Saints Loaded At Skill Position

SPRINGDALE — Josh Floyd admits that leaving the 5A-West Conference will be tough.

The Saints petitioned the Arkansas Activities Association to bump up a classification two years ago, but the extensive travel took a huge toll on the school’s athletic programs both physically and financially.

“We enjoyed playing in the 5A-West,” Floyd said. “There are great schools, great facilities and our kids liked playing those schools. But the travel was tough. For football, we’d get home late Friday or early Saturday morning. But for all the other sports, getting home that late on a school night was very tough. So it will be nice to be back in a conference where all our games are within am hour of the school.”

The Saints open spring football workouts on Tuesday with much optimism after earning a 5A playoff bid last season in a 6-4-1 campaign. Floyd has reason to be optimistic as Shiloh Christian returns a lot of talented skill position players.

Senior wide receivers Adler Goode and Reed Lowe give the Saints two big-time receivers in the passing game. Both had outstanding seasons a year ago. Goode is 6-foot-2 and has added about 15 pounds to his frame since last season, Floyd said. Lowe was a two-way starter last year and also goes about 6-1.

“Both of those guys have grown and both are college prospects,” Floyd said.

The Saints will use the spring to find a quarterback after the graduation of both their quarterbacks last year. Rising sophomore Connor Reece was the ninth grade quarterback last fall and Floyd expects him to be in the fight for the job along with rising senior Colton Spoon, who did not play last season.

“Connor did a great job for us last year as a ninthgrader,” Floyd said. “He has a lot of ability and can make all the throws. We’re excited about him. And Colton sat out last year, but we think he has a chance to help us.”

Chandler Smith returns at running back, but will probably miss the spring recovering from a shoulder injury suftered last fall.

Floyd also said his coaching staft has undergone some changes since the end of the season. Dawayne Hudson has been moved to oftensive line coach, replacing Haden Gilder. And Adam Caine has been named the defensive coordinator.

The Saints will practice twice this week on Tuesday and Thursday, then four days next week. They will wrap up their spring practices with a scrimmage on May 30.

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