SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber coach Chris Wood doesn’t hesitate when asked what went wrong in 2012.
The Wildcats finished with a winning record at 7-5, but that mark was well below standard for a program that captured a state championship in 2009 and won at least ten games from 2007-2011.
“When you look at our turnover ratio, it wasn’t good,” Wood said. “We had way too many turnovers on offense and didn’t create enough on defense.”
Har-Ber will take its first steps toward correcting those problems during spring football drills beginning May 13. Those practices will culminate in a spring game at 6 p.m. May 23 on the artificial surface next to Har-Ber High School.
Har-Ber had a turnover ratio of minus-13, which put the Wildcats last in that department in the 7A/6A-West. Har-Ber committed a combined 11 turnovers in losses to Fayetteville and Columbia (Mo.) Rockbridge but didn’t have any in a victory over Fort Smith Southside.
Besides working to reduce turnovers, Har-Ber must also find replacements for a 13 starters, including eight on defense. Safety Jerry Wood and linebacker Peyton Squires, the top two tacklers from last season are gone, as is tight end Nick Byrne, who led the Wildcats in receiving the past two seasons.
Byrne graduated in December and is now enrolled at Louisiana-Lafayette, where he caught two passes for 54 yards in the spring game for the Cajuns.
Har-Ber’s top returners on offense include quarterback Kyle Pianalto and receivers Gus Vitt and Matt Garrison. Sain Mathew, who won state championships in both the 200- and 400-meter runs last week, will likely replace Tucker Lee, who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a senior for the Wildcats.
“We lose our ‘go-to’ guy in Nick, but Gus Vitt and Matt Garrison started every game for us as juniors,” Wood said. “Those two guys are really talented and having Matt back on special teams as a return man is huge for us.”
Har-Ber’s strength on defense will be up front where Josh Frazier and Jake Hall return. Ricky Dobbins, 6-foot-3 transfer from Little Rock, will push for a starting spot.
“We’re going to build around our front three, not just one guy,” Wood said. “Ricky Dobbins is someone who could come in and really make a name for himself.”
Har-Ber will open the season with consecutive home games against Webb City, Mo. and Columbia (Mo.) Rockbridge. The Wildcats lost to both teams last year on the road to fall to 0-2.