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SPRINGDALE — Josh McKinney loves playing for Chris Wood.

The senior receiver not only loves Wood as a coach and a mentor, he loves Wood’s offensive philosophy. Luckily for McKinney, he gets to benefit from the very play Wood enjoys calling the most — the deep pass.

“The deep passes are a ton of fun, it’s one of the most fun things we do,” McKinney said. “Thing is, we do it so often in practice, I often get really tired. Sometimes, I’m like, ‘Coach, can we do some shorter stuff every now and again?’”

Last season, McKinney was Springdale Har-Ber’s leading receiver, catching 46 passes for 1,009 yards and four touchdowns. One of McKinney’s best games came in the Class 7A state quarterfinals against Cabot, when he caught nine passes for 146 yards and one touchdown, helping the Wildcats win 21-14.

“Josh is a special kid, a player that can truly do so many things because of his athleticism,” Wood said. “We’re extremely lucky to have Josh, not only for his leadership, but his speed, his hands and all the other attributes he has.”

McKinney (6-foot, 188 pounds) said one of his biggest improvements throughout the offseason was his body strength and his speed. In the spring and even during the summer, McKinney spent several hours at Har-Ber’s fieldhouse doing voluntary workouts, including lifting weights and running sprints.

“I knew I had to step up my game in order to be ready for this season,” McKinney said. “I guess it was the fact that I knew this was my last year and that I needed to be a leader. I’m not so much of a vocal leader as I am a leader by example, so I wanted to give the underclassmen a good example to go by.”

In the summer, McKinney especially worked with junior quarterback Ryan Luther, both individually and during 7-on-7 tournaments to establish good timing between the two. McKinney said adjusting to Luther’s style was kind of difficult at first, but after several practices, the two started working well together.

“It can be tough, I got used to (Zach Faust) last season and the way he threw the ball,” McKinney said. “But Ryan is doing a good job and I think he’s been great for all the receivers.”

Har-Ber receivers coach Ric Davies said one of the best aspects about McKinney is his hands and his ability to catch passes.

“A lot of people forget that, but he has great hands,” Davies said. “He can catch balls over his shoulder, above his head or where ever. Sometimes he really surprises a lot of us, but he always manages to catch the ball.”

More than anything this fall, McKinney said he just wants to help the Wildcats win games, something that’s been his focus and goal since he first started playing for them two years ago.

“I don’t worry about catches, passing yardage or touchdowns,” McKinney said. “It’s all about helping this team win games. We all just want to win and go as far as we can.”

HOW THEY LOOK

On The Ground
Har-Ber has several candidates who will be able to run the ball at any time this season, giving the Wildcats plenty of options on offense.

Last year, Har-Ber ran for more than 2,550 yards because of the skill and athleticism of graduated senior Derek Brinker. This season, the Wildcats replace Brinker with senior Tre Tyler (5-foot-7, 175) and junior Gordon Welch (6-1, 167) at running back while Logan Vowell (6-1, 214) will see time at fullback.

“We feel great about all of those guys, they’re all extremely capable of doing big things for us this year,” said Gary Wear, Har-Ber’s running backs coach. “Those guys worked hard in the offseason and they’ve continued to better themselves individually.”

Through The Air
It won’t be easy replacing an experienced quarterback like Zach Faust, but the Wildcats have no other option this season. Playing quarterback will be junior Ryan Luther (6-0, 165) , who didn’t attempt a single pass last season.

However, Luther has impressed Har-Ber’s coaches this year with his improved arm strength and his scrambling ability, something will give the Wildcats added options on offense.

“It’s never an easy transition, but I think Ryan has done a great job, more than we could have asked for,” Wood said. “He makes smart decisions, he’s quick and he’s got a good arm. We’re still capable of throwing the long ball, something that’s important to our offense.”

Luther won the starting job in the spring and competed extremely well in the summer in team camps and 7-on-7 tournaments. All the summer workouts helped Luther become better acquainted with his teammates as they all learned to gel with one another.

“I think I’ve managed to better myself as much as possible,” Luther said. “It just takes time, but throughout the spring and summer, I think we all came together and made this offense better than it has been before.”

Some of Luther’s biggest targets will include seniors Josh McKinney (6-0, 188), Kaleb Vaughn (5-11, 175) and Jordan Nicholson (5-9, 168).

Defensively, the Wildcats will look for senior free safety Houston Pruitt (6-0, 174), junior linebacker Hunter Kissinger (6-2, 192) and senior cornerback Russ Reynerson (5-8, 147) to contribute.

