Young team seeks redemption after season of rebuilding
After a rebuilding year that ended in a 0-10 overall record last season, Lance Parker, head coach of the Sheridan Yellowjackets, said he plans for his team to rise through the ranks of the 6A West. “[We] had to play a bunch of young players and got them a bunch of experience,” he said, “but it is hard to win in a conference loaded with senior starters.” Six offensive and seven defensive starters will return this season. Senior Montana Korte will lend his speed to both sides of the ball as running back and linebacker, Parker said, adding that seniors Hunter Threlkeid and Steve Reaves will be the go-to receivers this season. Senior Noah Pruitt, a three-year starter, will anchor the defense as outside linebacker and defensive tackle, the coach said. “He is a big strong kid,” Parker said. “The defensive philosophy was molded to help put him in a position for success.”
Senior Daniel Esterline will move from cornerback to safety, the coach said, and junior Tyler Whitaker will move to middle linebacker after taking the most defensive snaps at outside linebacker and playing offense as a running back last season. Junior Glenn Wright, “a playmaker on defense with a high-end motor,” will man the outside linebacker spot, Parker said, adding that Wright, who played middle linebacker, was injured for four games last year. The coach said his strategy is to “compete to the whistle” during all four quarters of each game, in hopes of overtaking the teams just above Sheridan in last year’s standings and closing the gap between the Yellowjackets and the top conference contenders. The team showed a strong performance during the preview game against Mountain Home at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Aug. 23, which Sheridan won, 34-7. “Getting off to a great start will help propel the team to future wins,” Parker said.