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THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018
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Returning this fall is senior quarterback Koby Rich. He played in 10 games last season, completing 97 of his 151 passes for 1,619 yards with 22 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
“I am comfortable with him, and he is com- fortable with me,” Simpson said. “These days, everyone uses RPO (run, pass, option), so there are a lot of options.
“You want a guy who can do that kind of stuff. He is a two-year starter, and him having that mastery of our offense makes it easier.”
Simpson said one thing he is excited about is the options he is going to have in the backfield. Brayden Duncan, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year, will be moved around a bunch because he is “pretty fast.”
“I don’t know if we have many who can run like him,” Simpson said. “We are very excited to have several kids who can carry the ball.
“The past couple of years, we have had to convert receivers at tailback, and that gave us some options. But this year, we are going to have what some might consider ‘real’ body types at running back — a thicker pounding back.
“So we are going to run several different looks. It will be tougher for a defense than to prepare for just one or two guys.”
Senior Caden Huskey, who was named last season’s Three Rivers Edition Defensive Player of the Year and was all-state, will return at running back.
“He makes his money on defense, but offen- sively, he is underrated,” Simpson said. “He is definitely a talented player, and he is extremely intelligent and understands the game well.”
Huskey has already earned some attention from a few Division II colleges, such as Harding University in Searcy and Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. Simpson expects Huskey to get a few more looks but said he thinks most are waiting to see how much he progresses this season.
Alex Palmer started as a sophomore last year and will make the move to running back this year and will also play linebacker on de- fense. He will be joined by junior outside line- backer Larkin Jones.
Senior Seth Salter is a transfer from Batesville High School, and he is expected to play running back and linebacker for the Southerners.
“We have about four different options that we are comfortable with running the ball,” Simpson said. “All of them bring a different element to the table.”
Defensively, Southside will be led by senior linebacker Jeron McDonald. He was named
STACI VANDAGRIFF/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Southside Batesville head coach Kenny Simpson directs traffic during a practice earlier this year.
SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE SOUTHERNERS
defensive back for Southside. Sitkowski played football in junior high but has never played at the varsity level.
“He is a phenomenal basketball and baseball player,” Simpson said. “He came out this year during the offseason, and physically, he is one of the best we’ve got.
“The more and more comfortable he gets with what we are trying to accomplish, the bet- ter he will become.
“He is pretty good right now, but once he un- derstands the game more, he will get even better.” Simpson said he believes the reason Sitkowski decided to play football this year is a result of the
camaraderie among his friends and teammates. “It is such a team sport, and I think he just wanted to be a part of it and contribute what
he could,” Simpson said.
Howell and Sitkowksi will have no easy task,
as they have to replace the three defensive backs Southside lost to graduation.
“They were probably the best we have ever had,” Simpson said. “But [Howell and Sitkowski] are fast and physical, but there is some inexperience.
“As the season goes on, I have a feeling they are going to become very good back there.”
Southside hopes to build off its historic suc- cess this season and compete for a conference championship and make the postseason. The Southerners opened the season against Warren on Friday.
“We are realistic with our kids,” Simpson said. “We know how many things it takes to fall into place, but our No. 1 goal is to get better today and build from that.
“That has been the great thing about this group of kids. They have a great work ethic. We understand we have a lot of obstacles in front of us. We just have to come out and practice hard and be prepared.”
AUG. 25 ....................................... WARREN AUG. 31 .................................. @CAVE CITY SEPT. 14 ................................ POCAHONTAS SEPT. 21 ...............................@STUTTGART* SEPT. 28 .................................. RIVERVIEW* OCT. 5 ...................................... @LONOKE*
all-conference as a junior and was the team’s leading tackler. Lineman Sean Wojcik is ex- pected to return this year after tearing his ACL in the middle of the season in 2017. Simpson said Wojcik is one of the best lineman the team has, and since they run primarily out of the Wing-T offense, he is “extremely important to what we do.”
“He is cleared to go, and he has looked good this offseason,” Simpson said. “He is going to play some defensive line this season as well.”
Michael Tucker, who got injured before the playoffs last season, is a two-year starter slated to return to the defensive line, as well as Quinton Russell.
“We have three spots, but we play five kids, and we bring all of them back,” Simpson said. “We anticipate that being pretty good.”
Tanner Pitts, who has been all-conference the past two seasons, leads the offensive line at the tackle position.
“We also have three returning starters — all
OCT. 12 .... CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN* OCT. 19 ........................... HEBER SPRINGS* OCT. 26 ...................................@LR MILLS*
NOV. 2
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*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
seniors — and two juniors who are going to be real good and have a great motor,” Simpson said. “We hope that is going to be a strength.
“We are stronger than we have ever been.” Will Sitkowski and Zach Howell will play