, because they are played all throughout the summer months.

            Let’s examine the game of baseball first. In addition to playing in the spring, the hardcore baseball players pick it up in the summer as well. Not only do they play anywhere from 30-40 games in the spring, some are also playing 40 games in just June and early July with summer ball. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and say you play 70 games from February 15th to July 15th. That’s 70 games in a roughly 150-day span, which averages out to be right at a game every two days. At ages 15-18, most youth baseball players are playing an MLB-like schedule once the summer months begin. 

            Now, we’ll shift to basketball. Unlike baseball, you do have some time off in between regular season ball and summer ball. When looking at a summer schedule, you may think it doesn’t look like much, as most teams typically only have 4-6 tournaments lined up to participate in. But, when you dig into the tournaments and look at the brackets, there isn’t just two-three games played, and then everybody heads home. In most every AAU tournament, you begin by playing a couple games in the preliminary round, a game in your bracket, and then move on to the semifinal and final rounds. Most weekends you’re talking about 5-7 games in a three day or fewer span, and that’s before we throw in travel time because very few of these AAU tournaments are played in Jonesboro. 

            The dynamic of youth sports has evolved from a good time for athletes, playing a sport they love, to a business if you are talented in said sport by age 15. Putting a spotlight on young kids and putting pressure on them to succeed at such an early age also results in injuries. According to a study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control, more than 3.5 million kids under the age of 14 suffer an injury playing youth sports every year. Over half of those injuries are caused by overuse and fatigue. 

            My proposal is not to end youth sports and leagues like AAU and American Legion Baseball. I firmly believe youth sports are very important to the development of youth athletes. My proposal is to limit the number of games young athletes are playing early on. Children aged 13 and below should play no more than 30 games in a respective sport over the course of a calendar year. That includes their middle school games and their summer leagues. Until you walk through the doors of a Junior High School, playing over 30 games in respective sports seems a bit excessive.

            My last proposal to help better youth sports is to prevent kids under the age of 13 from lifting weights. That, more so than anything else, leads to injuries at a young age. Entering a “strength training” program before your muscles have fully developed is a very dangerous way to try and get ahead in your respective sport. According to a study that was conducted by Dr. Paul R. Stricker, the most common injuries from beginning a strength training program at a young age are: herniated disks in the back, muscle strains and tears, bone fractures, growth plate injuries, and cartilage damage. 

            Most of the injuries listed are hard for professional athletes to recover from much less someone who isn’t fully grown.

            Youth sports are essential to the development of athletes in all sports, but it seems to me that starting out going 100 miles per hour isn’t the best solution. Sometimes more isn’t the best option.

NEA Basketball Officials a Dying Profession?

By: Ryan Fletcher

            Over the course of the last several years we have seen more and more high school basketball officials either retire or simply leave the profession.  It is an issue that many local officiating veterans have expressed concern about for quite some time.  As the veterans get older, Northeast Arkansas (and really the entire state) isn’t seeing younger guys step in to the role of being a referee.          This past season, KAIT’s former sports director Jason Hurst did a segment called “Out of Bounds.”  He did an excellent job and brought an interesting perspective to the table in regard to why high school officiating in Northeast Arkansas might be a dying breed.  The main focus was on poor sportsmanship being shown by our local fans.  Additionally, he added that the newest aspect of poor sportsmanship carries over on to social media after a game. 

            While I thought it was a great segment, I agreed with about 25% of it.  Bad sportsmanship, angry parents, irate coaches, and your typical crazy fans that are “well known” have been around forever.  Absolutely nothing has changed in that regard.  For every bad, unsportsmanlike event that an official can bring to the table from this past season, I can assure you that I can find a similar story from previous decades.  As the old saying goes, “you can’t fix ignorance.”  

            I did partially agree with the portion about the added aspect of social media.  Facebook has become a way for fans to continue to bash officials after a game has ended.  With that being said, it is typically the same people every night that are doing the bashing.  For those specific individuals, if their team loses, it is always the officials fault and after they have berated the officials during the game you can make a sure bet they will head to social media when they get home.  I can always expect that to be the case around 10:00 p.m. when I have heard a certain team has lost.  While I do agree that it is ridiculous that folks want to bash officials online, again you can’t change the unchangeable.  However, Facebook Co-Founder Mark Zuckerburg created the block button for a reason.  On top of that, online bashing has been going on for years.  Fearless Friday and Topix are places that folks have gone to in the past to wreak online havoc.  I agree Facebook is more accessible and far more instant than the online technology of old, but it is still the same thing that has been around for quite some time.  

            So, if I disagreed with K8’s reasoning for a lack of local officials, then what is the real problem?  To me that answer is very simple.  It is the pay!  Should a local high school referee be able to quit their day job because officiating night games is that lucrative? No, I am not saying that.  However, something is wrong when baseball, softball, volleyball, and football pay better.  Additionally, something is even more wrong when you can earn more money officiating three elementary basketball games in one night than you can a junior and senior high basketball game.  By the way, in both instances I know of multiple officials that either referee elementary games or officiate the other sports but refuse to do junior and senior high basketball.  There are some great officials out there that we are missing out on.

