Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Tigers Will Not Go Quietly From 4A
PRAIRIE GROVE — The Tigers went 10-2 last season, as Danny Abshier (209-1162) now in his 29th season as head coach, went over 200 wins at Prairie Grove.
The Tigers outscored opponents, 485- 241, winning by an average of almost three touchdowns while scoring 40.4 points-per-game and allowing 20.1 points on defense. Prairie Grove will line up and contend for a conference title in its last season as a member of the 4A-1 before jumping to Class 5A next year. The Tigers will not go quietly.
OFFENSE Quarterbacks
Last year’s backup junior Paytin Higgins ( 5-10, 145) injured his knee during spring soccer competition and had surgery. He was released in early August to return to action.
Classmate Camden Patterson (5-10, 145) is slated as No. 1 with Higgins poised to battle for the starting job.
Abshier lauds Luke Vance (5-9, 145), who doesn’t look bad as a sophomore.
“He’s been working hard. He’s got leadership skills also,” Abshier said.
Wingbacks
Explosive junior Ethan Miller (5-9, 175) shifts to wingback providing dangerous speed. Senior Kobe Frazier (5-11, 185) spells him when he lines up at halfback or needs a breather.
Halfbacks
Senior Collin Faulk (6-0, 170) starts at halfback backed up by Miller. Sophomore Conner Hubbs (5-10, 155), who is slated to start at split end, is the third halfback. Senior Cooper Singleton (5-8, 180) adds depth.
Fullbacks
Junior Coner Whetsell ( 5- 8, 170) starts, and Rhett Marrell ( 5- 8, 155), whom Abshier describes as “a very capable young man,” is the No. 2 guy. Promising sophomore Joe Sims ( 6-1, 200) is No. 3 on the depth chart.
Receivers
Hubbs and senior Landon Semrad (6-4, 190) are the starters with senior Landyn Washausen ( 5- 11, 145) in reserve. Semrad caught 31 passes for 496 yards averaging 16 yards-per-catch as a junior.
Tight ends
Abshier says fans ought to hear the name of junior Matthew Velasco (6-0, 225) more this year. He made some big plays last year.
“He’s a very headsy kid, very eager, very smart about the play, how to flow the game and what’s going on, smart, smart, bigger and stronger and has good hands,” Abshier said.
Senior Dalton Frazier ( 5-10, 180), who focuses mainly on defense, and sophomore David Stephens are the backups.
Junior Ryder Orr (6-2, 260) lines up at left guard and can slide to tackle.
“Ryder did well last year, played both sides of the ball, will probably do so again this year,” Abshier said. “Hopefully, he’s an improved version of last year … we’re thinking he’ll get better each year.”
Senior John King (5-7, 155) starts at right guard although Abshier notes “a huge size difference between those two guys.”
“We need a heavier one on the right also. We got a sophomore trying to learn a couple of spots in Robert Fleming. He’s kind of playing guard, he’s a little heavier, he’s kind of playing tackle a little bit,” Abshier said.
Senior Jacob London (5-9, 160) works at both guard and tackle.
Junior Chayton Smith (5-10, 260) starts at left tackle. Another guard will come in when Orr spells him.
Junior Corbin Bowlin (6-1, 230) gained some poundage, mass and a little more height. He starts at center. Backup center is sophomore Ethan Grohaus (5-10, 235), a capable lineman who may play tackle if he’d accept that assignment a little bit better.
Starting right tackle James Moss (5-11, 285) gives the Tigers more flexibility on the line.
“We tooled around with him playing some guard. If we could find a good, solid right tackle then he will do that, [we’ll] let him play guard,” Abshier said.
Backup Gavin Graham ( 5-10, 210) injured his knee at guard, but could play tackle. He had surgery and may not be back for awhile, but Abshier thinks it will happen in a hurry when Graham gets going.
DEFENSE
Defensive Coordinator Craig Laird fully intends to refine the Tigers despite key losses to graduation.
“We are excited about our defense. I’ve talked to a lot of people. We’ve got a lot of talent on our defense. We’ve got a lot of question marks, but we’ve got a lot of experience on our line,” Laird said. “Linebackers might be our biggest question mark, linebackers and safeties as far as filling shoes. You try to replace a Cade Grant and a Foster Layman.”
