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RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018
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CONWAY CHRISTIAN EAGLES
PHOTOS BY STACI VANDAGRIFF/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION
Conway Christian coach Justin Kramer, center, gets his players going during a preseason practice.
Conway Christian coach feels more comfortable this season
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
In his first year as head coach, Justin Kramer led the Conway Christian Eagles to an 11-2 record and a quarterfinal finish in the Class 2A state playoffs. It was the best individual season
Conway Christian has ever had.
“The first year is so different because every-
thing is new,” Kramer said. “We are trying to learn the kids and learn what they are used to and make changes where needed.
“Going into the second year, I would say it is much more comfortable. You don’t have to wait and see what is going to happen; everyone kind of knows what I expect.
“I know what they are about, and so for that side of it, it is just going to be so much better.”
The Eagles made it to the quarterfinals before they lost to the defending state champion Mount Ida by six points. Mount Ida would reach the state finals again last fall but lost to Foreman in the championship game.
Kramer said one of the things the team will have to work on this year is consistency. He said
there were some games when the Eagles were a lot more crisp, and other games, the Eagles looked sloppy.
“I’ve got to do a better job of making sure we are well prepared to play on a high level on a con- sistent basis,” Kramer said.
Kramer said one of the problems they had last year was playing at the same level as their oppo- nents. For example, in the game against Mount Ida, who was the defending Class 2A state cham- pion, the Eagles played up and played well, but it was other games, against lesser teams, when mistakes were made.
“We’ve got to learn to play the same way all the time, no matter what,” Kramer said. “That way, you don’t have to worry about mistakes and stuff as much.”
Returning this year is all-state quarterback Jacob Wood. The senior quarterback has already received an offer from Henderson State Univer- sity in Arkadelphia, but the coach said he thinks Wood will receive more offers.
“He’s been to a couple of camps this summer,
Conway Christian assistant coach Daniel Ellen works with junior Eli Moore.
CONWAY CHRISTIAN continued on 10VV CONWAY CHRISTIAN EAGLES
AUG. 25 ...........................................BAUXITE AUG. 31 ..................................@SPRING HILL SEPT. 7 ........................................ @CLINTON SEPT. 21 .......................................... POYEN* SEPT. 28 ..........................@MOUNTAIN PINE* OCT. 5 .......................................... ENGLAND*
OCT. 12 ......................................@QUITMAN* OCT. 19 ................@CUTTER MORNING STAR* OCT. 26 .................................MAGNET COVE* NOV. 2 .......................................... BIGELOW*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES