Page 7 - RVO Football Preview Sept 2016

RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2016
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CONWAY WAMPUS CATS
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“Some teams just feature one running back, but we play a lot of them; we always have,” Ashcraft said. “The season’s long, and it’s physical, and we are playing really good football teams. We’re glad to have McCall as our leading guy, but Shamar Harper played a lot and is very, very tough. Kip Vanhoose (5-8, 177) moved in last year, and he’s really going to help us. We feel good about that position, for sure. Coach [Scott] Schwartz is really happy about what he’s got there.”
Other returning offensive starters include senior wide receiver Marquise Pleasant (5-11, 167), who snagged 47 receptions for 874 yards and six touchdowns last season; senior H-back Jack Pillow (6-0, 223); junior tight ends Chris Patterson (5-11, 196) and Kris Anderson (6-2, 204); and versatile junior linemen Thomas Cloyd (6-1, 277) and Nathan Turner (6-1, 242).
Defensive starters returning are senior line- men Kawon Green (6-0, 236) and Donald Joshua (5-11, 218); senior linebackers Nick Fletcher (6-2, 200) and Logan Camp (5-10, 184); senior defensive back Kameron King (5-11, 200); and junior defensive back Will Kennedy (5-10, 157).
Joshua earned 99 tackles and six sacks as a junior. Fletcher, who earned all-state honors, led the Wampus Cats in tackles last season with 113. Camp, playing outside, recorded 91. King, despite playing much of the season with a cast on his bro- ken arm, managed 53 tackles. Kennedy notched 67 tackles and five interceptions and broke up eight passes.
Most of those Cats, Ashcraft said, have the potential for postseason honors.
But obviously, there are some glaring holes, starting with quarterback. At press time, Ashcraft said the battle to replace Smith would likely continue through the benefit game. Senior Parker Teague (5-10, 177), junior Andrew Hreha (6-1, 187) and
Other top newcomers on offense are seniors Karlton Hood (5-10, 163) and Brady Newman (5-9, 160) and juniors Brooks Thomason (6-1, 170) and Jarrett Hoover (5-9, 152) at wide receiver; junior Michael George (5-9, 181) at run- ning back; junior James Martindale (6-1, 200) at tight end; and senior Brandon Moss (6-0, 270) and junior Keandre Clay (5-11, 238) on the line.
Top newcomers on the defensive line include seniors Jordan Davis (6-1, 238), Jalen Flood (5-9, 266), Hayden Sneed (5-11, 197) and Darian King (5-10, 198). New linebackers to watch in- clude seniors Ben Horne (5-11,178); Jalen Jemison (5-9, 160) and Sam Revis (5-9, 195); and juniors Zach Freedle (5-11, 202); Blake Walter (5-11, 168); Garett Fusilier (5-10, 189); and Logan White (5-11, 209).
New defensive backs to watch include seniors Kip Vanhoose and Erik Webster (5-7, 130); and juniors Jackson Freeman (5-10, 164), Cole Hoover (5-10, 164), Darnell Washington (5-9, 157), Syrkhylin Norment (5-10, 159) and Freddy Romero (6-1, 178).
Junior Brennan Clark (5-8, 164) is a versatile athlete and could be used in a variety of situations. Conway will open the season at home Friday against Springdale, which is coming off a 2-9 mark in former UCA quarterback Zak Clark’s first season. The Wampus Cats will then trav- el to Jonesboro (8-4 last year) and play host to Bentonville (10-2, but the district splits with a second high school this fall in Bentonville West)
for their final nonconference game.
They’ll then move into the schedule for
the newly realigned 7A-Central: at Fort Smith Southside (8-5 in 2015) on Sept. 23; North Little Rock (7-5) in John McConnell Stadium on Sept. 30; at Cabot (10-1) on Oct. 7; Fort Smith Northside (4-7) at home on Oct. 14; at Little Rock Central (3-7) on Oct. 21; Little Rock Catholic
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MATT JOHNSON/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Conway junior cornerback Darnell Washington takes the ball upfield during a kickoff drill.
sophomore Jovoni Johnson (6-3, 180) were in the mix.
“Andrew’s one of our multisport athletes, and he was gone a lot of the spring with base- ball,” Ashcraft said. “Teague was in the offsea- son, so they’re still battling it out. We really like Jovoni Johnson, but I would say right now it’s the two older guys. It’s not nailed down there, for sure. We’ll let them keep competing.”