For the record, I have spoken to officials, coaches, and athletic directors around the area.  The pay scale for officiating a junior high basketball game is typically $35 with some schools paying $40.  Senior high games paid between $40 and $50.  The typical number I kept hearing was $35 for junior high and $45 for senior high which led to an amount of $80 per night.  That is simply not nearly enough to put up with what these guys endure on a nightly basis. 

            Let’s start with the pay in the other sports.  Softball pays anywhere between $100-$110 if an umpire works a seven-inning game followed by a three-inning junior varsity contest.  A seven-inning double header would pay around $135.  Volleyball pays anywhere between $115-$135 dollars per night depending on the number of matches.  It should be noted that there could be 5 matches in a night but the dollar value is still higher.  In football our local officials make anywhere between $85 to $110 per evening.  Every local sport pays more!  Might you spend an extra 30-60 minutes calling volleyball or football games?  It’s possible.  Then again you might get out quicker because there are certain nights when basketball officials are at the gym from 5:30 to 9:30 depending on the type of game they have called. 

            What I find even more laughable is that a guy that purchases an Arkansas Officials Association card can referee three elementary basketball games at $30 per game and make more than the licensed high school official that has been to training camps in the summer and has been in the business for years.  Am I saying elementary officials should be paid less? Heck no! They put up with all kinds of stuff.  However, they are typically out of the gym quicker, have a much smaller crowd, and typically don’t face the ridicule that our high school officials face.  

            So, if I am a young guy wanting to get into he officiating business, why would I pick junior and senior high basketball?  Or if I’m going to officiate basketball why would I not pick elementary over the higher levels?  In either scenario you get paid better!  It is simple arithmetic.  What’s the answer to get younger and even better officials on the court?  To me the answer is obvious.  It is time to pay up! Whether that means raising the price of admission (hello Arkansas Activities Association) or our athletic programs profiting a little less, it’s time to make a change because the bottom line is that if you don’t have referee’s then you won’t have a basketball game to play. 

NEA Sports Announces Annual Scholarship Winners.

By: Ryan Fletcher

            NEA Sports Media received over 60 applications this year for its two annual scholarships.  A committee through NEA Sports narrowed the list of applications down to 13 finalists.  The 13 finalists were placed into an online voting contest through the company’s website and the NEA Sports Facebook page allowing the fans to cast their vote for who they believed was most deserving of each scholarship.  The list was then cut to eight finalists as they were brought in for interviews as the final step to the process.  Over $3,500 were awarded to five of the finalists.  

The first scholarship known as the Brian Stallings Memorial MVP Scholarship is a yearly scholarship valued at $1000.  The scholarship honors former Riverside Rebel Brian Stallings and the life he lived while battling cystic fibrosis.  The award is given to the most deserving candidate that has persevered through various obstacles in life while being an upstanding citizen along with being an outstanding student athlete on and off the court/field.  The scholarship is open to any type of student athlete that competes in an accredited sport sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association.  Previous first place winners of the scholarship include: Caleb Reinhart (Manila, 2015), Brandon Clifford (Paragould, 2016), and Taylor Layne (Bay, 2017).  Runner-up winners include: Synteria Ward (East Poinsett County, 2015) and Travon Cobb (Buffalo Island Central, 2016).  This year’s scholarship was sponsored by Fat City Apparel in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  

The winner of this year’s scholarship was Riverside Lady Rebel Brittney Sain.  Sain impressed the committee while garnering the most votes through the NEA Sports website.  Brittney put together an impressive senior season which capped off an outstanding career.  Sain dealt with struggles off the court as her father passed away during Riverside’s postseason run.  The Lady Rebel managed to push through these extreme circumstances while helping her team to a conference and district championship.  She recently played in the Arkansas Activities Association all-star game.  Sain received first place and a $1000 scholarship.  She becomes the first female to win the scholarship award in its fourth year.  “Brittney was honored to receive the Brian Stallings Memorial Scholarship,” said Riverside Lady Rebel Coach Spencer Hoffman.  “She has accomplished so much on and off the court in high school.  She demonstrated courage and perseverance and truly embodies what the scholarship represents.  I’m excited about what the future holds for her.”

Additionally, Gosnell Lady Pirate Z’kiah Kuykendall finished as the scholarship runner-up.  Kuykendall graduated as class valedictorian while excelling on the court as one of the top basketball players in the Northeast Arkansas area.  Z’kiah receives a scholarship in the amount of $500.   

NEA Sports and the family of Donald Ellison announced its scholarship winners for the second consecutive season.  Ellison was a valued member of the Jonesboro/NEA community.  He owned his own tile business and was a self-made man.  Mr. Ellison was a sports fanatic that loved the Arkansas Razorbacks and followed the various sports teams in the Northeast Arkansas community.  While applicants can be multi-sport athletes, they must participate in high school basketball.  Last year, Gavin Stone of Riverside became the first ever winner of the scholarship.  

