PREP RALLY: CLASS 6A | 8.18.2024
19
Cole Creighton Shiloh Christian File Photo
Shiloh. I think it really legitimizes us and gives us a chance to be competitive.”
Barnard is in his second season at Shiloh Christian after coaching Stillwater, Okla., for 12 years, including the Class 6A- II state championship in 2022 and a 93-43 record. Barnard was at Shiloh Christian as an assistant coach from 2004 through 2010.
Shiloh Christian has appeared in five-straight state championship games, including the last two in Class 5A which determined its move up to the 6A-West.
Southside will play in the 6A-West for the next two-year cycle, marking the first time for the school to not compete in the state’ s largest classification since 1982.
The Mavericks return just four starters off last year’ s team that lost to Fayetteville, 30-24, in the Class 7A quarterfinals.
“ We have new kids playing new opponents,” Southside Coach Kim Dameron said.“ Going into the game, we’ re just going to try to be the best we can be and not really worry about the rest of it. I feel like if we do that and the kids continue to work like they have, we’ ll keep our team atmosphere and family atmosphere will keep those guys close together. You show up at the games and see what happens. That’ s what I’ m going to do.”
The 6A-West starts and ends with reigning state champion Greenwood, which went 14-0 and set a single-season school record with an offense that scored 669 points.
The Bulldogs return quarterback Kane Archer, receivers Grant Karnes and Isaiah Arrington and linemen Ashton Stein, Christian Fleming and Cody Taylor.
In addition, Greenwood had receiver Khalil‘ Champ’ Davis move in from Omaha( Neb.) North, receiver Aamonii‘ Money’ Wren move in from Newport and offensive lineman Eddy Costelo move in from Northside.
“ Kane’ s good by himself, but you put him with a really good offensive line, which we have and put him with as solid a group of receivers as we’ ve ever had,” Young said.“ We feel like we have eight guys that can play for us on a Friday night. It’ s going to be fun. You put a good O-line with good receivers and a good quarterback, we like what we do scheme-wise offensively. I think have potential to give them problems.”
The 6A-West schedule kicks off in a big way with Shiloh Christian, which is considered in some circles as the second best team in the conference despite moving up, hosting Greenwood in the first conference game of the season.
“ I don’ t know if there’ s a way to stop Greenwood or not,” Barnard said.“ My last year at Stillwater, we were able to beat them. They came to our place and played. We created a few turnovers and were able to play really physical up front on both sides of the ball. We were at least as big as they are, maybe bigger, at Stillwater so we could mash a little better with them.”
Conference mainstays Van Buren, Russellville, Lake Hamilton, Mountain Home and Siloam Springs round out the conference.
“ You go back and we had Benton and Parkview, and then we get Pulaski Academy and Little Rock Christian, and it’ s the same dynamic,” Van Buren Coach Moe Henry said.“ We lost those guys, but we get Shiloh and Southside. Shiloh brings a lot of kids back, and they do things that are different. They’ re going to be a load to handle. Then the rest of our conference has been the tale of time and the matchups and how competitive those games are that can go either way. It’ s a challenge, and it’ s something that we hold over our guys’ head to make them work hard.”
The Pointers have returning starters at several key spots including running back Cameron Keller and receiver Trenton Cooley along with offensive lineman Ethan Hurst and multi-purpose athlete Weston Wilcox.
Russellville has the luxury of a returning quarterback, Luke Jones, who threw for 1,296 yards and 14 touchdowns last year and ran for five scores.
Siloam Springs also returns a quarterback, Dane Marlatt, who threw for 632 yards and ran for three scores.
Mountain Home returns receiver Carter Adkins, who snared 51 passes for 562 yards and four scores.
— Graham Thomas contributed to this story
1-888-780-8391 https:// www. firstparis. net /