Page 9 - Demo

THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2018
9SS
ENGLAND LIONS
New coach has high hopes about Lions
BY MARK BUFFALO
STAFF WRITER
The England Lions are coming off a 5-6
campaign and are looking forward to a new season under new coach Andrew Roberson.
Roberson was an assistant coach at Conway Christian before being hired in the spring to replace Matt Garrett. Roberson is the third England coach in three years.
“I’m definitely excited to be a head coach,” Roberson said. “Butterflies are definitely getting in the stomach the closer we get to game day.”
The Lions have the athletic ability for a win- ning season, the coach said.
“The potential is there for our team to be really successful,” Roberson said. “Fortunately, achievement and potential are two different animals. The athletic ability that these guys have is pretty good. If we can get these guys to
ENGLAND LIONS
AUG. 24 ....................................... @DES ARC AUG. 31 .........................................MCCRORY
“But I feel like if our kids play to their potential, I think there will be a lot of wins under that win column at the end of the season.”
England, which is a Class 2A school, has between 30 and 35 players practicing in the preseason.
“It’s a very good number,” he said.
An even better number is only four players playing on both sides of the ball.
“I think that is huge,” Roberson said. “It’s about finding the personnel and putting them in the right spot and, really, them owning the position on one side of the ball or the other. We have four players going both ways — also having a rotation with those four guys to make sure that they get breaks, to make sure that we can play four quarters 100 percent to the best of our ability.”
Roberson said he has seven starters on both sides of the ball returning this season.
Junior Mason Brazeal returns at quarterback.
He passed for 1,376 yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Other projected starters include junior K’Von McPherson at running back; seniors Richard Graves, Justus Fileteo and Tyler Woods and sophomore Darren McClinton at wide receiver; sophomore Sam Morales at center; sophomore George Mendoza and senior Jordan Slayden at guard; and juniors DeShun Hogan and Keyshawn Harris at tackle.
Defensive starters include linemen senior Desmond Scales, junior Eljess Hunter and junior Tamarous Dodson; linebackers sophomores Chris Lopez and Nolan Winchell, senior Therman Clingmon, McPherson and Fileteo; and secondary junior Brandon Terry, senior Jalen Rhodes and McClinton.
England opened the season Friday against Des Arc at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Lions will play their first home game Friday against McCrory.
SEPT. 7
SEPT. 21
SEPT. 28 .......................................BIGELOW* OCT. 5 ........................ @CONWAY CHRISTIAN* OCT. 12 ...................CUTTER MORNING STAR* OCT. 19 ...............................MOUNTAIN PINE* OCT. 26 ...................................... @QUITMAN* NOV. 1 ............................................@POYEN*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
play to their best ability, then they are going to be pretty good.”
Roberson said his players playing to that potential will lead to success.
“Obviously, as a coach, you want more wins than losses, and not just more wins than losses, but you want a substantial difference,” he said.
...................................... CLARENDON ............................ @MAGNET COVE*
LONOKE JACKRABBITS
AUG. 31 ......................................... CARLISLE SEPT. 7 ............................................@BEEBE
POCAHONTAS REDSKINS
AUG. 31 ...................................... NETTLETON
SEPT. 14
SEPT. 21
SEPT. 28
OCT. 5 .....................SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE* OCT. 12 ........................................ LR MILLS* OCT. 19 .... @CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN* OCT. 26 .................................. @STUTTGART* NOV. 1 ........................................ RIVERVIEW*
...................................... PARAGOULD ................ @SOUTHSIDE BATESVILLE ............................... @BROOKLAND* ............... @WESTSIDE JONESBORO*
SEPT. 7
SEPT. 14
SEPT. 21
SEPT. 28
OCT. 5 ......................................... CAVE CITY* OCT. 12 ................................. @RIVERCREST* OCT. 19 ....................................... TRUMANN* OCT. 26 ........................................ GOSNELL* NOV. 2 ...................................... @HIGHLAND*
MARK BUFFALO/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Lonoke senior quarterback Braidon Bryant, left, fakes a handoff to sophomore running back Brayden Coble during the first week of fall football practice. Lonoke is coming off a three-win season under second-year coach Taggart Moore, who was the interim coach in 2016.
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
SALEM GREYHOUNDS
AUG. 31 ............................... MOUNTAIN VIEW SEPT. 7 .......................... @YELLVILLE-SUMMIT SEPT. 14 ................................WALNUT RIDGE SEPT. 28 ..................................... @RECTOR* OCT. 5 .......................................... MIDLAND* OCT. 12 .............................. @MARKED TREE* OCT. 19 .................................... @MCCRORY* OCT. 26 .................. EAST POINSETT COUNTY* NOV. 2 .............................. @CROSS COUNTY*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
WALNUT RIDGE BOBCATS
AUG. 31 ..................................MARKED TREE SEPT. 7 ................. @EAST POINSETT COUNTY SEPT. 14 ......................................... @SALEM SEPT. 21 ..................................... NEWPORT* SEPT. 28 ................................... @OSCEOLA* OCT. 5 ........................................... PIGGOTT* OCT. 12 ........................................ CORNING* OCT. 19 ................................ @HARRISBURG* OCT. 26 ........................................ @MANILA* NOV. 1 ............................................... HOXIE*
..................................... @NEWPORT ............................HEBER SPRINGS* ................................ @BALD KNOB*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES