Spring football signals fresh start
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008
BENTON COUNTY - Spring football for high schools statewide starts Monday with a myriad of storylines for some teams in the county.
Among them, Bentonville has holes to fill at quarterback, running back and on the offensive line, Rogers Heritage will throw out the footballs for the first time and Gravette will look to build on an incredible 2007 season.
All schools will deal with one significant change this spring: Teams can practice in pads all 10 days if they choose to. The old spring rule was five days in pads.
Bentonville coach Barry Lunney doubts his team will be in pads all 10 days. What Monday, though, will signal for the Tigers is the start of a busy stretch leading to the season opener at Conway on Sept. 5.
The Tigers will get in their 10 days of spring practice, then head to the University of Tulsa pad camp on June 4-6. In late August, Bentonville will again participate in the competitive Coca-Cola Classic at Tulsa Union.
J. C. King enters the spring as the Tigers' starting quarterback, replacing Micah Gregory. King was 8 of 12 passing for 45 yards in varsity mopup action last year, but he did start as the junior varsity quarterback. Shane Boedecker will get a long look as the featured back after the graduation of record-setting runner Anthony Blackmon. Boedecker ran for 313 yards and a touchdown on 75 carries in eight games last season. His best game was a 22-carry, 107-yard effort in a win against Springdale.
King and Boedecker will be protected by a starting line right now made up of four juniors and a senior.
"We're looking at really an entire replacement of the offense," Lunney said. "But we feel pretty good. We have really been encouraged by the linemen. Their strength is coming along and we have depth. We have some guys who can run. We are not without some ability up front."
Lunney's optimism is also buoyed by a defense that returns eight starters.
"This is the first time since we've been here that we've had significant numbers back on that side of the ball. We're going to have a lot of new starters on offense, but we have the comfort of a pretty good defense. That will help us until the offense gels. "
Heritage will have about 100 players - all sophomores and juniors - for drills, head coach Perry Escalante said.
The War Eagles have been working in shorts and helmets the past five Fridays in anticipation of their first spring practices in school history.
"We're trying to get them prepared for what they will see in the next few weeks," Escalante said. "It ought to be interesting."
Both Heritage and Rogers High School will practice at Gates Stadium. At any given time there could be 250 to 300 players around each other. One day, Rogers players will work at Gates Stadium and Heritage players will work in the large indoor turf room. The next day, the teams will switch locations.
"I think it will work out well," Escalante said. "Coach (Ronnie ) Peacock and I have talked. Both teams will get an equal amount of inside and outside work."
Heritage will limit contact the first couple of days, but Escalante said the War Eagles would use all of their 10 days in full pads.
Gravette coach Bill Harrelson will use his allotted 10 days with players in full pads.
The Lions, after an 10-3 season and a run to the Class 4 A semifinals in 2007, will welcome 52 players on Monday.
"That's 10 more than we had this time last year and 10 more than we had the year before that," Harrelson said.
Quarterback Ethan McKinzie, who was shelved by a season ending ankle injury in a playoff quarterfinal win over Dardenelle, is expected to participate.
"He's doing fine," Harrelson said. "He was cleared to play March 1 and he's been playing baseball. He's looked good."
Harrelson plans to use the time working mostly with sophomores and juniors. As good as last season was, Harrelson is ready to move on.
"You want to try and build off that, but at some point you have to let go of last year," Harrelson said.
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