The first-place winner for the scholarship was Manila Lion Bradey Woodall.  Woodall’s tremendous play and exceptional attitude/work ethic led to the committee’s decision to name him as this season’s winner.   Ironically, Woodall has been raised by his grandparents just like Donald Ellison.  Woodall receives a $1000 scholarship.  Manila Lion Coach Lee Wimberley had this to say about Bradey winning the scholarship.  “There are certain things we look for in our players; work ethic, mental toughness, team-first attitude, competitiveness, and an ability to overcome adversity.  If you can manage three of those five then you will go far.  Bradey Woodall nails all five.  He is the epitome of Manila Basketball.  You don’t replace kids like him.  You hope that others can emulate him, but no one replaces that type of kid.  It’s been my pleasure to coach him for six years, and I’m so excited to see what his life has in store for him.”  

Additionally, two other recipients finished as scholarship runner-up.  Kayne Wilson of Greene County Tech and Markel Perry-Washington of Marked Tree will receive scholarships valued at $500 apiece.  Wilson impressed the committee with his scholarship application and essay but overwhelmed the committee with an impressive interview along with his desire to further his education in the medical field.  Markel helped lead the Marked Tree Indians to their second consecutive state runner-up.  He too expressed strong aspirations to further his educational career at the next level.  

NEA Sports is proud of this season’s scholarship winners and believes these winners will continue the tradition of excelling in their academic and occupational careers like past winners while honoring the value Brian Stallings and Donald Ellison had on the NEA community. 

AAA adopts shot clock on trial basis.

By: Cade Carlton

Arkansas will become the ninth state to implement a shot clock in high school basketball, it was announced after the conclusion of the summer workshop.

The shot clock will be used on a one-year experimental basis and will only be eligible for use in regular season tournaments, such as the NEA Tournament. The length of the shot clock will be 35 seconds.

In March, USA basketball and the NBA released a joint statement recommending that a shot clock be implemented at the high school level in all 50 states. The joint statement recommended a 24-second shot clock, but of all nine states with a shot clock in high school basketball, all have a 30 or 35 second shot clock.

While, there have been a number of people in support of the shot clock in Arkansas, some have been vehemently against it, because it would limit the sets and plays you could run offensively, but that’s simply not true. The pace of play is at an all-time high in all levels of the game. This season alone, 8 of the 16 teams that qualified for the NBA playoffs ended the postseason with a pace of 98 or higher. To put that into perspective, four years ago in the postseason, zero teams had a pace of 100 or higher. As we know, all levels of basketball are reflective off of what happens at the highest level.

With the birth of the emphasis put on three-point shooting in all levels of basketball, the pace would not be an issue with a shot clock implemented. In fact, it would make teams value their possessions more; because you would lose a few possessions a game with the length of the shot clock.

One of the pros to this being implemented is the end of stall ball as we know it. Too many times, in both girls’ and boys’ games in the state, we’ve seen teams hold the ball for two-three minutes in order to get the last shot. We’ve also seen teams play stall ball when they have a lead in a game, despite not having as much talent as their opponent, to limit their opponent’s possessions. That would stop with a 35-second shot clock. 

Adding a shot clock will not make the game perfect, but it will take out a loophole that some coaches have, whether you like watching it or not, smartly chosen to take to help their team win games in playing stall ball. 

The other concern that would come with a shot clock, particularly with administration and coaches, would be the cost of installing one along with the cost of hiring an additional person to run it. Currently, it costs $2,000+ to install a shot clock, plus the costs of paying an additional person to run it. To most schools in the 5A and 6A conferences, that number may seem reasonable, but if this was to be fully adapted by the AAA for the 2019-20 season, schools in 1A-4A, who don’t have the same resources as Bentonville or Rogers, may not take a liking to being out $2,000 for a shot clock. The question then becomes: does the AAA come to the aid of schools who can’t afford one, or are they on their own to fundraise?

Despite the negativity that may surround it, the shot clock would make the game better than it currently is. It would take away your games in the 20s and 30s, where teams have possessions that last two minutes and win games based solely on how well they defend. It would add more games where teams combine for 100 points, because they would value their possessions more than they do now. Instead of implementing what Steph Curry did on a Monday night, and pulling up two steps after you cross mid-court, players would be more inclined to run an offense and get good looks at the basket, because, possessions do become more limited in a fast-paced game than they are now. 

At this point, it feels inevitable that a shot clock is coming. The NBA implemented a shot clock during the 1954-55 season, some 31 years later, college basketball followed suit. Now, 33 years later, the discussion is on the forefront at the high school level in most states. The conversation has changed from “if” to “when.”

Williams Looks to Lead Hurricane to State Championship

By Cade Carlton

For Tyson Williams, last season was a whirlwind of emotions. Williams entered the year as the number two quarterback on the depth chart, but due to a broken collarbone injury sustained by AJ Aycock in week two, Williams assumed the role of starting QB in week three, and never relinquished it. 

Williams, who split time with Aycock at QB his sophomore season, finished his junior campaign  going 153-220 (.695) for 37 passing touchdowns, an average of 3.7 per game. Williams helped the Hurricane air attack average nearly 285 yards per game. 

Williams’s great season sparked in-state schools to start in on recruiting him. Since taking over as the starting quarterback, Williams has received interest from Ouachita Baptist, Hendrix, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas Monticello and more. 

“I've had some interests from some instate schools, but, there is no really specific destination that I'm set to go to or anything like that,” Williams said. “For next year I feel like I need to make plays. I need to continue to get stronger, faster and better.”