In The Trenches
The offensive line will be one of Har-Ber’s best positions with four juniors that have the potential to be the best blockers in the conference. The group is so talented that Wood said it could be one of the best he’s ever coached.

At left tackle is junior Daniel Garcia (5-11, 230), at left guard is junior James Johnson (6-0, 255), at center is senior Jonathan Blake (6-1, 255), at right guard is Sam Engel (5-9, 195) and right tackle is junior Brey Cook (6-6, 284).

On the defensive line, senior noseguard Eric Pearce (6-1, 268), senior end Ezra Ward (6-1, 174) and senior end Jacob Lloyd (6-1, 195) will all be expected to put constant pressure on opposing offenses, Wood said.

Special Teams
Wood said he expects big things from Har-Ber’s special teams this year, an area that he feels could be the difference in several games.

Har-Ber’s place kicker will be senior Oscar Escobar (5-8, 151), who had 57 points last season, including four field goals.

Punting duties will go to Levi Copher (5-11, 145) while returning punts will be speedy senior Nicholson. Returning kickoffs will also be Vaughn and junior Shawn Sayarinh (5-6, 132).

Intangibles
There’s no doubt that Har-Ber’s one-point loss to Fort Smith Southside in the Class 7A state semifinals last fall still resonates in the locker room. For the players who were there, it was a tough way to end a promising season. As a result, this year’s team will use that game as motivation, not only for the season, but just making sure the Wildcats get back to the playoffs.

“It was tough, but that’s the way this game goes sometimes,” Wood said. “Our guys are determined, they’re focused and they’re certainly motivated.”

Also, the Wildcats will have three true road games this season, which is always a tough task in the 7A-West Conference. Last season alone, Har-Ber’s only two conference losses came against both Fort Smith schools.

Overall
Although this is a somewhat young team, there’s still plenty of talent and potential to make this one of Har-Ber’s best teams under Wood. With a new quarterback and young offensive line, the Wildcats will have to make sure they can protect their home field and perhaps steal a few games on the road.

Regardless, Har-Ber has already started to build a rich tradition of reaching the playoffs — it started two years ago when it made its first appearance in the state championship game in only the second year of the program. Every season, the Wildcats continue to surprise other teams in the conference and then make noise in the playoffs.

Whether or not that happens this year depends on the few returning starters and the several newcomers that will be seeing playing time on Friday nights.

Look for the Wildcats to do what they always do — compete for a conference championship and make a run in the playoffs.

SEASON PREDICTION: 10-3

Beyond The Box Score

Why Har-Ber Will Win
Although the Wildcats only have seven returning starters, they boast a lot of newcomers with serious potential. A stout offensive line and a solid running game combined with another tough defense will make Har-Ber one of the better teams in the 7A-West Conference this season.

Why the Wildcats Will Struggle

Although there’s lots of potential among this year’s new players, there’s also inexperience. When the lights on Friday nights get turned on this fall, the biggest question will be if those young players can rise to the occasion and help the Wildcats win games.

Har-Ber also only has three conference games at home this season; however, two of those games are against Fort Smith Northside and Southside, two teams that have given the Wildcats problems the last three years.

Crucial Games

Greenwood, Sept. 4
Two of the most offensive-minded teams in the state square off for a much-anticipated season opener. The team that wins this battle will certainly be off to a great start.

Springdale High, Sept. 26
Another year, another big rivalry game between these two inner-city schools. Har-Ber has beat Springdale High the last two years. Can it pull off a third?

Fayetteville, Oct. 31
Clearly one of the biggest games in the 7A-West Conference this season. The fight for a conference championship will possibly be on the line, as well as potential high postseason seeds. No telling which team will win this scoring festival.

Strength Up Front
One of the biggest strengths for Har-Ber this season is its offensive line, a group of talented players that are big, strong and experienced. At left tackle is Daniel Garcia, left guard is James Johnson, center is Jonathan Blake, right guard is San Engel and right tackle is Brey Cook. Overall, the line averages a weight of 244 pounds. “We feel great about those guys,” Wildcats coach Chris Wood said. “This offense will go as they go, that’s for sure. With a new quarterback and a couple new guys running the ball, having the protection up front is important and we feel like we’ve got the group we need to be successful.” Cook has already garnered most of the attention, as he’s already been offered scholarships from Tulsa, Auburn and Oklahoma.

By The Numbers
20 — Victories for the Wildcats in the last two years
96 — Tackles by senior free safety Houston Pruitt last season
196.2 — Average number of rushing yards per game last season
2,964 — Number of passing yards by quarterback Zach Faust last season

Outside The Lines
There’s been one bit of consistency in Har-Ber’s last two postseason trips — close, but not quite. It’s not that Har-Ber’s last two seasons have been complete disappointments because of falling short in the postseason. In fact, it’s been the complete opposite, as the Wildcats have won a combined 20 games the last two years.

