Are you ready for some football?
2024 football season ready for kickoff with local high school teams in action
By RALPH HARDIN
ralphhardin@gmail.com
Strike up the band, blow the whistle and let’s get ready to rumble!
After weeks of preparation, the 2024 high school football season is here. And once again, all four local high schools will be gearing up and hitting the gridiron for another fall full of hard hits and amazing action.
Earle Bulldogs
The Bulldogs managed just four wins in a very tough 2A Conference schedule last season, but Coach Albert Coleman has his team ready to compete in 2024 with a roster of new and experienced players.
Earle will have a couple of options at quarterback, with junior Ta’Ron Hurst back under center this season and senior Karon Alston also available to take snaps. Hurst completed 86 passes last year for over 1,800 yards, resulting in 20 touchdowns. Add in his 279 rushing yards and four rushing TDs, and he will be a dual threat to his opponents this year.
The Bulldogs will have a pair of senior running backs to carry the ball in 2024 in the form of Brian Powell and Ralon Evans. The Earle defense will be led by Zavion Maples, Cameron Oliver and James Jarrett.
Earle will open the 2024 season on Friday, Sept. 6, when they hit the road and head to Helena-West Helena.
Marion Patriots
Marion fourth-year coach Lance
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ABOVE: Bryant Pollard was the West Memphis Christian’s Player of the Week last week. Pollard had had 4 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble in the Knights’ season opener. Presenting the game ball from Crittenden County Farm Bureau were agent Jason Owens and MSR Christy Clark. LEFT: The Blue Devils are ready for 2024. They will be on the road a lot this season so be sure to show up and show out when they do play in West Memphis this season.
Photos courtesy of WMCS
Go Blue Devils! The West Memphis cheer squad will be on the sidelines all season long rooting for the Devils.
Fans of the Earle Bulldogs can expect to see junior quarterback Ta’Ron Hurst with the football a lot this season.
Photo courtesy of Facebook FOOTBALL
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Clark is ready and his team is ready. The Patriots won eight games last year and for the second time in three years. It was just the sixth eight-win season for Marion, and the Pats _nished as conference runners-up for the _rst time since 2018.
The Pats _nished six victories a season ago under the sportsmanship rule, which is a school record.
“Last year was probably the most fun I’ve had every day as a head coach here,” said Clark. “Our seniors were blue-collar kids, they were a joy to be around. They were good football players, and we’ll miss them a lot. Last year was another big step forward for our program.”
Marion earned a No. 5 preseason ranking in this summer’s edition of Hooten’s Arkansas Football, the school’s highest preseason mark since starting the 2010 season ranked _fth in Class 6A.
Now it’s up to the 2024 team to pick up where the 2023 squad left off. A bevy of starters return for the Pats to aid their ascent up the 6A East ladder. Junior quarterback Zayden Walker broke out a season ago when he started every game under center for the 4-2 junior varsity team and, as Clark notes, “he’s had a tremendous off-season.
Two-time senior all-state tailback Jalen Smith is less than 1,000 yards away from breaking the school’s all-time rushing record, held by 2017 graduate Tom Young. Smith, who rushed last fall for 1,582 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The top three receivers of a season ago combined to catch 54 passes for 1,131 yards and 12 TDs return for 2024. Seniors Cam Garrett (19 receptions last fall for 467 yards and four TDs), Mitrell Lewis (19 catches for 353 yards and six TDs) and Christian Young (16 receptions for 311 yards and two scores) offer different skill sets. Garrett played mostly a traditional tight end in the previous two seasons, and he could line up more as a receiver this season.
Seniors Marselo Amaya and Nick Bledsoe could split kicking duties this fall. Amaya, also a standout soccer player, routinely connected last year on extra points and showed improved leg strength in the spring. Bledsoe started kicking last year and reliably made _eld goals from 30 yards and closer during summer camp.
Junior defensive end Ryan Blackwell exploded onto the scene last year, starting every game for a defensive unit that surrendered less than 23 points per game. Blackwell stacked 23 tackles as a sophomore, including four behind the line of scrimmage. Seniors Marterion Bazemore and Jaylon Crawford compete for the other starting end spot, and all will play on Friday nights. Seniors Elijah Doss and Taylin Rucker and junior Makhi Guyton impressed coaches in fall camp at tackle, where seniors Christopher Williams, juniors Devon Anthony, and sophomores Gary Wilson and Jalen Hunter rotate on the defensive line. Seniors Skyla White, Jr., and Antonio Reed help up front, while Curne will play crucial snaps.
Marion opens the 2024 campaign this Friday night in a showdown the Wynne Yellowjackets on the road. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Wynne. The game will be broadcast on the Marion Patriot Activities Network,
West Memphis Blue Devils
New year, new coach. Well, sort of.
Don’t call it a comeback… or do. Either way, the Blue Devils welcomed Vince Newton back to West Memphis over the summer, as the former assistant coach returns to take the helm of a rebuilding Blue Devil football program after coaching at Crossett the past two seasons.
“The goal is the same here as it’s always been,” Newton said. “We want to win the state championship. I view this as one of the top programs in the state no matter which class. We are excited to get started.”
In the Blue Devils’ opening action, a bene_t scrimmage against Blytheville, West Memphis was still working out the depth chart. Quarterbacks Drew Jenkins and Isaiah White look to take most of the snaps this season. It was Jenkins who took over in the epic Marion game last season when senior QB Keland Mills had to leave the game with a leg injury.
“He has leadership qualities that you can’t fake,” Newton said, but also said that White and freshman Andrew Clay will see some action this season under center.
On the defensive side, expect junior Kobe Birdo to be a thorn in other teams’ offense’s sides all season long at nose guard. Newton praised Birdo’s “quick _rst step” in summer practices. A trio of other juniors, Randy East, Myhkle Peterson and Deon Stidwell will also line up for the Devils’ defense.
West Memphis will be on the road to open the 2024 regular season. Get used to that idea. Thanks to the reshufing of the conference alignments in 6A and 7A football by AAA this year, the Blue Devils will only have four home games all season, beginning Friday, Sept. 13, when they host Valley View at Hamilton-Shultz Stadium.
As for this Friday night, game time in Hot Springs is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff, as the Trojans welcome the Blue Devils to town.
West Memphis Christian
The big news out of Black Knights football this season is a return to 11-man football. After several seasons of playing 8-on-8, the Knights have a full compliment of players for the 2024 campaign.
That campaign is already off and running, as the MAIS schedule is a couple of weeks ahead of the public school season. The Black Knights are 0-2 to start 2024, but they have been competitive in both losses, falling 45-18 in a game that was closer than the score would indicate against Winona Christian Academy this past Friday night after a season- opening 38-6 loss on the road against Clinton Christian Academy.
The Knights open conference play this Friday night on the road as they travel to Lexington, Mississippi, to take on Central Homes Christian. Game time is set for 6:50 p.m.
Marion junior defensive back Brian Benford, Jr. (5) reacts after returning an interception deep into Valley View territory during the third period last Friday night.
Photo by Eryn Edwards
West Memphis Christian is already two games deep into the 2024 season with an early start.
Photo by Mandi Burns
Earle has been going through their summer drills over the past few weeks ahead of next week’s 2024 season opener.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
Marion senior linebacker Carter Moore (53 in 2023, 8 in 2024) signals to the sideline during action a season ago. Moore is one of three senior linebackers who has left his mark during the off-season.
Photo by Londa Hamrick/
The Black Knights line up to take the field last Friday night against Winona Christian Academy.
Photo by Mandi Burns
