SPRINGDALE — A young but promising Booneville team will find out just how ready it is Friday night when it hosts rival Ozark in a nonconference game at Bearcat Stadium.
Booneville will rely heavily on sophomore fullback Bryson May and several juniors when it opens the season against a senior-heavy Ozark team that captured the 1-4A Conference title last season in Jeremie Burns’ first season as head coach.
All 15 of Ozark’s returning starters are seniors, including quarterback Jonathon McKenzie and wide receiver Toby Richard, but Burns said he knows the Bearcats won’t be pushovers.
“They may be young, but they’re very skilled, quick and athletic, so they’re going to be one of the better teams to come through Booneville,” Burns said. “Several of them are starting on defense, too, so they’re a very talented bunch.
“A lot of them have got older brothers that played and fathers that coach, so people are familiar with them.”
May will likely be the focal point of Booneville’s Wingslot offense at fullback as he steps in to replace Anthony Napier, who completed his career by rushing for 1,738 yards and 25 touchdowns on 267 carries last season. May is the son of Booneville defensive coordinator Ricky May and the brother of Brock May, who started at quarterback for the Bearcats in 2008-2010.
Bryson May, 5-9, 200 pounds, also will start at linebacker alongside his cousin Damon May, a 6-1, 200-pound junior. Damon May is Booneville’s top returning tackler after making 69 stops a year ago.
Quarterback Cody Harrell, who rushed for 548 yards as a halfback last year, and 6-3,220-pound tackle Dalton Gray are two of the Bearcats’ other impact juniors. Both players are also returning starters on defense, with Harrell at safety and Gray at tackle.
Ozark lost Asher Ree, who ran for 1,700 yards and scored 20 touchdowns last season, but McKenzie and Richard should give the Hillbillies the top quarterback-receiver duo in the 1-4A. Richard accounted for 1,130 of McKenzie’s 1,784 passing yards and caught nine of his 12 touchdown passes last year.
Senior inside linebackers Brandon Brokeshoulder and Ethan Hawkins led the Hillbillies in tackles last year.
“They had a big junior class last year that translated into a big senior class this year,” Booneville Coach Scott Hyatt said. “Ozark is a very experienced team. All those seniors have started since they were sophomores. Defensively they’re very sound, they play with good technique and they run to the ball well.”
Booneville and Ozark (9-2) are looking for a fast start after losing in the first round of the playoffs last year.
Booneville won six of seven games against Ozark in 2004-2010, but the Hillbillies defeated the Bearcats 21-7 in last year’s season opener. The teams were sent to different conferences two years ago.
The Bearcats are unproven but are particularly tough to beat at home, where they have posted a 60-6 regularseason record over the past 12 years.
“It’s always a big crowd, and the kids are always fired up,” Hyatt said of the series. “You know it’s going to be a good game from the very beginning.”Ozark at Booneville WHEN 7:30 p.m. Friday WHERE Bearcats Stadium, Booneville RECORDS Season opener for both teams
Sports, Pages 20 on 08/30/2012