Searcy aims for improvement
It’s a new year with a new head coach for the Searcy Lions, and the team is looking for continued improvement in the 2015 season.
In both 2013 and 2014, the Lions went 4-7, but last year’s losses were closer than the year before. A year ago, former coach Jeromy Poole said he saw improvement in the team over the 2013 season. Last year, the Lions lost in the first round of the postseason to Little Rock Parkview, but new head coach Mark Kelley is ready to take the team into the 2015 season.
Kelley was hired in May as the senior high head football coach after serving as the offensive coordinator for the past two years. Before that, he was the senior high head football coach at Crossett High School in southeast Arkansas.
Having worked with the team for two years, Kelley has been able to identify a few strengths and weaknesses he will be mindful of this season.
“Our defensive front and our offensive backfield are big strengths of our team,” he said. “Our main weakness is a young offensive line.”
Kelley said several key players are returning for 2015. All-league quarterback Andrew Neaville will be back this year. Last year, Neaville
had 1,847 passing yards with 16 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. Ten of those touchdown passes took place in the final three games against Mountain Home, Cabot and Little Rock Parkview.
Senior Luke Dixon had 1,156 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns in the 2014 season, and Wallace Robinson had 654 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Kelley said the defensive line also has a few key returners. Jordan Slaughter had 46.5 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks in 2014. Outside of football, Slaughter won the 195-pound weight class at the state wrestling tournament in February.
Also on the defensive line, Triston Brackenridge had 18.5 tackles and four tackles for
loss last year, and Michael Parsley had 42 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Defensive end Noah Ford was noted as a key returner with 20.5 tackles and three sacks last year, and cornerback Jackson Hall will come back as a valuable asset to the team.
Lions fans can expect great games on Sept. 11 against Batesville and Oct. 2 against West Memphis, Kelley said.
“Batesville is a fun rivalry game,” Kelley said. “West Memphis has been a 1-point game the past two years.”
Batesville is a fun rivalry game. West Memphis has been a 1-point game
the past two years.”
MARK KELLEY
SEARCY COACH ON TWO OF THE LIONS’ TOUGHER OPPONENTS