PRAIRIE GROVE -- The 2014 football season is officially upon us and the Prairie Grove Tigers are primed to make a run at their third consecutive 4A-1 conference title.
Because of numerous conference realignments and classification shake-ups the 4A-1 Conference will have a different look this season. The Tigers will bid farewell to the Ozark Hillbillies, who make the move to the 4A-4 conference and the Farmington Cardinals, Prairie Grove's fiercest rival, who make the move up to the 5A classification will now be a non-conference opponent on the Tigers' schedule. Taking the spots of Ozark and Farmington on Prairie Grove's conference slate will be the Huntsville Eagles and the private school powerhouse Shiloh Saints. Both schools move down from the 5A classification.
OFFENSE
The Tigers, led by head coach Danny Abshier, who is four wins shy of 150 victories (146-93-2) will open the 2014 season with their third consecutive quarterback in three years. Athletic Junior Sam Dodd will take the reins of the Tiger's offense after waging a fierce battle with solid senior Ryan Marrell for the signal-caller spot. Marrell will handle the primary backup duties with junior Dylan Soehner and sophomores Zeke Laird and Justis McNatt adding depth to the quarterback position.
The Tigers' backfield should again be a point of pride this season. Senior Bobby Catt moves from wingback to halfback this season and with his 5-10, 206 pound frame should provide sleepless nights for opposing defenses.
Junior Blake Faulk, who Abshier says "will bring a load when he hits you," will assume the wingback duties. Senior Eli Lopez, is a classic Prairie Grove, Wing-T fullback, who likes contact and is quick to the hole, according to Abshier.
Senior Leighton Smith (wingback) and sophomores Sol Walker (halfback) and Reed Orr (fullback) will serve as the primary backups, while Cole Walker, Jamison Huckaby and Zac Winters could all carve out some playing time in the Tiger's backfield.
Soehner should be one of the focal points in Prairie Grove's passing attack this season. At 6-foot-7 and 266 pounds, Soehner already has the build of an NFL tight end and has drawn interest from a few Division I universities.
Senior receiver Elliot Chamberlain possesses blazing 4.5 speed and classmate Zach Downey has stopped the watch at 4.6 in the forty. Both players will be featured heavily in the Tigers' aerial attack, while junior Cole McClellan and sophomore Isaac Disney will provide depth at the receiver position.
Strong senior Boyd Sparkman will anchor the Prairie Grove offensive line from his center position. Junior Dakota Hutchison, who Abshier says is a good leader and goes hard all the time will occupy one of the guard spots, while classmates Cole Walker and Matthew Gauldin both should see plenty of snaps at the other guard position.
At 300 pounds, junior tackle Jacob Southerly is according to Abshier a prototypical lineman. Southerly will be bookended at tackle by Classmate Andrew Carrillo, who saw extensive action on the line during the Tigers' 2013 campaign. Senior Michael Johnson can play every position on the line according to Abshier and Louisiana transfer Dakota Woods plus sophomore Dawson West could all be called upon to provide depth on the offensive line.
DEFENSE
On the defensive line Jamison Huckaby, who coordinator Craig Laird says is the Tigers' fastest lineman, will man the nose guard spot and will be backed-up by Sparkman. Soehner will utilize his behemoth physical attributes at one defensive end spot while aggressive senior Orrin Hacker will occupy the other end position. Woods, Johnson, junior Coty Hoskins and sophomore Jack Stone add depth in the defensive trenches.
Manning the inside linebacker positions on coach Laird's defense will be Hutchison and Cole Walker. Laird says that both players are "aggressive and strong." Dodd and Faulk will capitalize on their athletic abilities from their outside backer positions. Laird says Lopez will play both linebacker and strong safety. Marrell and Orr should also see time among Prairie Grove's linebacking corps.
Chamberlain likes to hit and has a good nose for the ball from his free-safety position according to Laird. Catt, who led the Tigers in interceptions last season, and Downey will occupy the cornerback spots. Disney and Drake Hacker could both see time in the Tigers' secondary.
CONCLUSION
The Tigers will have a target on their back after two consecutive seasons which saw them blaze through their conference schedule unscathed en route to back-to-back conference championships. That target, combined with the addition of two schools that last season played in a higher classification, has coach Abshier warning that reaching the pinnacles they reached in 2013 and 2014 will require a focused effort.
"The last couple of seasons have been about as good as it can get, but we can't sit back and ride the coattails of our success," Abshier said. "Right now we are behind where I'd like to be and we have some lack in some of the mental aspects of the game, however one of our strengths is that we are not afraid of hard work."
Sports on 08/27/2014