Page 32 - Demo

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018 | RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
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ATKINS RED DEVILS
Red Devils coach: ‘We would love a championship’
BY TAMMY KEITH
SENIOR WRITER
The Atkins Red Devils have made it to the third round of the playoffs the past two years.
This year, coach Tommy Cody would like to see his team go further, and of
course, so would the players.
“Once you get into the playoffs, you don’t
know what’s going to happen,” he said.
The Class 3A-4 Conference team was 10-3 last year, winning two playoff games before losing
to “a very talented McGehee team,” Cody said. “We had a really good season last year; we came in second in the conference to Charleston,”
he said.
He’s optimistic about this season, too.
“We did graduate some seniors; we’ve got
several coming back,” the coach said.
Among those starting in the Spread offense that the Red Devils run are seniors Abron Sorrels, right tackle, a three-year starter; Nick Ferguson, right guard; Parker Ward, center, first- year starter; and Malachi Ketchum, left guard,
who started a few games last year.
An additional first-year starter this year will
be junior Cody Robinson at left tackle. Receivers are seniors Trey Davis, a three- year starter, who was all-conference last year; Gage Rehm, H-back, an all-conference three- year starter; Kennen Martin, returning starter and all-conference player. James Christie, who started on defense last year, will start on offense,
Cody said.
The quarterback position had to be filled after
Zack Harris graduated.
“He was an all-conference player last
AMBER QUAID/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Atkins sophomore Donovan Nooner, right, takes off down the field with senior Abron Sorrels blocking during a summer team camp.
Atkins senior Nick Ferguson looks to block during a running play.
ATKINS RED DEVILS
AUG. 24 ........................................ @HECTOR AUG. 31 ............................................. DOVER SEPT. 7 ................................ @MAGNET COVE SEPT. 21 .............................@BAPTIST PREP* SEPT. 28 .................................. PERRYVILLE* OCT. 5 ...................................... JESSIEVILLE* OCT. 12 ..................................... @DANVILLE* OCT. 19 ....................................MAYFLOWER* OCT. 26 .................................. @GLEN ROSE* NOV. 1 ......................................TWO RIVERS*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
a big game for our kids because it’s a rivalry game; you want to do well,” Cody said. “Always that first conference game to me is the most important one. The first conference game, in Week 4, is with Arkansas Baptist.”
The coach is realistic, yet optimistic, about the Red Devils.
“Our goals are always kind of the same. We want to make the playoffs; we would love a championship,” he said. “Once you get into the playoffs, you don’t know what’s going to hap- pen. We’ve been to the third round two years in a row; these guys would like to go a little further — the semifinals.
“That’s what you hope for. It takes a lot of luck, staying healthy,” he said.
year, so we’re going to miss him,” Cody said. Stepping up will be junior Eli Roberson, a
first-year starter.
“He’s 6-7; he’s got a really strong arm, throws
it real well,” the coach said.
The starting running-back position will be
between senior Coalton Roper and junior Riley Bowden, who will split time on the field. “Who goes out there first, I don’t know,” Cody said.
Returning starters on defense will be seniors Matthew Roberson, an all-state nose guard last
year, and Rehm, a linebacker who led the team in tackles last year with 149. Davis is returning at cornerback; Martin is returning to the safety position; the strong safety is Hunter Boyer.
“We play a 5-2,” Cody said.
The team’s strength this season is “just that a lot of those guys who played last year are back — Trey Davis, who led in receptions with 55; yards receiving, 1,127; 13 touchdowns; and 6 interceptions. Gage led us in tackles — he’s back. A lot of those guys who had great seasons last year, they’re back.”
That gives the coach confidence that the play- ers will have the right chemistry and the skills to take them far in the season.
“I would say our biggest weakness is our depth in the offensive and defensive lines. As far as depth, we don’t have a lot.
“I don’t know if it’s a weakness — it’s probably a question mark — our quarterback has nev- er started a high school game; he played some last year. When you go out there and those lights come on, you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
The game to watch on the schedule is against Dover, he said.
“Probably our big rivalry is the Dover game. We ... play Dover in our second game. That’s