Most of Laird’s defensive projections played special teams last year. King was on all the special teams and may have been the leading tackler on special teams.
“He can run and tackle and that’s what we want on that side of the ball,” Laird said.
Defensive line
The Tigers are big, strong and aggressive up front in Laird’s scheme. Orr has the most experience at defensive tackle. He played a lot last year.
Newcomer Conner Brunson (5-11, 300) moved off for a year, came back, and last year helped with filming.
“He’s big, going to be extremely hard to move, and we’d love to see him out there a lot especially on run downs,” Laird said.
Velasco will play both defensive tackle and end depending on the need. Laird is hoping for him to be the guy to kind of replace Gunner Caudle, who was voted the conference’s Outstanding Defensive lineman last year earning All-Star status.
Bowlin didn’t play much defense last year, but has the length, strength and work ethic. King’s a little lighter than coaches want for linebacker where he played last year, yet brings good instincts to defensive end.
Dalton Frazier is probably the second most experienced guy coming back on the defensive line where he played a lot of defensive end last year. He moves pretty well and he’s got a lot of experience there. He made a good play at Gravette last year.
Moss, who played very little defense last year, has the tools, worked really hard in the weight room and has been to several camps this summer.
The roster includes a few sophomore defensive lineman, who could start working their way up the depth chart.
Inside Linebackers
Marrell got hurt last year at the beginning of the year and so he didn’t get any experience last year so he’s coming in as a junior without sophomore experience on the playing field. Marrell is one of the Tigers’ strongest kids who squats over 400 pounds, loves the weight room, smart and savvy.
London is a senior, who came in quite a bit last year to air 2020 seniors Jackson Sorters and Knox Laird as did King. London worked really hard in the weight room and will be counted on to assume a leadership role.
Sims, the strongest sophomore, impressed coaches in practice during a 1-on-1 drill by taking on Brunson, the 300-hundred pounder, and holding his own.
A couple of sophomores could fight their way into the mix. David Stevens looked really good at linebacker in 1-on-1 drills and might be a guy who gets a look at defensive end.
Outside Linebackers
Whetsell backed up Carter Scates and Cade Walker so he didn’t play a ton of defense last season, but he can run, is extremely strong, talented, and very physical.
Junior Tyler Dickerson (5-7, 150), a cousin to Mason Tucker, last season’s free safety, is also looking to play a bunch.
“Tyler’s got the same kind of heart that Mason had. Tyler doesn’t say much, but he’s always listening. He’s always tuned in. He’s the most respectful kid, asking questions and at that position, at outside linebacker we got to have that. We got to have somebody with some football IQ there and he’s done that for us in 7-on-7. He’ll be a big help,” Laird said.
Cornerbacks
If Higgins is healthy, he starts at cornerback with Faulk on the other side, both with a lot of experience. Faulk played a bunch last year and made some really good plays including an interception he ran a ways against Blytheville when they were trying to come from behind.
Faulk was on the 2020 kickoff team because he can run and hit quite a bit. He’s physical and Laird is excited about the duo. Washausen serves as the main backup. He’s worked really hard this year and missed spring practice because he was in another sport, but actually changed his schedule and one of his classes in that spring semester so he could take weight training classes and continue working out.
Strong Safety
Miller combines experience with being maybe the most athletic kid on the team. The other guy playing that position is Alex Helms, who’s back. He moved away to Colorado, moved back to Prairie Grove, moved to Colorado, then moved back.
After one day in shoulder pads coaches were still trying to assess how physical Helms can be.
“He’s got the things we need. He looked really good in 7- on-7 a few weeks back. He’s doing some things, he’s having to learn. He’s new in the program again,” Laird said.
Free Safety
Kobe Frazier moved back and forth last year after playing linebacker two years ago. In 2020 one of the secondary players quit two games into the season so coaches started trying to fill that hole.
Sophomore Luke Vance brings intelligence while working that spot, but is more of a quarterback right now.
Patterson has some experience at free safety and was looking to be a starter this year had he not slid into that more of a need at quarterback.