25 seniors work to get Vilonia back to playoffs
U nder new coach Ron Young, Vilonia’s Eagles started 3-0 last season, but they won just twice more to finish 5-5 and out of the postseason. “We had several brand-new coaches,” Young said. “We put in a new defense and installed a whole new offensive system, even though we did try to maintain a little of the old. We kind of tried to marry the two. That wasn’t a good mix.
“But we wanted to respect the players who’d been here, so we went in knowing it might not be a good mix. But it was a transition.”
The Eagles swept their nonconference opponents, knocking off Greene County Tech, 42-14; Pottsville, 21-6; and Booneville, 24-20, to start 3-0 for the first time since 2006.
“That was one of the goals our seniors set, to enter conference [play] undefeated,” Young said.
But the 5A-West was a different story.
Vilonia opened the conference schedule at Alma, which was returning to the 5A-West after a cycle in Class 6A. The Airedales had finished 7-5 in their second year in the 7A/6A Central, taking third in the conference and
advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Class 6A state playoffs.
“Unfortunately, our first conference game was against Alma,” Young said. “They may have moved their school down to [Class] 5A, but footballwise, they didn’t.”
The Airedales made their return to the league a happy one with a 28-3 win over the Eagles. Vilonia, which was within 7-3 nearing halftime, managed just 43 yards in the second half.
“Most of it was because of turnovers,” Young said. “On their first touchdown, we had a muffed kick on our punt team deep in our end zone, so they got the ball on the 20, and you’re not going to keep a team like Alma out of the end zone very often when they start there.”
The Eagles then beat Maumelle, 7-0, but they lost three straight, to Harrison, 38-6; Farmington, 22-13; and Morrilton, 35-7, before beating Clarksville, 39-21, and falling at Faulkner County rival Greenbrier in the season finale, 21-17.
“We played Maumelle tough,” Young said. “They had an excellent defense and a lot of speed, but we were able to win. Our coaches all agreed that Harrison was better prepared than we were. They threw a scheme at us offensively they hadn’t shown in any games or any of the films we saw. They caught us off guard, and we weren’t able to make the adjustments we needed to.
“The Farmington game was one we should not have lost. Turnovers were the key factor.”
Although the Eagles lost the Faulkner County Judge’s Cup to their rival Panthers, Young said he was pleased with the season-ending performance.
“Greenbrier was one of our best games of the season, both offensively and defensively,” he said. “We stuck more to my philosophy and the offense I had installed in that game, and as a result, we were able to eliminate some of the turnovers. We just ran out of time in that game.”
Alma went on to the quarterfinals, beating Blytheville, 38-13, before falling to Watson Chapel, 42-35. Greenbrier lost to Forrest City in the opening round, 60-34; Harrison fell to Batesville, 35-14; Morrilton fell to Wynne, 50-21.
Young pronounced his debut season with the Eagles “inconsistent.”
“Our biggest problem was turnovers,” he said. “Every game we lost, we lost the turnover battle. Going to the new system, that was probably to be expected. But we played our best ballgames
at the end of the season. We held Greenbrier to their lowest point total all year, so we felt like we ended on a positive note.
“Now the kids have really bought into our system wholeheartedly. We are head-and-shoulders ahead of where we were this time last year.”
After maintaining his coaching staff, Young said consistency should be much better for the Eagles in 2017.
Seven starters return to run the Eagles’ splitback veer offense, with four back for the 4-2-5 defensive scheme.
Senior Triston Milligan (5-10, 180) — who earned 43 tackles, forced a fumble and snagged an interception as a junior — will lead the defense at stinger.
Junior Jordan Britton (5-11, 184) is set to go at quarterback. In limited action last season as a sophomore, he recorded five carries for 37 yards.
“He’s a perfect fit for what we do offensively,” Young said. “He’s a very good athlete. He plays basketball and runs track.”
Senior Isaiah Rocha (5-11, 195) leads an experienced corps of running backs that also includes senior Ben Duff (5-9, 180) and senior Michael Morris (6-1, 185).
“All of them had well over a 4.0 yard average [per carry],” Young said.
In his debut season at RB, Rocha earned 427 yards and four touchdowns on 71 carries, including 12 carries for 99 yards against Morrilton ,and 12 rushes for 87 yards and a score against Clarksville. Duff earned 415 yards on 95 carries, including a 95-yard performance against Morrilton.
Young said senior Cody Mitchell (5-9, 165) has moved from receiver to running back and will also start on defense.
Tyson Wertz (6-5 1-2, 178) recorded 15 receptions for 210 yards and three scores as a junior, including two for 76 yards and a TD against Booneville. Young said Wertz has shown great improvement from last season. Others expected to contribute at wide receiver include sophomore Austin Koonce (6-4, 180), “a tremendous young athlete,” and sophomore Draven Smith (6-2, 175).
The offensive line should include seniors Christian Gardner (6-0, 223), Wyatt Millikin (6-1, 250), Ethan Gasaway (6-1, 285), Matt Malott (6-0, 280) and Levi Arendall (6-5, 225). Millikin and Malott return after missing last
Now the kids have really bought into our system wholeheartedly. We are head-andshoulders ahead of where we were this time last year.” RON YOUNG VILONIA HEAD COACH
season with injuries. Millikin sustained a broken arm in a preseason scrimmage; Malott broke his leg in the season opener.
Defensively, Gardner will be the mainstay at end. He notched 18 tackles as a junior. Senior Trenton Hetherington (5-11, 235) will be a leader at linebacker.
Team strengths, Young said, will be the 25-player senior class, which lost just one game in junior high, as well as the returning skill players.
“They come from a background of knowing how to win,” the coach said of his senior Eagles. “They were 9-1 as ninth-graders, so they know what it means to win. They’ve got a great work ethic, and that in and of itself gives stability to your team that you can’t find anywhere else. They take the lead, and the younger kids are following them. Maintaining that attitude and cohesion can take you a long way.”
But the Eagles face a lack of depth. “We’ve got about a 70-man roster, but we don’t have the depth in terms of ability that we did last year,” Young said.
Expectations for 2017? “Greater consistency,” Young said.
The Eagles are picked seventh in the eightteam 5A-West, according to a statewide publication’s preseason poll of league coaches. Alma is picked to repeat its conference championship, followed by Morrilton, Greenbrier, Harrison, Maumelle, Farmington, Vilonia and Clarksville.
The top four teams will move on to the Class 5A state playoffs.
“You’ve got to go with Alma,” Young said of his pick to win the league. “Morrilton, I think, will be back. Harrison, I think, is probably going to make a run. I’m hoping we’re in the mix for that fourth spot.”
Vilonia opened the season at Greene County Tech. The Eagles also have nonconference games at Pottsville on Sept. 8 and in their home opener Sept. 15 against Booneville. They’ll play host to Alma to open the 5A-West season Sept. 22.
Vilonia will travel to Maumelle on Sept. 29, play host to Harrison on Oct. 6, play at Farmington on Oct. 13, welcome Morrilton on Oct. 20, visit Clarksville on Oct. 27 and finish the regular season when Greenbrier visits Nov. 2. Key game?
“Alma, because it’s the first conference game,” Young said.