Despite all of his success, and the team’s success on the field last year, it was ultimately a disappointment for Williams. The Hurricane defeated Pine Bluff in week six, 41-34, which was instrumental in cinching a regular season conference championship. Despite going 9-1 in the regular season, Jonesboro was ousted in the playoffs by Benton in their opening round game.

“I still remember the playoff game last year a lot,” Williams said. “We had a really, really good group of seniors last year and we were planning on going really far. We really wanted to do good for them. Just looking back on that loss and how heartbreaking it was, it just makes us want to work harder.”

“It's very important to me and our team to go out and win a state championship this year,” Williams continued.

Despite being the starter last year, Williams will still have to work to retain his position as Jonesboro’s starter this year. Although he will find a place in the starting lineup, even if it is not at the quarterback position, Williams credits lasts season as a big help to his confidence. He is fully confident he can be a successful starting QB this year if the opportunity arises. 

“I just need to keep doing what I'm doing,” Williams said. “I need to work hard, make plays and perfect our play book. If I'm not the guy, there has been talk about me playing receiver. Going back to last year, though, one thing that stood out to me was my confidence. I felt like it boosted a lot and I was never worried or nervous, because I felt like I could help us do whatever we needed to do in order to win. I think being able to play last year made me want to work harder.”

While Williams is working to maintain his starting position at quarterback, he also has his eyes on something else.

“My goal is definitely to be the starting quarterback for JHS,” Williams said. “But, I also want to become a captain, become a great leader and win ball games.”

As for becoming a captain for the Hurricane, it would be the ultimate honor for a member of the Jonesboro football team.

“We have a team vote,” Williams said. “Basically, there is just one day during the summer where we don't go to practice and we all go eat breakfast, and while we're there we all vote for 4 guys we think should be captains.”

As Williams looks ahead to the upcoming season, it is clear he has improved this offseason, thanks in large part to the Jonesboro coaching staff. 

“Coach Marty Riley, our quarterback coach is a person that I'm really close to, and I spend a lot of time with. He's a great coach that really cares about his players. Coach Coleman is also someone I spend a lot of time with. He's a great leader, great play caller, and a really good person.”

Looking ahead to this season, the Hurricane should be loaded on the offensive side of the ball again. Despite the loss of their top three receivers of Jonathan Adams (Arkansas State), Jakaylen Jackson and Courtney Orsby, the Hurricane still return some dangerous targets at wideout, along with Jake Slayton, who will move from receiver to running back this year. 

“Jake Slayton is our halfback,” Williams said. “He’s gonna be able to block for us, but he's also gonna be able to get out and catch some balls. Deshaun Fountain is a senior. He was a running back last year, but since we lost all of our receivers besides Jake, we had to make some changes. He is now going out to receiver, and I think he's gonna be really good. He's really fast and he runs good routes. Jeremiah Tobar, who is a junior, is pretty good. He is really athletic and there are not a lot of balls he isn't going to catch. He has the ability to go up and make spectacular plays.”

For Williams, he has been inspired by some great local and professional athletes to work hard and become the best at the sport he loves.

“Ty Huggins, who used to play basketball at Valley View, and is now a coach at Nettleton is someone I've really looked up to,” Williams said. “Tucker Hydrick, who played football and baseball at Valley View is also someone I look up to. I got to know him well my freshman year. As for professionally, Tom Brady is my all-time favorite professional player. He's the greatest of all time. I like the way he handles himself. He is really relaxed.”

Williams and the Hurricane will kick off the season on Aug. 31 at Centennial Bank Stadium against the Batesville Pioneers.

Three Year Veteran Waleszonia Ready to Cap-Off Senior Season

By: Ryan Fletcher

Joseph Waleszonia steps into his final season at Valley View as one of Northeast Arkansas’ most experienced quarterbacks.  Waleszonia assumed the position to begin his sophomore season and never let go.  “Throughout the summer before my sophomore season Coach Cockrell came to me and told me that they were going to turn me into a quarterback,” stated Joseph.  “He told me to start working on it and to be prepared for it.  After that I just continued to work on it all summer and in practice and then they named me the starter.” 

Waleszonia admits that his strength is in his legs and it is his arm that he has had to improve over the course of the last two football seasons.  “That’s what I have tried to improve on the most.  The legs are always going to be there, but I definitely tried to improve in my throwing.  It makes us a more dynamic offense.” 

The Blazers moved up into class 5A two seasons ago.  It was evident that it would not be an easy transition.  Because of that, Blazer Coach Sean Cockrell made changes to the offense that has been known for running the spread.  Instead, Cockrell moved to the wishbone.  “We did run that kind of wishbone offense.  At the time that was the type of offense that we needed to run.  During that time, we had a lot of inexperience and running the football was good at that point because we didn’t really have a quarterback that could throw all that well.”  Cockrell decided to abandon the wishbone offense the following season and return to the spread.  “As the season went along coach realized that we could throw it, and that’s why we moved back to a spread offense.  We are still a run first team. We run it a lot, and we established that last season even when we moved to the spread.  We will take some shots deep to throw teams off guard.  We have definitely settled into this offense.  Coach (Kole) Carpenter has done a great job to make it simple so that everybody knows their jobs.”

