Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Cardinals Receive All-Conference Awards
FARMINGTON — Eight Cardinals received post-season honors for football from the 2016 season, in which Farmington went 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the 5A West.
The Cardinals were competitive in many of their conference losses, but battled injuries and inexperience. They came within a touchdown of beating eventual State 4A runner-up Pea Ridge (a 13-7 loss in week three) and were within a 2-point conversion of forcing overtime in a 22-20 loss to Maumelle in week eight.
Garnering All-State recognition for Farmington is Tanner Barnes. Barnes, 6-feet-1, 205 pounds, played left tackle, anchoring the unit as the only senior on the 2016 offensive line.
“He’s got great technique,” said Farmington head coach Mike Adams, noting offensive coordinator Spencer Adams praised Barnes as having the best technique of anybody he’s coached at Farmington.
“We’ve had some great offensive linemen, so that says a lot,” Mike Adams said.
Five Cardinals were designated as All-Conference: Kelton Price, Trenton McChristian, Jake Oskey, Zach Newman, and Jacob Gray, who was also named Outstanding Tight End from the 5A West.
Price was of great value on the defensive side of the ball, playing all 10 games and making 25 solo tackles with 7 assists for 32 total tackles, including 9 tackles for losses and a sack for a 7-yard loss. He had one rush from punt formation for 55 yards, getting more than the necessary yardage for a first down and scoring a touchdown. Price completed his only pass attempt, also from punt formation for 15 yards and a first down. Price booted 33 punts for 1,098 yards, averaging 33.3-yards-per-punt with a long of 49 yards and placing 10 punts inside the 20.
McChristian caught 19 passes for 222 yards, averaging 11.7-yards-per-catch, taking one catch 88 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns via the air. McChristian was consistent on 6 kickoff returns, totalling 109 yards, averaging 18.2-yards-per-return with a long of 20. He contributed a pair of interceptions on defense.
Oskey missed 2 games as the leader of the linebacker corps. He came back from injury, and still made 34 solo tackles, while assisting in 3 others for a total of 37 tackles with 4 tackles for losses. He had 1 interception on the season.
Newman started on the offensive line at right guard at 6-feet-3, 290 pounds. One of the bright spots in the Cardinals’ season-opening, 35-14, loss to rival Prairie Grove, Newman was selected as Player of the Game for Farmington. He was able to consistently drive defenders off the line on running plays and provided adequate pass protection over the course of the season.
Although the Cardinals went only 2-5 in conference play, Gray won the 5A West Outstanding Tight End award. Playing only in 6 games, Gray caught 16 passes for 238 yards, an average of 14.9-yards-per-reception with a long play of 80 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Two more Cardinals were named honorable mention All-Conference: Xavier Staten and Justin Clark.
As a wide receiver, Staten hauled in 37 pass receptions for 471 yards, averaging 12.7-yards-per-catch, with a long play of 37 yards and 5 touchdowns.
An agile, 6-feet-2, 240 pounds, Clark’s primary role was on the defensive line as an end. He played in 9 games, making 33 solo tackles and 10 assists for a total of 43 tackles, averaging 4.8 stops-per-game with 6 tackles for losses. He had 1 sack and caused 1 fumble.