Panthers earn top billing in South Central Association
South Central Pre-Season Conference Notes:
With the help of the SWMO rankings staff.
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1.Mountain Grove
Last season's record, 9-2 (6-0)
The Panthers will try and continue their recent success in
conference play, after winning five straight conference titles.
Mountain Grove returns 8 starters on offense including
all-state seniorrunning backEvan
Williams (5'9 170) and senior fullback
Chris Matthews
(5'9 175). Williams and Matthews will be running behind an offensive line that
had three all-conference selections last season and returns completely intact.
The Panthers also return 8 starters on the defensive side,
led by three linebackers that earned all-conference honors last season. Seniors
Matthews, Ryan McCay
(5'11 175), and Chris Shannon
(6'1 180).
Mountain Grove will be replacing a three year starter and
former all-stater at quarterback with the graduation of Casey White. They must
also replace SCA Lineman of the Year and all-state defensive end Cody Bryant and
All State defensive back Ethan Smith.
2.Mountain View Liberty
Last season's record, 9-3 (4-2)
Coming of the most successful season in school history, the
Eagles will look for more in the 2009 season.
Liberty will look for their offensive line to carry the
load early in the season as the young skill positions develop. Junior wide
receiver Derek Daniels
(6'3 186) will also help with the new offense. Daniels should be one of the
better receivers in the SCA this season.
On defense, the Eagles return eight starters from a year
ago. Senior Corey Rutledge
(5'10 202), an all-state linebacker selection, and senior
linebacker Jon Moore
(6'0 180) will be the leaders of the group.
Mountain View
will have a big task replacing their skill positions. SCA Back of the Year Luke
Yarber is the biggest shoes to fill at quarterback. All-state wide receiver
Paris Walkup and leading rusher Ethan Taylor have also graduated.
3.Salem
Last season's record, 8-3 (5-1)
Salem returns five starters on the offensive side of the
ball. All Conference senior running back
Derek Freeman
(5'10 170) will be looked upon to carry the offensive load. In normal Salem
fashion he will have plenty of help up front including senior All Conference
lineman Ryan Lundy (6'4 312).
The Tigers only return two starters on defense but
both were All Conference selections last season. Senior defensive lineman Kelby
Pryor (6'2 260) and senior defensive back Andrew Kisser (5'10 160). Pryor has
made some noise this season at football camps around the state and look for him
to be one of the best in the SCA.
Salem must once again replace a lot of graduated starters.
Andy Flett was an All State selection on the offensive line last season.
Running back Yousef Ibrahim and linebacker Landie
Oliver are also key players that graduated.
4.Houston
Last season's record, 6-5 (3-3)
Houston returns most of their offensive line for the 2009
season including senior All Conference selection
Kyle Williams
(5'9190).A big blow to the offensive could be if senior all-conference running
back Brad Pounds
(5'9 200) in unable to play due to injury.
New leaders must step up on the defensive side of the ball
for the Tigers with three first-team all-conference selections
graduating.Williams, a linebacker on defense,and senior defensive lineman
Jake Sheets
(6'2 220) will help as the young defense matures.
Houston will have a big position to fill on offense this
season. Graduated quarterback David Weybright accounted for almost 3000 yards of
offense last season.
5.Ava
Last season's record, 4-6 (2-4)
Ava will start the season with a
new head coach but a familiar face.
Daniel Swofford was
the defensive coordinator at Ava from 2005 to 2007 before taking the same
position at Glendale last season.
Ava's offense starts with the return of senior first-team
all-conference H-back Josh Wendler
(5'9 210). Wendler
is also one of the top kick returners in the conference. Also returning will be
three
offensive linemen that saw a lot of time on the
field last season.
On defense Wendler, a linebacker, and senior all-conference
defensive lineman Matt Jenkins
(5'9 210) are two of five starters returning.
Ava's biggest question, like many teams in the SCA, will be
how their new quarterback performs.
6.Cabool
Last season's record, 1-9 (1-5)
Like Ava, Cabool will begin the season with a new head
coach in Eric Sloan.
Injuries ravaged Cabool last season and a lot of the players and coaches are
looking for a new start.
The Bulldogs offense will be built around their athletes
and offensive line. The line returns five players that saw large amounts of
playing time due to injuries. Senior Nate
Stoutenborough (5'11 155) will man the
quarterback position. Stoutenborough has already become on of the top basketball
players in the SCA and will look for the same success on the football field.
Junior H-back Donovan Baker
(5'8 170) is one of the faster players in the conference
and will be one of keys to the offense.
Senior all-conference linebacker
James Hayes (6'2 225)
will guide a defense that struggled at times last season.
With so many injuries last season Cabool returns a lot of
players with experience. Two major holes to fill will be all-conferencerunning
backJoe McCarty and all-conference offensive lineman Trent Sears.
7.Willow Springs
Last season's record, 1-9 (0-6)
Like Cabool and Ava, Willow Springs also starts the season
with a new head coach in Matt Perkins.
Joining Perkins on the staff will be former long time Cabool
head coach Vince McCrosky.
The Willow offense will be very young this season,
returning five players that saw significant playing time last season. Four of
those players are underclassmen. Junior wide receiver
Clint Harper (5'11
160) was an all-conference selection and should be one of the main weapons.
Junior running backs Brandon Pitts
(5'8 175) and Anthony Barton
(5'9 175) will be the keys to the running game.
Like the offense the defense will be very young with
underclassmen manning most of the positions.
Graduated quarterback Justin Johnson will be the biggest
shoes to fill. Johnson accounted for over 1000 passing yards and almost 1000
rushing yards last season. He was also an all-conference linebacker.
MOsports.com Fearless Predictions,
Conference Champion: Mtn. Grove
Conference Player of the year:
Evan Williams
(5'9 170), Sr, Mtn. Grove
2009 Top Returning South Central Association Players
Offense
OL KYLE WILLIAMS
HOUSTON SR
OL LEVI WILES
MTN GROVE SR
OL DUSTIN MILLS
MTN GROVE SR
OL RYAN LUNDY SALEM
SR
RB EVIN WILLIAMS
MTN GROVE
SR
H-BACK
JOSH WENDLER AVA
SR
KICKER
CHRISTAIN MATHEWS MTN GROVE
SR
OL JEREMIAH CONN
LIBERTY
SR
OL TERRANCE PARSONS
MTN GROVE SR
RB DEREK FREEMAN
SALEM
SR
WR KYLE POYNTER HOUSTON
SR
WR
CLINT HARPER
WILLOW SPR JR
OFF LINE
NICK TOOLEY
WILLOW SPR SR
OFF LINE
ADAM FLEMING
HOUSTON SR
OFF LINE
TUCKER WINDSOR
CABOOL
SR
WR DEREK DANIELS
LIBERTY
JR
H-BACK
BRAD POUNDS
HOUSTON SR
Defense
DL ERIC PELATE
LIBERTY
SR
LB
COREY RUTLEDGE
LIBERTY
SR
LB RYAN MCCAY
MTN GROVE SR
PUNTER
COTY MARTIN LIBERTY
JR
DL KELBY PRYOR
SALEM
SR
DL SETH LEIGHTY
MTN GROVE SR
DL MATT JENKINS
AVA
SR
LBJON MOORE
LIBERTY
SR
LB TY FLOYD
SALEM
SR
LB CHRIS MATTHEWS MTN GROVE
SR
DB ANDY KISSER
SALEM
SR
LB
CHRIS SHANNON
MTN GROVE SR
LB
JAMES HAYES
CABOOL
SR