Valley View returns multiple starters on offense and will not have to worry about the implementation of a new offensive scheme.  Additionally, Coach Carpenter will return as the team’s offensive coordinator for a second consecutive season.  The role of offensive coordinator changed names three seasons in a row so familiarity will be a nice change of pace for Valley View.  Because of these factors, Waleszonia has his eyes set on a postseason run.  “It is definitely a big deal since we have several seniors returning as most of us already know what to do on offense.  That allows Coach Carpenter to put in a lot of different plays that we can run because we know all the basics of the system.  It just really opens up a lot more options.  For the team we definitely have a goal of a playoff berth.  After you make the playoffs you just never know what could happen.  Upsets can happen but just getting there I think would be great for the program.  You can see our numbers have just gotten bigger after finishing just 5-5 last season.  We want to get as many kids out there to play for the future to build this program up.”  The Blazers picked up their biggest win near the end of the season against cross town conference rival Nettleton.  “It was definitely a big confidence boost for our team.  It showed that we can compete with these types of good teams in the 5A East, and we are capable of playing at that level.”

Joseph has been raised in a family that shares a love for sports particularly football.  “Football is my favorite.  Since I have been a little kid I have always loved football.  My dad and I watched it since I was little.  We are big (Pittsburgh) Steelers fans.  I have looked forward to putting pads on since I was six.”  Joseph’s father won a state championship in boys’ basketball at Trumann High School back in the 1980’s. Both his dad and grandfather played sports at the collegiate level which is an aspiration that Joseph has set for himself.  “My dad was a good athlete at Trumann from what I understand.  I can’t tell it today,” said Joseph with a big laugh.  “He went and played at the Coast Guard Academy.  He loved football and loves the game just like I do.  My grandpa (Joe Waleszonia) played as a receiver at Arkansas State University.  I have always loved playing at the receiver position, and I really look up to him.  My grandmother was a track star in California.  My grandparents moved from California to here so my grandpa could play football at Arkansas State.  Sports is an important part of my family.”

Joseph will be joined by his brother Jacob on this season’s football team.  “It is a great thing that I get to play with him.  As much as we fight, we love each other.  We are going to love getting to play with each other.  He will play at linebacker so he has a big role on this team.  Our defense will be young this year, but I am trying to make sure he walks the line because he is going to have to be a big-time player for us this season as a sophomore.  I am going to love getting to play with him.  He’s a bigger guy so he could see some time in the backfield in short yardage situations.  It will be really cool having him in the backfield with me.”  While Joseph and Jacob are brothers, they are very different both on and off the field.  “We are very different!  Any time anyone ask us who is better, we can’t ever really give an answer because we are so different, and we are both good at different things.  It’s two different aspects of the game.  He is a bigger power guy and I’m the smaller more agile guy.  It’s hard to compare because we are so different.  Oh for sure!  He’s more like my mom.  He’s the nicer sweetheart.  He’s a teddy bear that everyone loves.  I am more of the talker and louder.  I’m like the life of the party more like my dad.”

Partying will definitely be in the plans of the Waleszonia brothers and the Blazers if their dreams of making a deep run into the playoffs come true.  Expect Joseph to cap off his senior high career in style as Valley View could easily find themselves in contention for the 5A East top prize while making a run at a state title.  

Henry Looks to Lead Young Raiders Back to the Playoffs

By Cade Carlton

For Deondre Henry and the Nettleton Raiders, the 2016 season was not what they hoped it would be. The Raiders started the season 3-0, with wins over Pocahontas, Mountain Home and Star City, respectively. But after an impressive start, the Raiders went on a skid, losing five of their final seven games, and effectively ending their hope at a playoff berth.

Although the overall performance of the team suffered, Henry’s never did. The sophomore QB completed 50 percent of his passes for 997 yards in just seven games started. He threw for 10 touchdowns and accounted for over half of the yards per game between his passing and rushing. Perhaps the most impressive stat was that the first year starter threw just one interception all year.

“My first year was very tough,” Henry said. “I didn't start the first two games, and I came in the third week against Mountain Home and took over the starting role for the rest of the season. It was difficult, but my coaches helped me through it. My teammates were a big help, in that they were very supportive of it. Now, being a three year starter I feel very comfortable with the offense, and I'm ready to lead those guys into battle every single week and hopefully win a state championship.”

Last season, Nettleton looked to be one of the teams to beat after the non-conference slate concluded, but a week four loss at Batesville shook the Raiders, and they could never truly recover. 

“The first three games we had a head full of steam,” Henry said. “We played really good and were together as a team. The Batesville game kind of sucked the wind out of us and from that point on everything got difficult. Some guys put their head down, and we weren't in that brotherhood mindset anymore. This year, myself especially, I want to do a better job of keeping that brotherhood and family mentality together. Last year, the two big games that really hit us to not making the playoffs, were the Forrest City game (week eight) and the Valley View game (week nine.) The Forrest City game was ultimately the deciding game, but we ended up losing 30-15. The week after, we dropped the Valley View game which put us completely out of the playoffs.”

