Latest Sports Tweets
Heber Springs Ready For Rested Tigers
Last updated Thursday, November 20, 2008 3:32 PM CST in Prep Sports
By Nathan Allen
THE MORNING NEWS
WEST FORK -- Turnovers have been a problem for Heber Springs this season.
Last week in their first-round playoff game against Prairie Grove, the Panthers (7-4) had four turnovers inside their own 30, giving Prairie Grove plenty of chances to keep the game close.
In the end, Heber Springs came away with a narrow 33-30 victory.
"Had we not had those turnovers, we felt like we could have kept scoring on them and forced (Prairie Grove) to give up a little bit," Heber Springs coach Steve Janski said. "But that's been a problem for us all year, we just don't know how to take care of the football sometimes."
Other than the turnovers, Janski said he feels confident about his team's ability to play well tonight against West Fork. The Tigers, who went 9-1 during the regular season, haven't played in two weeks after having a first-round bye.
West Fork quarterback Daniel Holiday has completed 62 percent of his passes (100-of-162) for 1,279 yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back Taylor Genz has also been a dominant factor for West Fork's offense, rushing for 891 yards and 15 touchdowns.
"We're rested, we're healthy, so I think the main thing is our guys are just really ready to play a game again," West Fork coach Rodney Selph said. "There's no doubt that Heber presents a lot of problems for us, but I feel like we're ready to play to the best of our ability."
Heber Springs running back Braylon Mitchell is the Panthers' best rushing option; quarterback Wes McMullen has also thrown for more than 1,300 yards this year, with most of his passes going to speedy wideout Keegan McPherson.
"I think the thing that's scariest about Heber is how quick they are," Selph said. "That's the thing we have to make sure doesn't beat us, because their speed alone is probably faster than we've seen all year long."
TONIGHT'S TICKET
Class 4A Playoffs
Heber Springs at West Fork
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Heber Springs 7-4; West Fork 9-1.
RANKINGS: Heber Springs is No. 16 in Class 4A by Hooten's Arkansas Football. West Fork is No. 8.
HOOTEN'S LINE: West Fork by 7.
Projected Starters
Class 4A Playoffs
HEBER SPRINGS PANTHERS
Offense Defense
Pos. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Name Yr. Ht. Wt.
QB Wes McMullen Soph. 6-2 210 DE Billy Grammer Jr. 6-1 200
RB Braylon Mitchell Jr. 6-2 220 DT Ryan Palenski Jr. 6-3 230
FB David Darrell Jr. 5-8 175 DT Frazier Blankenship Sr. 6-1 260
WR Hunter Derrick Jr. 6-1 165 DE Michael Willen Sr. 6-2 230
WR Keegan McPherson Sr. 6-1 175 LB Hilton Hoover Sr. 5-10 180
SE Jake Logan Sr. 6-1 200 LB Mason Williams Soph. 5-7 190
LT Joseph Tharp Soph. 6-2 265 LB Chris Houston Sr. 5-10 175
LG Chris Birth Sr. 5-9 185 CB Zac Nelson Jr. 5-8 160
C Chaz Kerr Sr. 6-2 285 CB Andrew Hill Soph. 6-3 165
RG Frazier Blankenship Sr. 6-1 260 S Hunter Derrick Jr. 6-1 165
RT Ryan Palenski Jr. 6-3 230 S Caleb Carmikle Soph. 5-6 165
WEST FORK TIGERS
Offense Defense
Pos. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Name Yr. Ht. Wt.
QB Daniel Holiday Sr. 5-11 180 DE Mike Wright Sr. 5-11 225
RB Taylor Genz Sr. 6-0 180 DT Stormy Bayliss Sr. 6-0 190
FB Logan Genz Soph. 6-2 185 DT Ryan Ellis Sr. 6-3 285
WR Isaac Muggy Jr. 5-11 160 DE Cameraon Tillman Sr. 6-0 190
WR Brad Bean Sr. 6-3 190 OLB Daniel Holiday Sr. 5-11 180
WR Tyler Dewitt Soph. 5-9 150 OLB Brad Bean Sr. 6-3 190
LT Taylor Karnes Soph. 6-1 235 ILB Taylor Genz Sr. 6-0 180
LG Zane Carroll Soph. 5-9 220 ILB Logan Genz Soph. 6-2 185
C Clayton Smith Soph. 6-0 225 CB Isaac Muggy Jr. 5-11 160
RG Robbie Babione Sr. 6-0 250 S Christian Langley Sr. 5-9 160
RT Seth Bartholomew Sr. 6-3 315 S Griff Smith Soph. 5-11 155
Reader Comments (No comments posted.)
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.
Not already registered?
