Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Eli Reece making his own way with Shiloh Christian Saints.
SPRINGDALE — Eli Reece may be following in his brother Connor’s footsteps as a quarterback at Shiloh Christian, but he’s also learned to carve his own path.
He’s helped lead the Saints to a perfect 12-0 record this season and into the Class 4A state quarterfinals for the fifth time in the last six years. Shiloh Christian plays host to Nashville in a rematch from last season won by the Saints in Champions Stadium on Friday night.
Eli Reece is hoping to do something Connor, a threeyear starter at quarterback and 2017 Shiloh Christian graduate, wasn’t able to do and that’s lead the Saints back to the state finals for the first time since they won in 2010.
The road was rocky in the beginning. Eli Reece wound up being benched in the second half of his first start, a season-opening loss to Texarkana last year.
Both he and Shiloh Christian coach Jeff Conaway agreed Eli’s grown tremendously since that experience.
“He had a decision to make,” Conaway said. “Do I continue this way and lose
Eli Reece
SCHOOL Shiloh Christian
HEIGHT 5-9
WEIGHT 165
CLASS Senior POSITION Quarterback
NOTABLE Has thrown for 3,339 yards and 36 TDs this season with only two interceptions and has completed a shade under 75 percent of his passes (227 of 304). … Surpassed 6,000 career passing yards last week in the Saints’ win over Pocahontas and has now thrown 69 touchdown passes. … Shared snaps at quarterback last season but still threw for 2,601 yards and 32 touchdowns to help lead the Saints into the Class 4A state semifinals. … Younger brother Thomas plays defensive line/offensive line and even got into the game in the second half last week as a freshman.
my position or do I fight and overcome?”
“I believe that was a spiritual moment for him. He won his spot back and helped lead us to the semifinals with all kinds of accolades.”
Reece said the decision was an easy one.
“That game was just fuel for me to push myself harder than ever before,” Reece said. “They came out and they were bigger than us and faster than us and I didn’t know how to deal with that at the time because it was my first start.”
He’s left those struggles in the dust. Reece surpassed 6,000 career passing yards in last week’s playoff win over Pocahontas. He’s enjoyed a banner senior season, completing nearly 75 percent of his passes for 3,339 yards and 36 touchdowns with only two interceptions in more than 300 pass attempts.
Conaway acknowledged Reece obviously won’t wow people with his physical attributes, but he’s learned how to be successful.
“What he’s mastered is the ability to lead his team, to make decisions and to be accurate with the football,”
Conaway said. “He’s willing to work and develop the things that mattered and that’s why he’s a good football player.
“He understands how to get his teammates involved. He leads out of friendship and he leads out of intensity.”
Reece said figuring out his strengths has been a key to his success.
“I figured out I’m not going to blaze past anyone,” Reece said. “My biggest strength is knowing where people are going to be, the right time to throw the ball and how strong to throw the ball — more of the mental capacity of the game.”
Reece understands playing quarterback at Shiloh Christian comes with added responsibilities and pressures given the school’s rich history at the position with names like Josh Floyd, Rhett Lashley, Matt Simpson, Kiehl Frazier and his own older brother, but he’s learned to deal with it.
“I think I put more pressure on myself,” Reece said. “It’s a big mental thing for me, especially in my sophomore year. Since then I’ve grown a lot through that. It’s been a big spiritual thing for me, too, praying through that and talking with Connor about it. He’s my biggest encourager.
“Coach Conaway does a great job of giving you every resource he can to be successful. It’s up to you to take advantage of it.”
He’s also learned about leadership from both his father and his brother.
“My father, he’s a special man,” Reece said. “He’s taught me a lot about leadership but that also ties back into my older brother, too. I think that’s one of the best things that I’ve taken from him. Just the respect he had from the team and the benefits you can produce with that respect.”
Conaway has watched Eli step out of his brother’s shadow, maturing as a football player and a person.
“I think Eli had maybe a different challenge becoming a high school quarterback,” Conaway said. “In the shadow of his brother, success can be minimized. Eli had to overcome that.
“He had to create his own identity and be OK with that. He’s extremely coachable, willing to listen to anybody and wise enough to accept what fits and works well for him. He’s become the best version of himself.
“He’s become Eli.”