Aug . 25 – at Harding Academy Sept . 1 – Poplar Bluff Sept . 8- Rivecrest Sept . 22 – at Paragould Sept . 29 – Forrest City Oct . 6 – at Wynne Oct . 13 – Brookland Oct . 20 – at Southside Oct . 27 – Nettleton Nov . 3 – Batesville
The Valley View Blazer football program is still young in comparison to others , but you will be hard pressed to find a program that has won so much with such a young history . Coach Sean Cockrell and his guys earned a share of another 5A East conference title , its 3rd in 5 years , and broke another program barrier by winning its first 5A football playoff game with a victory over Farmington in its fifth straight 5A playoff appearance . The Blazers would fall a little short in the quarterfinals , but that has driven Coach Cockrell and his squad to win another conference championship and make a deeper drive into the postseason . Valley View lost several key starters , but still has a lot of experience and talent returning to be one of the favorites in a tough , balanced league . The Blazer offense should prove to be explosive led by three year starting quarterback Carson Turley . The All-State senior returns after completing 123 of 224 passes for 1,879 yards and 18 touchdowns . Turley will look to expand those numbers with a plethora of weapons all around him . Senior , All-State running back Slade Caldwell returns after rushing for 772 yards and five touchdowns and catching 11 passes for 115 yards and another touchdown . The Ole Miss baseball commit and Major League Baseball prospect may miss some games early in the season as he has baseball commitments to sure up his draft status , but Coach Cockrell has a stable of rushers to step in and create different looks at the running back position . Senior Zane Guthrie and Junior Anthony Feliz have seen snaps in the past and will have opportunities early in the season and even in multi-back formations . Sophomore Peyton Hicks will get some touches as well moving up from a 9-1 conference runner-up team in junior high . Senior T . J . Starks will line up all over the field as he becomes a primary target for Turley . Starks caught 16 passes last year and four touchdowns and is one of the most explosive players in the league . Junior Andrew Jones will lineup opposite Starks as the team ’ s best route runner . Jones has sure hands and a knack for a big play in a big spot . They will be flanked by seniors Zahki Ervin and Gavin Tice , junior Tripp Dale , senior Lance Cooper , and sophomore Noah Ragsdale all looking to get some touches this year . Avery Wood leads the team up front at center and will look to guide an inexperienced line to create holes and provide protection . Defensively , the Blazers have more spots to fill after losing eight starters from a year ago . Leading the way is Missouri commit Brian Huff . The All-State senior linebacker had 92 tackles last season , 7 for a loss , and a strip and score . Huff is joined at linebacker by senior Jett Bradsher who started the last half of his junior year . Coach Cockrell says Bradsher has a tremendous football I . Q ., which he showed with nine tackles in his first start against Southside . Senior Jude Rapert returns to Valley View after starting every game for Brookland last year . He will be joined by Nick Gammill to make up the linebacking corp . Up front , senior returner Dedrick Bornds will look to wreak havoc in the opposing backfield from the defensive end position . Bornds is explosive and hard to block and recorded multiple sacks and tackles for loss last season . Fellow senior Ja ’ Marion Davis played last season on the defensive line where he made instant impacts on the field . Junior Laird Cullen and Senior Kenneth Robinson saw time in the secondary and will look to lead an inexperienced group in the defensive backfield . Junior Brody Dix and Wyatt Oldham both return to kicking duties for the Blazers . Dix returns a strong leg after hitting 39 of 42 PATs , while Oldham places the ball in the short kickoff game very accurately . Valley View went 9-3 last season , winning four pivotal games by one score . Coach Cockrell hopes an explosive offense will get his team over the hump in those close battles that will be weekly in a loaded conference . Look for the Blazers to be at the top of the conference , battling for a league title and a home playoff game to make a deep run in the postseason .
The Paragould Rams have been hoping for more success as a football program for a number of years , and Coach Randy Phillps hopes to provide that spark in his first year as he takes over at head coach coming over from Trumann . Coach Phillips will have some key returners back to help see improvement in the program . Utilizing deception , misdirection , and a power run game in the wing T scheme , the Rams return Carter Beliew and Cole Chipman in the backfield . Beliew played quarterback last season , but will shift to fullback , with senior Nate Brittingham bringing his speed to quarterback . Corbin Bailey will be at wingback with seniors Eric Copeland and Lucas Deathridge . Jathan Moore will play wide receiver leading a group that includes seniors Lane Holden and Eskender Michael . They will look to follow Haden Rabah at center and his fellow offensive lineman Lucas Hardin and Jalen Simmons . Seniors Sam Hunt and Shawn Hood will work at tight end . Hardin will be one of the leaders up front on defense with seniors Rabah , Zander Hinkle , and Amar Tadese . Beliew could play some defensive line with juniors Asher Worsham and Michael Lawrence . Hunt and Hood will line up at linebacker with
Aug . 25 – at GCT Sept . 1 – Piggott Sept . 8 – at Hoxie Sept . 22 – Valley View Sept . 29 – at Batesville Oct . 6 – Nettleton Oct . 13 – Forrest city Oct . 20 – at Wynne Oct . 27 – Brookland Nov . 3 – at Southside
Holden , Deathridge , senior Kaden Calhoun , and junior Hayden Johnson . The defensive backfield will feature Chipman , Brittingham , and senior Jimarrie Rogers rotating at the corners and Bailey and Moore at safeties . Coach Phillips believes in his team calling them very intelligent and hard working . His concern is the team ’ s lack of depth , but believes his first unit is very solid . Aiden Chipman is a good weapon in the kicking game and could provide some much needed points in key situations . Coach Phillips is optimistic in his first year in the 5A East , “ If we can avoid serious injuries , we believe we can compete for a playoff spot .”