Although they are coming off of a disappointing season, you couldn't tell it by the Raiders attitude this off-season. Coach Hampton has said this team reminds him of the 2014 squad that won seven games in the regular season (still a record for this century) and qualified for the playoffs, Henry sees some of the same things from this team.

“On the offensive side of the ball, we won't lose as many as we will on the defensive side of the ball,” Henry said. “Most of our key guys, and our big play guys that really stepped up last year will be coming back. On the O-line we lose just one player that played significant minutes last year. Everyone that is coming back has experience. I feel like this year, with those guys having experience, it will be a lot easier.”

“Somebody I grew up with, and I’m really close with and have good chemistry with, is Jaron Northern,” Henry continued. “He will always be my No. One target. Will Joyner is entering his second year with us. He’s a really, really good player. He’s a real good deep threat, and he can take the top off the defense. You can get him in short routes, intermediate routes, and he can do just about anything. My running back, Tay Turner, he’s just a bull when he runs the ball. He can do anything. He can outrun you, he can run you over, and he can do almost anything with the ball in his hands.”

For Nettleton, this summer has been different than most, in that the Raiders have attended a 7-on-7 camp. With a young squad this year, Coach Hampton has elected to sign the team up for more helmets and shoulder pad, and sometimes full pad, team camps to insure they are ready for the start of the season. For Henry, the summer has been a bit different, in the fact that he has begun going to individual camps to try and improve his recruiting stock. 

“The summer has been really busy,” Henry said. “We got a week off after school ended, and we came back and hit it hard after that. We lifted a lot, we conditioned a lot, and we did a lot of things to get better. We had team camps this year, and didn't go to any 7-on-7s, just to see what guys were like with pads on. As far as camps go, I’ve been to about five so far as an individual. I’ll be at Jackson State on July 20th. Southern Arkansas and Arkansas Monticello will be later on in the summer.”

Not only has Henry traveled around the state this summer to participate in camps, he’s also worked on perfecting his craft with some of the Nettleton coaching staff. While the future certainly looked bright for Henry last season, he is not content with just the on field numbers, Henry also wants to become more of a vocal leader on the team.

“Being a leader is something I've really looked to improve on,” Henry said. “I want to be a better teammate to my teammates. As far as throwing, my footwork and my deep balls have improved as well.”

“In terms of coaches that have helped me, Coach Moss, who is now our defensive backs coach, was my ninth grade coach,” Henry continued. “He built my confidence as a quarterback, and I only played three games that year because I had an ACL injury and that ended my season, but, him being there for me really helped me grow as a man and as a quarterback. My current quarterback Coach, Clint Wilson, has helped me tremendously. He has helped me a lot with my form, technique and everything you can think of to help me be a better quarterback.”

Although Henry is a great football player, he also has another sports in which he excels in. Henry spent last spring playing for football assistant coach John Proffitt on the soccer team. Henry helped lead the Raiders to a great regular season and a playoff appearance. 

“Last year’s soccer teams were really good,” Henry said. “We finished second in conference behind Valley View. We got to host a state tournament game at home, but lost to Clarksville, so our season ended early. This year, we've got a lot of talent coming back, so, I feel like if some guys can grow up and step up this season could be really good.

While Henry continues to excel in two sports, and receive offers from Jackson State, UA Monticello, Southern Arkansas and others, he will always look up to a family member that inspired him to play football. 

“My brother, Winsley Henry, has been a big inspiration to me,” Henry said. “He used to play quarterback at Nettleton, and he graduate in 2012. He has always been someone that has inspired me since I was little, and someone I always look up to.”

The Raiders will kick off the season on Fri. Sept, 1 when they take on Pocahontas. 

Gartman Looks to Continue Newfound Success at Trumann

By Cade Carlton

Under the direction of Scott Waymire, the Trumann Wildcats have started to right the ship on the gridiron in each of the last two seasons. The Wildcats went a combined 13-9 and qualified for the 4A state playoffs in both years, thanks in large part to their do it all running back, senior Cade Gartman.

Gartman, who also plays linebacker and has every game since 7th grade, finished his junior campaign with 1,595 rushing yards on 183 carries, and accounted for 22 touchdowns on the ground, an average of 2.2 per game. Although dominant on offense, he was just as successful on the defensive side of the ball, accounting for 38 total tackles, three of which were for a loss.

Although, Gartman and the Wildcats have begun the process of getting Trumann back to the power it once was, he is not satisfied with last year’s 7-5 campaign. 

“The ups of the season last year were that everybody stuck together,” Gartman said. “Unfortunately we had one injury, which is going to happen. The downs of the season were that we were very close in two games to win the conference title. The turnovers killed us, and we beat ourselves. With the 45-21 loss to Pocahontas in week four, we were down 21-0 with four minutes to go in the game. We had three turnovers back to back to back, so that killed us. We tried to make a comeback, but we just couldn't execute. The Gosnell game in week six, we were back and forth the whole time. We had five minutes there at the end, and we just couldn't get it in the end zone and they won 18-13.”

Despite some setbacks last year, the Wildcats look to be a power this year, thanks in part to their offseason regiment, coupled with the fact only two seniors exit from last year’s team.

“The weight room has helped us,” Gartman said. We’ve been in the weight room every day. The week after school ended, we started open weight room and we went to pad camps at Nettleton and War Memorial, along with 7 on 7s at Heber Springs.”

