Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Good season expected for Devils in '02 campaign

Gurdon's Go-Devils will be competing in conference action almost right out of the starting gate this football season.

The Devils will have one non-conference game  week one when the team travels to meet their long-time rivals and former conference foes the Prescott Curley Wolves.

After this contest, the rest of the games count as there are eight teams in the 7AA-West. When the schedules were made out at the end of last year, the league had nine teams, but Bradley has since dropped its football program.

The newest team in the league is the Spring Hill Bears, who will find out how hard it is to compete in this division at this level.

According to a statewide publication, Mineral Springs has been picked to win the conference, with Gurdon to finish second.

Murfreesboro has been tabbed in third, with, surprisingly, Dierks picked in fourth.

From there the "experts" see the conference finishing with Spring Hill fifth, followed by Foreman, Horatio, Lewisville and Stamps.

There was speculation at the conclusion of the 2001 season Stamps would consider doing away with its football program, or merging its players with Lewisville.

Before last year, the Devils had averaged nine wins a season for four years running. However, Gurdon lost 17 seniors in 2000 to graduation and was in rebuilding mode last season.

In spite of only winning four games during the regular season, the Devils made it to the playoffs.

Devil Coach John Pace spent the spring practice evaluating the players and getting them ready for the 2002 season.

Gurdon returns eight from each side of the ball this year, which should bode well for the Devils and their fans.

Pace plans on opening up the team's passing game, possibly throwing the ball 20 times an outing. He will have senior Jake Plyler, a 4.0 student, under center for the second year in a row to make the passes.

Another bright spot for Gurdon will be having K.P. Meeks return as one of the team's running backs. Meeks is a punishing style runner with 4.6 speed in the 40-yard dash. He also runs low and is hard to bring down.

Cevin Laster will be the tailback again this year. Laster carried 23 times, gaining 124 yards, including a 50-yard scamper against Prescott to give the Devils a win over their long-time foes.

What will make Laster twice as dangerous to opposing teams is his ability as a receiver. According to Pace, Laster has the best hands on the team.

Marcell Johnson played wingback the last half of the 01 season, and will return to this position for the 02 campaign.

Dorsey Kelley and Uthel Gatlin will see time in the backfield as well, as will sophomores Jamal Lacy and Hunter Johnson.

John Watson, hands down the fastest player on the squad, will be the tight end. At 5-11, 250, he will be a load for defensive backs and linebackers to bring down.

As to his speed, Watson runs 100 meters in 11.1 seconds, and the 200 meter dash in 22.6 seconds.

Davion Williams will be another of the team's receivers.

Gurdon benefitted from a Magnolia transfer in Jeff Gatlif, 6-1, 225, who will be either a guard or tackle.

The offensive line for the Devils should be solid, open holes and provide valuable time for Plyler to get his passes away.

Justin Bell, 5-11, 275, and Josh Uchtman, 6-2, 210, will be the anchors. Here's a scary thought to opposing defenders: Uchtman should be even faster off the ball as he dropped 30 pounds in the off season.

Brandon Sanders, C.J. Stroder and Jesse McClure will give the Devils something the team has had little of in recent years  depth on the line.

Defensively the Devils gave up only 12 points per game last year, and will be equally, if not more, stingy this year.

Once again, Gurdon will run a multiple 50 defense, relying on quickness, tenacity and a really nasty attitude toward opposing ball carriers.

Plyler will be one of the team's defensive ends. He benches 350 pounds and will punish runners or receivers.

Kelley will likely be the end on the other side of the line.

Sanders will play nose guard, and also see action as a linebacker. Other linebackers will include Watson, who likes to hit, and Meeks, another punishing tackler.

Uchtman and Testa will be tackles, with Gatlif and Stroder also to spend time on the line.

Laster will be one of the team's corners, while Marcell Johnson will play strong safety. Lacy moved from linebacker to the secondary during the off season.

Devil fans are familiar with the other teams in the league, with the exception of Spring Hill.

The Bears played their inaugural season in 2001, though it wasn't official as far as the Arkansas Activities Association was concerned.

The Bears will be coached by Tommy Poole and run a multiple offense and defense.

Spring Hill is expected to field 30 players for their first year in the 7AA West.

Last year's group had 16 sophomores who posted a 6-3 junior high record. The JV team tangled with four teams in the 7AAA last year  Prescott, Nashville, Ashdown and De Queen.

According to Poole, the Bear program is modeled after the one Eddie Jackson had during his years with Prescott.

The big question for the Bears will be, "can Spring Hill compete with teams in the 7AA in its first official year?"

Poole says yes, primarily because his team works hard and leaves everything on the field.

Time will tell.

The 2002 football season will open Friday, Sept. 6.