One of the biggest coaching moves of the offseason was Tony Travis moving from Class 4A Pea Ridge to Class 7A Rogers Heritage.
Travis led Pea Ridge to the Class 4A semifinals last season, where it lost to eventual state champion Nashville. Travis was hired by the Rogers School District in February to replace Perry Escalante.
The War Eagles have 118 players in their program as of Friday, Travis said. They finished 0-10 last season, including an 0-7 record in the 7A-West Conference, considered by most as the state's toughest football conference, one that features defending state champion Fayetteville and Bentonville.
But Travis said he has been pleased with his players' effort during the offseason trying to rebuild from a winless season.
"We've got a good group of kids who are showing up and working hard," Travis said. "We've just got to get better each day. That's all I ask. I think we're doing that right now.
"There are times when I feel like we're making big strides, and there's times where I feel like we're making little steps. But I feel like every day, we're getting a little better."
Rogers Heritage has participated in several team camps this summer, including a trip to Missouri State in Springfield. Travis said Rogers Heritage will host a team camp in July with Siloam Springs, Farmington and Gravette. Also, the War Eagles will participate in the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 tournament July 14-16 at Shiloh Christian in Springdale.
Travis said his goal for the team going into the season is to compete.
"We've got to get in there and beat one of those teams nobody thinks we're going to beat," Travis said. "That will be one of the biggest things, to change the mentality of the kids. I think we've been doing that in the team camps, competing with some of the schools."
Rogers Heritage opens the season Sept. 2 at Little Rock Central.
McCRORY
Expectations still high
McCrory ended a 13-0 season with its first state championship last December.
Fourteen seniors have to be replaced, but Coach Chris Kennon said this week that the players that are returning don't expect a major dropoff from last year's success.
"We've had such a good run," Kennon said. "Our kids are expecting to win. They come in and prepare themselves each and every day. They don't want to be the ones that start letting the program down. So they come in and think they're going to win. It's a mentality that's mentally been ingrained in those guys. They've really got after it."
McCrory, which defeated Rison in the Class 2A state championship game in Little Rock, has 35 players in the program, Kennon said. The Jaguars return nine starters (four offense, five defense), including Jamone McCoy, who started at guard and defensive end as a sophomore last year.
"That's normal for us," Kennon said, downplaying the Jaguars' number of starters returning. "We just had an exceptional group last year. You're not going to have that at our place that often.
"We're going to have a good season. I don't know if we'll make the run that we did, but we're going to be pretty good."
The Jaguars will play Class 6A Sheridan on Aug. 30 at Golden Lion Stadium in Pine Bluff. Kennon said McCrory had an opening Week 1, so the defending Class 2A champions will be playing a Class 6A team that is part of a doubleheader, along with Hamburg vs. England.
"We may be overloading ourselves a little bit," Kennon said. "But we're going to go play."
EXTRA POINTS
The Arkansas Activities Association's two-week dead period begins Monday and runs through July 10. Schools are prohibited from athletic activities during the two weeks. ... Benton hired Brad Harris as its new head coach Thursday, and it means there will be two new head coaches in the Salt Bowl for the first time, Salt Bowl organizer Shane Broadway said. Harris was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, taking over for Scott Neathery, who is now Benton's athletic director. Bryant hired Buck James earlier this offseason to replace Paul Calley. The rivalry game featuring Saline County schools Bryant and Benton is scheduled for Sept. 2 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. ... Former Greenwood wide receiver Ryan Padilla announced on Twitter this week that he will play at Arkansas Tech. Padilla caught 91 passes for 1,263 yards and 8 touchdowns for Greenwood last season, helping lead the Bulldogs to the Class 6A state championship game.
Sports on 06/26/2016