Not only have the Wildcats gotten stronger as a team, but Gartman might have found a calling as a weightlifter this offseason as well. Despite being just 5’10 185, Gartman showed he could compete in any weight class this offseason.

“Our football team went to Alma, which is the state weightlifting meet. Two years ago we finished third, and our goal this year was to come back and win it. We fell short by 40 pounds, and we got second place. But, as an individual I won the 181 weight class and my total was 580. I benched 315, and power clinged 285.”

The Wildcats offseason regiment may differ from other teams, because frankly, they aren't like most other teams. While many teams in this era rely on the passing game and the hurry up offense, the Wildcats are a throwback to the smash mouth football era, in that the running game is their number one weapon on offense. 

“We're a smash mouth football team,” Gartman said. “We’re not gonna throw the football but maybe once or twice a game. We're gonna run it right at you all game.”

While is seems as though the Wildcats are ready to take the next step this season and win their conference, along with a playoff game, Gartman knows every night in the 4A-3 conference will be a battle.

“Every game is gonna be tough,” Gartman said. “We’re not gonna take one of the top teams more seriously than others. To win the conference, we’re gonna have to take it one game at a time. We can't worry about the next one until we get the first one done. We need to all stick together and just stay healthy.”

Although Gartman is an excellent football player, he does have two other passions: fishing and baseball. Gartman has found success in the junior fishing circuit, and is also a member of the Trumann baseball team.

“My buddy Jay Taylor Morgan and I always like fishing. One of my other friends found out about these high school bass tournaments and told us about it. So, our first tournament we went to Lake Hamilton and we got fifth place. We fished four or five more tournaments, and there was one where you had to finish in the top four to qualify to go to the national fishing tournament, which is in Alabama, and we got fourth place. So, that qualified us to go to nationals June 27-July 1.” 

“As for baseball,” Gartman continued. “Last year we really didn't have the season we had hoped for. The baseball coaches all left after the season, and Coach Wallace came back from Marked Tree.  He will be the baseball coach and assistant football coach this year. We look to have a little better year this year.”

Although Gartman is a man of many talents, he hopes to continue playing football at the next level. His success running the ball last year has caused some schools in the state to take notice in his talent. 

“I've been going to a lot of camps this summer and trying to get opportunities to play somewhere,” Gartman said. “I don't care where it's at, I just want to continue to play the game.”

Gartman and the Wildcats will kick off the 2017 campaign on Sept. 1 when they host the Hoxie Mustangs.

Friends, Rivals, and Friday Night Lights.

 By: Ryan Fletcher 

When I think about the Hoxie Mustangs and the Walnut Ridge Bobcats, I think of instant rivalry.  After all, it has served as one of Northeast Arkansas’ top and most bitter rivalries for many years.  The two towns are side by side.  There are past stories of actions that have occurred on but mainly off the field that give bystanders the impression that there’s not much love that exist between the two cities.  The two schools even took a hiatus from playing one another.  Last season that break ended as Walnut Ridge moved up into class 3A which put the two schools back in the same conference.  The rivalry was reignited. 

             For Walnut Ridge Bobcat Colin Phillips and Hoxie Mustang Diamani Davis, it has always been a different kind of story.  Of course, they both want to beat one another, but at the end of the day, they are both really good friends.  Phillips serves as the team’s starting running back and also plays at the linebacker position on defense.  Ironically, Davis plays the exact same positions.  So, in a rivalry so heated, how did the two become pals?  It was over a nice game of XBOX.  They both happened to be playing online at the same time.  They were talking to a mutual friend that connected them.  “We met online playing XBOX,” said Davis.  “So eventually we became closer, and we’d hang out, and go to Jonesboro or go grab something to eat.  We play basketball together and go swimming.  It is really a nice friendship for such a big rivalry.’’ 

             Last season Davis rushed for nearly 1,400 yards.  He returns as one of the top running backs in Northeast Arkansas.  While it was his third year to be a starter, it was his first year as the team’s full time running back.  He played on both sides of the ball and never really took a break.  Davis will be expected to do the same again this season and will look to eclipse the numbers he put up a season ago. 

             Phillips will do what Davis did in 2016 and that’s take over the running back spot.  Phillips carried the ball 91 times and ran for 535 yards.  He is certainly not new to the position.  However, he has the task of taking over for all-state tailback Luke Harper who rushed for 1,651 yards and 25 touchdowns.  He has big shoes to fill.  “Harper had 1600 yards, and I was the closest to him,” told Colin.  “I only had about a fourth of what he had.  I do believe I am capable of meeting the challenge, but I can’t try to do too much.  I am going to have to stick to what I have been doing.  If I try to end up doing too much, then I’ll hurt my team.  Personally, I would like to rush for over 1200 yards for the reason being that if I feel like I can break that total it means I am helping my team win games.” 

