Har-Ber Searches For Options

NEW RECEIVERS CALLED ON TO STEP UP

Nick Byrne, left, a Springdale Har-Ber receiver, had 29 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns for the Wildcats last season.
Nick Byrne, left, a Springdale Har-Ber receiver, had 29 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns for the Wildcats last season.

— Almost the entire Har-Ber receiving corps consists of new faces after the departure of Michael Fine and Evan Johnson.

Fine and Johnson combined for 97 receptions and 1,355 yards last season, which was 57 percent of the Wildcats' receiving yards in 2011.

Har-Ber does return its third-leading receiver from last season, senior tight end Nick Byrne (6-foot-4, 220), who had 29 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns.

“Nick is a difference-maker,” Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said. “You have (Hunter) Henry at Pulaski Academy who is the top tight end in the state and I think Nick is right there with him. He can do everything. He can block, he can run the routes and he catches everything with his hands and not his body. He's a matchup problem for teams.”

Byrne, who has received scholarship offers from Arkansas State and Louisiana Monroe, looks to make up for the loss of the top leading receiver in the ways he knows best.

POSITION BATTLE: RECEIVERS

The Skinny

WATCH OUT FOR: Nick Byrne. He's a big receiving threat who can go up and get the ball against any coverages. He has also received two scholarship offers and interest from several other collegiate programs.

BIGGEST STRENGTH: Speed. Har-Ber has a collection of receivers who have the ability to get the ball into the endzone on any given play.

BIGGEST QUESTION: Who will step up? With so little experience, aside from Byrne, with this group of pass catchers, Har-Ber will need someone to step up to be go-to guys like Michael Fine and Evan Johnson, who combined to average 14 yards per reception, and help out the inexperienced quarterbacks, as well.

“Michael (Fine) was a great leader and he led our team with receptions and yards as well, and the team is really looking for me to fill that void and pick up the slack there,” Byrne said.

“I think I'll be a solid goal-line threat and in the running game, I'll block the linebackers and get them out of the play.”

Beyond Byrne, Wildcats junior Gus Vitt (6-foot-1, 160) returns with just career two receptions. Vitt got some playing time late last season and will wear No. 11 that Fine wore.

“Gus runs cleans routes and he goes up and gets the ball,” Wood said.

In addition to Vitt, fellow junior Matt Garrison (5-foot-6, 148) and senior Miguel Salgado (5-foot-7, 160) add quickness to the position. Wood said he has to find ways to get the ball in their hands. Quarterback Kyle Pianalto said he has been impressed with their speed as well.

“Their speed is incredible, especially off the ball,” Pianalto said. “They try so hard to run their routes as perfectly as possible and when they get that speed down to where they want it, the defense can't keep up with them.”

Another receiver with decent height at 6-foot-1 and 156 pounds, Austin Pierce, should get opportunities to catch the ball this season, as well.

“Austin Pierce is really clean in his routes and gets out of his breaks really well,” Wood said. “He does everything full speed and has great hands.”

Since the departure of senior leaders at the position like Fine, Johnson and Travis Tollett, Pianalto said some of the receivers have worked hard to make up for it.

“Austin, Gus and (junior) Camden (Scott), who has worked in there with Nick, have really stepped it up since we lost Michael, Evan and Travis,” Pianalto said. “They have worked hard on getting their speed down and being precise in their route running.”

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