The River Valley Report 2024 Football preview | Page 9

THE RIVER VALLEY REPORT FOOTBALL PREVIEW | 8.11.2024

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Junior Blake Forsgren took most of the snaps at quarterback for the Mavericks during the summer after completing 7 of 14 passes for 61 yards last year as a backup on Friday night.

Senior Joaquin Fox is the leading returning ground gainer with just four carries for eight yards.

Junior Jayden Webb is the leading returning receiver with two catches for 12 yards but did play some at both slot receiver and outside receiver.

“ They got meaningful snaps,” Dameron said.“ It’ s not like we don’ t have anybody that hasn’ t played. They just weren’ t bonafide starters. They played on Monday nights and were in some of the games where the score wasn’ t very close at the end. That’ s why those Monday night games were so important because that was basically next year’ s team.”

The Mavericks will be counting on

nonconference games against Fort Smith Northside, Little Rock Central and Little Rock Southwest to determine a lot of positions before the conference opener in their inaugural season in the 6A-West on Sept. 27 against Mountain Home.

“ That’ s part of high school football,” Dameron said.“ The first three weeks of the season is figuring out who you are and what we want to be offensively and defensively. We’ re in the same position defensively. We don’ t have a whole lot of guys that started and played the entire season last year.”

Dominic Parkinson, Joseph Kincannon, and Peyton Zimmerman are the most experienced players on the defensive side of the ball.

“ They are the three that played the most,” Dameron said.“ That’ s a linebacker and two safeties. The rest is going to be new faces and guys that haven’ t played as much in the past. They’ re going to be asked to step up

and be starters.”

Junior Ethan Dunn will start at middle linebacker. Seniors Aden Johnson and Tamariyeh Johnson will play in the secondary. Senior Tyrone Palmer is capable of playing at linebacker and on the line. Senior Kaden Perez will play defensive end and did see varsity time last year. Daniel Morales also played on the line last year and could be joined by Braxton Youngblood on the line.

Dwight Johnson earned a few starts last year at corner and returns. The other corner spot is up for grabs between Derrick Lacy or Lee Prince. Pressley Chitwood could play at safety, depending on how much Kincannon and Zimmerman play receiver.

“ We need all of them. We’ re going to play more guys two ways this year,” Dameron said.“ We could play our safeties at receiver depending on the need level.”

FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE MAVERICKS

2023 RECORD 7-5, 3-4 7A-West COACH Kim Dameron( 5th year, 15-30) RETURNING STARTERS 1 offense, 3 defense KEY PLAYERS OL Nick Arnold( Jr., 5-11, 245), LB Dominic Parkinson( Sr., 5-8, 170), S Joseph Kincannon( Sr., 5-10, 160), S Peyton Zimmerman( Jr., 5-10, 175), LB Ethan Dunn( Jr., 5-11, 230), QB Blake Forsgren( Jr., 6-2, 185)

*— Denotes 6A-West Conference game. All kickoffs 7 p. m. unless noted.

Fort Smith Southside quarterback Blake Forsgren prepares to throw a pass at the Lumber One 7-on-7 event at Alma.( Special to River Valley Democrat- Gazette / Leland Barclay)

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