The Wynne Yellowjackets will once again be the favorites in the 5A East entering the 2022 football season . Coach Van Paschal led his team to a 10- 2 record a season ago finishing behind the Nettleton Raiders . They still finished as one of the top teams in class 5A . It will be more of the same this season as Wynne will continue to play with an extra-large target on their backs . Coach Paschal mentioned several key players for the upcoming season which include : OLB / WR Allen Jones , CB Tom Owens , DE / WR Rashad Connelly , and Birk McBride . Wynne will continue to work out of the flexbone on offense while running a 3-3 stack on the defensive side of things . Brayden Mattox will serve as the Yellowjackets kicker . Paschal has some concerns about having a young defense and states “ We need them to grow up fast .” The bottom line is that Wynne continues to be the team to beat and it will be more of the same in 2022 . NEA Sports projects the Yellowjackets to get some revenge on Nettleton and win the conference .
The Rector Cougars had a nice 2021 year finishing 7-3 . The Cougars lose a few solid players from last season ’ s eight-man squad . They return four starters on offense and another four on defense . Rector will work out of multiple formations on offense . Junior Aston Scott will start at quarterback . He has very little experience at the high school level although he was solid in junior high . Jacob Cox works as the feature running back for Coach David Hendrix . Cox came four yards shy of rushing for 1100 yard on the ground . He will be the Cougars top guy . With that being said , Jackson Hill will take some carries away from Cox . Junior Drew Henderson was an all-conference receiver for Rector last season . He will also lineup at QB and run out of the wildcat formation at times . He ’ s got solid speed and can be tough to bring down . Senior Sam Shipley works at tight end . He ’ s a three-year starter and will start for his third consecutive year at the senior high level . Shipley plays a pivotal role for the team at defensive end . Junior Jacob Mooneyhan will be the leader on defense . He had 68 tackles in 2021 while Carter Hill had 58 tackles at linebacker . Coach Hendrix likes the experience he has returning on this season ’ s team . There are concerns about depth . Rector continues to produce in eight-man football . They won their conference last season and will likely stand an excellent chance at repeating again .
Aug . 26 @ Marshall Sept . 2 Mountain Pine Sept . 16 ICC Sept . 23 KIPP Blytheville Sept . 30 @ ICC Oct . 7 @ Brinkley Oct . 14 @ Augusta Oct . 21 Midland Nov . 4 KIPP Delta
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