Pulaski County Football Preview Little Rock Hall

Warriors looking for early success

Little Rock Hall senior quarterback Braelon Adams carries the ball during the Warriors’ practice Friday. The Warriors and Coach Kipchoge VanHoose are optimistic after going 1-9 last season.
Little Rock Hall senior quarterback Braelon Adams carries the ball during the Warriors’ practice Friday. The Warriors and Coach Kipchoge VanHoose are optimistic after going 1-9 last season.

The Little Rock Hall Warriors football program, a winner of seven Arkansas state championships from 1959-82, once was a championship contender nearly every season, but more than 20 years have passed since anyone on the school's long list of rosters has had so much as a memory of those glory-filled days.

Over the past 10 seasons, Hall has compiled an overall record of 8-91-1, with four winless seasons from 2012-15. It hasn't won a conference game since 2010. Hall's roster of 32 players was represented by 25 at its preseason practice late Friday afternoon, but no one seemed affected by their school's long run of football futility. A sense of optimism seemed to prevail, led by third-year Coach Kipchoge VanHoose.

Warriors at a glance

COACH Kipchoge VanHoose

CONFERENCE 6A-West

2018 RECORD 1-9, 0-7 (missed Class 6A playoffs)

KEY RETURNERS QB Braelon Adams (Sr., 6-2, 202); WR Wa-li Johnson (Sr., 5-7 175); OL/DL Jalen Johnson (Jr., 6-2, 220); DB Dylan Brown (Jr., 5-8, 150); LB Devin Brown (So., 5-10, 185)

SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT

Sept. 6 at LR Fair

Sept. 13 Mills

Sept. 20 Jacksonville

Sept. 27 Greenwood*

Oct. 4 at Lake Hamilton*

Oct. 11 at Benton*

Oct. 18 Sheridan*

Oct. 25 Russellville*

Nov. 1 at Siloam Springs

Nov. 8 El Dorado*

*6A-West game

"We're cautiously optimistic as a staff," VanHoose said. "We've had a decent offseason and summer workout program. Of course, everything is about consistency and repetition. If we can commit and be consistent, then we have an opportunity. Hopefully, we'll be at full strength before the first game."

Full strength means different things among teams in Hall's conference, the 6A-West, which includes Greenwood, last season's state champion, and Benton, the state runner-up. VanHoose said he hopes to have as many as 35 players when Hall's season starts against Little Rock Fair on Sept. 6.

[PULASKI COUNTY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Read more previews at arkansasonline.com/arpreps/2019preview]

"I talked to Russellville's coach [Jeff Weaver], and he said, 'Do you have room for 70?' '' VanHoose said. "So he's going to bring 70 when we play at Scott Field. We'll be outmanned, but of course, only 11 at a time play football. Our biggest concern is keeping our guys healthy."

VanHoose said he expects his Spread offense to find its field direction from senior quarterback Braelon Adams, with help in the backfield from junior running back Kavionne Rucker. As rare as depth is on a short roster, Hall's offensive and defensive lines currently includes 10 players, led by junior tackles Jarius Jackson and Jalen Johnson.

"We feel good about our interior line," VanHoose said.

Adams started seven games at quarterback for Hall as a sophomore but transferred his junior season. His return this season encourages VanHoose.

"He's a real good runner, and we're working on his passing game," VanHoose said. "We'll lean on him a lot this season."

Senior slot receiver Wa-li Johnson should be among Adams' top targets.

VanHoose said he expects defensive leadership from two underclassmen, brothers sophomore linebacker Devin Brown and junior free safety Dylan Brown.

"We're more committed this year," Dylan Brown said. "We just need to believe in ourselves. This year, we're more disciplined. We're ready to play, and we're trying to upset some people."

VanHoose said several players will play both ways, including junior lineman Jarvis Dillard.

"He'll play defensive end and guard for us," VanHoose said. "The biggest thing with those guys is how we manage their minutes."

VanHoose said maintenance of his team's current enthusiasm will benefit from early success.

"In my third season here, these young people have been more committed than what we've seen in the past," VanHoose said. "Hopefully, that will lead to some success on the field. We know, as a coaching staff, that if we can win more than we've won in the past, people will look at us a little bit different."

"This year, we want to make the playoffs, but first, we want to win our first three games," Devin Brown said. "We're going after it, and we're going to get there."

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Little Rock Hall Coach Kipchoge VanHoose directs his team during practice Friday at Hall High School. The third-year coach said he and his staff are “cautiously optimistic” about the season ahead.

Sports on 08/17/2019

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