Page 10 - Demo

10SS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018 | THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
BEEBE BADGERS
Key for ‘battle-tested’ Badgers is to stay healthy
BY MARK BUFFALO
STAFF WRITER
Last season, the Beebe Badgers got off to a good start but stumbled midway through the season and missed the play- offs for the second consecutive season.
Longtime Beebe coach John Shannon said the injury bug hit his team at the wrong time, and a lack of depth hurt the Badgers.
Beebe knocked off Greenbrier 26-18 in Week 1 and Lonoke 34-13 in Week 2 before falling to a tough Wynne team 35-14 in the final nonconference game.
The Badgers opened 5A-Central play with four consecutive losses to Little Rock Christian, Pulaski Academy, Little Rock Parkview and Little Rock McClellan.
Beebe got back on track, beating Little Rock Mills and Little Rock Fair in the next two games before dropping the season finale
BEEBE BADGERS
AUG. 24 ................................. @GREENBRIER SEPT. 7 ............................................ LONOKE SEPT. 14 ........................................ @VILONIA SEPT. 21 ..............................@LR PARKVIEW* SEPT. 28 ........................... WATSON CHAPEL* OCT. 5 ....................................@WHITE HALL* OCT. 12 ..........................PULASKI ACADEMY* OCT. 19 ...................................@MAUMELLE* OCT. 26 ........................................... LR FAIR* NOV. 1 .................... LR CHRISTIAN ACADEMY*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
at Sylvan Hills to finish the season 4-6 overall and 2-5 in league play, which was good enough for sixth place, two games out of the playoffs.
“We played the toughest schedule in the conference,” Shannon said. “In Weeks 3, 4 and 5, we played the top 3 teams in the state. Two of them, we had a chance to win it late but didn’t get it done. Then the injury bug hit. You throw in McClellan, who was ranked No. 5 at the time.
“At one time during the season, we played the top 5 teams in the state (Class 5A). It just took a toll on us. We didn’t have a whole lot of depth, either. It kind of caught up to us.”
The Badgers return several starters on both sides of the ball this year.
“Most of our seniors are going to be three- year starters,” Shannon said. “We feel like we’re battle-tested.”
Returning on offense are linemen, junior Logan Pipkins (6-1, 260), senior Noah Jolly (6-2, 282), junior Maverick Payne (6-0, 245),
MARK BUFFALO/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Beebe junior guard Alex Rucker, left. listens to the instruction from head coach John Shannon. Last season, Beebe missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.
senior Quentin Johnson (6-2, 290) and senior Callie Neal (6-0, 200). Also returning is senior Taylor Boyce (5-6, 150).
Boyce rushed for 929 yards and 8 touch- downs on 149 carries in 2017. He also caught 8 passes for 175 and 3 touchdowns.
Senior Alex Boyce (6-3, 180) is set to be the starting quarterback for the Badgers this season. He was primarily a backup at quarterback and
played receiver while also playing linebacker. He caught a pass for 22 yards.
“He worked there in practice for the past several years,” Shannon said. “It came down to him and Gage House (5-4, 115) in the spring. Both were backups last year. Alex beat out House in spring ball. That’s who we’re going with.”
BEEBE continued on 11SS
BEST OF LUCK THIS SEASON, COACH CRAFTON, ETHAN CRAFTON AND ALL OF THE BEEBE BADGERS