But this season, with a talented young group, the Wildcats are again focused on a successful regular season and again hoping for more postseason success. “There’s no doubt that our players remember how last season ended,” Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said. “We’re all wanting to take what happened (losing to Fort Smith Southside in state semifinals) and use it as motivation for this season. This is a group that desperately wants to get back to the state championship game.”

At A Glance

SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber’s Ryan Luther wasn’t sure what to expect when he was named the team’s starting quarterback in the spring.

For starters, the 6-foot, 165-pound junior automatically started putting pressure on himself, especially since he knew he’d be replacing graduated senior Zach Faust, who threw for nearly 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns a year ago.

But with a productive spring and an even better summer competing in several 7-on-7 tournaments, Luther said his confidence level has skyrocketed.

“It was tough at first, I had to go through a lot of learning,” Luther said. “But now, I feel a lot better about myself.”

Luther isn’t the only new face in Har-Ber’s offensive backfield, either.

Senior Tre Tyler and junior Gordon Welch will share the load at running back while senior Logan Vowell will see plenty of time at fullback.

All three players are replacing the invaluable Derek Brinker, who ran for 1,594 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Wildcats last fall.

“It’s not easy replacing a guy like (Derek), but we feel like we’ve got some guys who are really going to step up and fill in nicely,” Har-Ber running backs coach Gary Wear said. “They all do things really well, whether it’s their speed, being able to catch the ball or whatever. Ultimately, the best thing is we’ve got a lot of options.”

Wear said Tyler’s quickness and strength will go a long way for the Wildcats this season while Gordon’s ability to change directions and catch the ball out of the backfield will also play a big part.

Throughout the summer and during the last two weeks, Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said he’s excited about what he’s seen out of his offensive backfield.

“All of those guys, Ryan, Tre, Gordon, they’re all working well together, they’ve figured each other out,” Wood said. “We’ve got a great situation going on right now, because now we’re just building confidence in practice.”

Even though Wood admitted that losing experienced players like Faust and Brinker can be difficult to overcome, he feels this year’s squad will be more than capable of excelling in Har-Ber’s offensive scheme.

“A lot of people may not think our offense will be as good, but I couldn’t disagree more,” Wood said. “I think we’re going to have a very good offense, capable of driving and scoring when we need to.”

SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber coach Chris Wood has helped coach some of the state’s best quarterbacks.

FAYETTEVILLE – With several key figures gone from the offense that helped produce a state championship in 2007, Fayetteville has spent a good portion of the preseason working out some kinks. And according to coach Daryl Patton, everything is on schedule thus far.

“We’re still probably about at the same point as we usually are at this time,” Patton said. “I feel really good about our receivers, we’ve got probably the most depth we’ve ever had at quarterback and we’ve got two lineman – Colby Berna and Tyler McKee – back to lead that group. Then we’ve also got four running backs that are as good as we’ve ever had, as a group.”

Even though things are running smoothly – particularly under center where sophomore Brandon Allen is set to take over for all-state quarterback Blake McDonald – Patton knows plenty of work is still left to be done.

“We’re not there yet by any stretch,” Patton said. “But we’re getting there.”

The Bulldogs have been working out from 4-9 p.m. all week before finishing off with a two-hour scrimmage on Saturday. Fayetteville has also avoided the injury bug for the most part, with McKee (hyperextended elbow) and placekickers Drew Patton (hip flexor) and Chad Levin (back strain) being the only players forced to miss much time.

- VERNON TARVER

Tigers Offense Showing Improvement

BENTONVILLE – Bentonville coach Barry Lunney Sr. has 145 reasons to be optimistic. That’s the number of players who showed up to start fall practices last week.

“Coming off of spring football and then our camp, it’s really not a surprise, we thought we’d be farther along with our defense,” Lunney said. “We’ve got eight or nine starters back, depending how you look at it, and we only have two coming back on offense. We’re kind of on target right now.

“I think our offense has made improvement but again we’re going against … you know, a bunch of guys who played a lot on defense last year. Sometimes it can be a little one sided but traditionally it is that way, but if you couple what with inexperience on offense, it’s made it pretty tough.

“It’s a pretty good bunch on defense and it’s going to help us get better and better. We’ve made a lot of progress offensively since spring practice. We’ve done better on offense. With a lot of those guys, you can see, they are thinking instead of reacting.”