             The Bobcats made the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 seasons last year.  As for Hoxie, they struggled to the tune of 2-8 and finished with their worst record in nearly 20 years.  Diamani has one thing on his mind.  “I want to get us back to the playoffs.  To do that you got to keep people from scoring.  I want to have more tackles than I did last year.  I play linebacker on defense.  We want to get back to the playoffs, have a winning record, and get back to playing Hoxie football the way it is supposed to be played.”  In order to meet those expectations, Davis believes he needs to improve from a year ago.  “I definitely have to do better than I did last year on both sides of the ball.  As a senior, I feel like I will find out who I really am as a running back.  My junior year I felt like I had to replace James Johnson who had graduated.  I tried to make plays that ended up not working out.  Now, I realize that if I made just the little plays, they can end up with big results.” 

             Both players were quick to show gratitude to their families for being inspirational in where they are today.  “As a person I’m grateful to my parents, but as an athlete I’m definitely grateful to my brother (Teague Phillips),” proclaimed Phillips.  “I grew up six years younger than him.  He was a very good running back for Walnut Ridge.  He graduated in 2012.  I was always playing against people older and bigger than me.  Even now, it has taught me that I’m never going to be the biggest person on the field.  I’m 5’6, 165 pounds.  Of course, then I was even smaller.  I was a fifth grader playing football with high school kids and my brother.   He has taught me that competitive nature and that just because you are small doesn’t mean you can’t be good at sports.  I really looked up to him in sports.  He has just really made me want to be the best that I can be.”  As for Diamani, he spoke very fondly of his mother.  “She keeps me going,” said Davis.  “She makes sure that I am ready every morning.  Even if she’s off that day, she’s up early making sure that I’m awake to get to football practice.  Sometimes when I am going through drills and feeling a little bit tired, she gives me that second boost of energy.  If I were to one day be a professional athlete or at least to get a college offer, I would love to be able to give her that first car and that first house.  I want to make sure that she doesn’t have to work her entire life.” 

             In terms of being remembered, Colin continued to discuss his family’s ties to Walnut Ridge football.  “I want to be remembered not only as a great athlete but also a good person.  I want to be remembered for just being myself.  My dad was a standout football player and so was my brother.  So, it has always been my last name.  I want people to know my first name.  I’ve always kind of stood in the shadow of my brother.  When I run the football some of the coaches tell me that I run just like Teague, but I don’t want that to be said anymore.  I want it to be said that I run like Colin.  I want people to compare themselves to me like the people before us.  I want to be that guy.”  As for Diamani, he wants to go out as a Hoxie legend.  “I want to be remembered as someone that came into this town as a nobody and embraced the environment.  Not many people talk about small towns like Hoxie and Walnut Ridge, but it is such a great environment.  I came from the big city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I went from 600,000 to 2,000 people.  I feel very welcome in the town of 2,000.  Some games you look into the crowd and you see folks wearing face paint and some folks wearing number four on their faces.  We do this thing called the “Mustang Walk.”  I’ll go by and people are there to shake your hand and people are pulling me into the stands.  They want me to do better and be better, and they love me.  I just want to be remembered for a long time.” 

             Before I concluded the interview with the gentlemen, we had to discuss the renewed rivalry game between the Bobcats and Mustangs.  Phillips gave a rundown of what he remembers the rivalry being like before the game was halted several years ago.  “It got pretty dangerous at one point.  I can’t remember if Diamani was around yet, but we had a kid get injured and there was a cheap shot.  It was just bad.  There were fights.  Things were getting damaged.  Car windows were being broken out.  It wasn’t good for either town.  It wasn’t something you would want to bring your family to.  It is different now.  In the past, the kids hated each other.  The parents hated each other.  If you were from Walnut Ridge before this time, then you did not hang out with a kid from Hoxie.  Ever since that break, it is kind of different now.  Now, I feel like we are playing more for town pride.  I mean Diamani and I are good friends.  I’m friends with other guys from Hoxie.  On that week, we are just playing for pride.  When Diamani is on the football field, I just see number four.”  Davis added to the discussion about town pride.  “When that Thursday comes and it is the last game of the season, you are fighting for pride.  It is more important than all the other games just slightly.  I mean we are just two miles away, and it is going to be discussed for the next 365 days.  It is important to me because I want to bring the pride back to Hoxie.  I have one more chance to do that, and I’m going to try to do it.”  Phillips went on to discuss how the rivalry is so distinct in comparison to surrounding schools that are considered rivals.  “I think our rivalry is different from others when you compare them to the Jonesboro schools.  Jonesboro is a big town of like 76,000 I think.  I mean you can avoid folks from other schools.  In Walnut Ridge, you cannot do that.  You are going to run into people from Hoxie.  I think that has a lot to do with why the rivalry got as bad as it was.  You can’t physically avoid folks from the other town.  You are going to see people that you are going to play.  I think especially the week leading up to the game, things just seem to get testy.  You have to socialize with the person you are supposed to be going to war with on that Thursday.  It just builds it up.”

             The season has yet to start, but you can write it down that they both are looking forward to competing against each other one last time.  That game will be played on November 2^nd at Walnut Ridge as Hoxie looks to avenge the 44-0 blowout loss they suffered to the Bobcats from a year ago.  As for Diamani and Colin, they look to remain friends except for maybe one night out of the year. 

Click the link below to read the latest NEA Sports Magazine! The 2017 Football Preview!

https://view.joomag.com/nea-sports-magazine-2017-football-preview/M0856583001506025682