- Jerry L. Reed

Faust Standing Out In Prace

SPRINGDALE – Less than a week into fall practice, Har-Ber coach Chris Wood is already seeing good things out of his quarterback.

And why wouldn’t he?

This will be senior Zach Faust’s first season as the starter, but it most definitely won’t be his first time to take the field as the Wildcats’ signal-caller.

Faust rotated with Patrick Calcagni as the Wildcats used a two-quarterback system in their state runner-up campaign last season. Calcagni, who was the more mobile and athletic of the two, was the starter. Faust, who possessed the better arm came in on the third drive of every game.

“He’s a seasoned guy,” Wood said. “It’s not like we’re not returning a starter. He got snaps. He was a major, major player in us getting to the finals.”

Wood said Faust’s arm has gotten stronger and his passes have a little more zip to them.

“Zach Faust can throw the ball. I don’t think a lot of people give him credit for his ability. He’s going to play with a chip on his shoulder and play well. With him throwing it, we’re going to have an opportunity to do some good things.”

- Brandon Harris, Special To The Morning News

No Seniors For War Eagles

ROGERS – Rogers Heritage doesn’t have any football tradition but coach Perry Escalante wasn’t afraid to introduce the War Eagles to a Rogers Mounties legend this week.

Escalante invited Whitey Smith to practice and had every player shake Smith’s hand. Smith even got a coaches shirt out of the deal. Smith, a Rogers businessman and 1956 graduate, was the first Mountie football player to ever play in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star game.

Smith returned the favor on Friday by treating the team to watermelon after practice.

Heritage has almost 120 players out, but will start the season with no seniors on the roster. And only junior Jordan Snoderly brings any 7A-West Conference game experience after catching nine passes for 154 yards last year for the Mounties.

“(Snoderly) is going to be a play-maker,” said War Eagles offensive coordinator Chad Harbison.

Mounties Battling Injuries

ROGERS – Rogers High is already battling the injury bug a week into preseason drills and the Mounties may be without a key player because of a transfer within the district.

Michael Tibbs is expected to carry most of the rushing load after picking up 646 yards on 110 carries last year but the senior has been slowed by a sore hamstring.

Mounties coach Ronnie Peacock, who welcomed 120 players to the first day of practice, also said that lineman Blake Pitts broke his collarbone while junior Brandon Austin is moving into the Rogers Heritage district.

Austin rushed for 140 yards on 28 carries as a sophomore last year.

“Pitts is a two-way starter and Tibbs is not at full speed and that puts us back a bit,” Peacock said. “But overall, I’m encouraged because we are working very hard. We are headed in the right direction.”

Rogers will conduct a scrimmage Saturday morning at the new stadium on the high school campus.

- PAUL NIELSEN

Har-Ber also defeated Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.) during their path to the title. The victory came on a touchdown pass from Faust to Josh McKinney as time expired.

“We want each senior class to out-do the class before them,” Wood said. “That’s where you establish tradition and standards. We lost a lot of quality guys who did great things last year, but we feel good about the senior class right now. They’ve really taken the reins.”

Springdale High, the tournament’s 2004 champion, and Shiloh Christian, which won in 2006, also participated in the tournament, which admits teams by invitation only. Springdale went 1-7-1, while Shiloh went 2-7.

Pulaski went on to a 26-0 lead before giving up a point to Sherman.

Keith completed 16-of-20 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns while McKnight caught three passes for two touchdowns.

Sherman junior quarterback Madison Carter had trouble getting the ball to his receivers at times, resulting in failed conversions and even one interception to Pulaski’s Sam Bogel.

Sherman scored its first points when Carter completed 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Nathan James with less than 15 minutes left in the game.

Marcus Leinart, Sherman’s coaching volunteer, said Pulaski’s passing game was very efficient and something the Bearcats weren’t ready for. Leinart coached Sherman this weekend because the University Interscholastic League of Texas doesn’t allow high school coaches to coach their own teams out-of-state during the summer.

“(Pulaski) compares to the top 7-on-7 teams that we see in Texas, there’s no doubt about that,” Leinart said. “Their quarterback never missed. They’re just a really good team.”

In the consolation final, Springdale Har-Ber beat Rogers High 37-22.

Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said the performance of senior quarterback Zach Faust this weekend left him with a positive feeling.

“We won about 12 games over the weekend, we were just really clean on offense,” Wood said. “I think a lot of that goes to the credit of (Faust). He had a great weekend and was throwing the ball extremely well. We just never really missed a beat.”

VYPE Select 7-on-7 National Tournament

Saturday’s Results

Round 1
Sherman, Texas 28, Bentonville 22
LR Christian 18, Arkansas Baptist 8
Lake Hamilton 38, Greene County Tech 10
Springdale Har-Ber 35, Cen. Arkansas Christian 18
Fayetteville 28, Lonoke 20
Rogers High 48, Bryant 16
Hot Springs Lakeside 32, Harrison 15
Blue Valley, Kan. 26, FS Northside 8
Nashville 34, Russellville 27
Gravette 23, Siloam Springs 4
Springdale High 24, West Fork 23
Rogers Heritage 42, Springdale Har-Ber JV 20
Marshfield, Mo. 30, Elkins 17
Des Arc 22, Gentry 14

Round 2
Pulaski Academy 46, Des Arc 8
Hot Springs Lakeside 28, Rogers High 14
Blue Valley, Kan. 26, Fayetteville 14
Shiloh Christian 27, Marshfield, Mo. 11
Sherman, Texas 36, Rogers Heritage 20
Springdale High 24, LR Christian 17
Lake Hamilton 34, Gravette 14
Springdale Har-Ber 42, Nashville 14

Round 3
Rogers High 29, Des Arc 20
Fayetteville 22, Marshfield, Mo. 13
Gravette 29, LR Christian 20
Nashville 30, Rogers Heritage 4
Pulaski Academy 35, Hot Springs Lakeside 26
Blue Valley, Kan. 19, Shiloh Christian 16
Sherman, Texas 21, Springdale Har-Ber 12
Springdale High 29, Lake Hamilton 27

Round 4

Rogers High 25, Fayetteville 24
Gravette 29, Nashville 22
Hot Springs Lakeside 32, Shiloh Christian 21
Springdale Har-Ber 2, Lake Hamilton 0 (forfeit)

Semifinal Round

Pulaski Academy 43, Springdale High 26
Sherman, Texas 25, Blue Valley, Kan. 18
Rogers High 29, Hot Springs Lakeside 24
Springdale Har-Ber 20, Gravette 14

Championship Round

Consolation
Springdale Har-Ber 37, Rogers High 22

Championship
Pulaski Academy 41, Sherman, Texas 14

Coming into Thursday night’s field events, Glaser wasn’t even in the top 5. However, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback finished third in the Speed and Mobility competition, first in the Coverage Call competition and tied for third in the On-The-Move Accuracy competition.

Glaser’s performance didn’t surprise Springdale High coach Kevin Johnson, who thought his quarterback had an opportunity to win all along.

“I felt like he had a real good chance of winning,” Johnson said. “He handles pressure pretty well. Last year, he was under a lot of pressure. We had to throw him into varsity action (as a junior).

“But Ashton handles it very well, he’s had a great summer and we’re expecting him to have a great senior year.”

Springdale Har-Ber’s Zach Faust, who was in third before Thursday night, won the Mental Test, the Throwing Accuracy and the Long Throw competition, finishing fourth overall.

Faust won the Long Throw with a heave of 68 yards, two yards longer than Johnson’s.

Pea Ridge junior Kip Kelly won the Physical Endurance Test and Shiloh Christian’s Kiehl Frazier finished third in the Mental Test.

Former Arkansas quarterback Jason Allen, who created the quarterback challenge five years ago, said Glaser’s consistency in every competition was the key to him being the overall champion.

“We had a lot of great quarterbacks this year, but Ashton proved to be the top guy,” Allen said. “He did really well and impressed a lot of people. He’s going to be a great player for Springdale this season.”

At A Glance

TOP GUN QB1 CHALLENGE

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Ashton Glaser, Springdale High 520
2. Claude Johnson, Pine Bluff 505
3. Spencer Keith, Pulaski Academy 500
4. Zach Faust, Springdale Har-Ber 480
5. Hayden Smith, Warren 455

COMPETITION RESULTS

Physical Endurance Test

1. Kip Kelly, Pea Ridge
2. Zac Cole, Cen. Arkansas Christian
3. Kendall Pinkney, Dardanelle

Mental Test

1. Faust
2. Griffin Kuhn, LR Christian
3. Kiehl Frazier, Shiloh Christian

Speed And Mobility

1. Hayden Stokes, Harrison 17.84
2. Keith 17.95
3. Glaser 17.98

Coverage Call

1. Glaser
2. Keith
3. Michael Thomas, Mountainburg

Throwing Accuracy

1. Faust 55
2. Smith 50
3. Ethan McKinzie, Gravette 45

Long Throw

1. Faust 68
2. Johnson 66
3. Pinkney 63

On-The-Move Accuracy

1. Kuhn 80
1. Johnson 80
3. Pinkney 65
3. Frazier 65
3. Smith 65
3. Glaser 65