Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Devils Ready To Repeat As Football Champs

Gurdon's Go-Devils are picked to repeat as conference champions in 1998.

However, repeating is never easy as the other teams in the league will be geared up and gunning for the Devils each and every Friday night of the football season.

Making a repeat even more difficult is the team has to replace two-year starting quarterback Jarod Toland.

At this point, Devil Coach John Pace said, Eric Allen will start under center for the team. Allen backed Toland up last season and showed skills at the position during his chances to take snaps.

This year, a total of 37 players will be suiting up for the senior squad, while about 33 will be strapping on helmets for the junior high program.

The increase in numbers, Pace said, can only help the Devils in the long-run.

Pace has a serious problem offensively deciding who to start in the backfield. It's a problem, though, most coaches don't mind. He has an abundance of players who can start every game at fullback and tailback.

Chauncey Charles, Rashawn Hopson and Brannon Hatley will see time in the backfield at the tailback position. Charles and Hopson were on the team last year and played well, while this is Hatley's first season. "He's been a pleasant surprise," Pace said.

Josh Griffin, Adrian Meeks and Demond Beasley have been consistent in the fullback post. Griffin, though, will likely spend most of his playing time on offense as tight end.

The Devils will see how senior Chad Cox fares in the 7AA West division. Cox wasn't around last year but has shown signs of having desire and wanting to play, Pace said.

Gurdon's defense should be solid by the time the Devils take the field Friday night against Fouke's Panthers.

However, the Devil defense has to replace a pair of tackles, two linebackers and the noseman from last year.

The secondary should be close to awesome with returning starters throughout.

Of the 37 players, eight are seniors. This should give the 1998 Devils plenty of leadership during what promised to be a long and hard-fought season.

There are also 15 sophomores on the team, learning and improving with each passing game.

This leaves 14 junior players to contribute week in and week out, while gaining more experience and knowledge for their senior season in 1999.

The Devils, Pace said, have had a good work ethic in spite of the heat and humidity. Weather, he said, has been a factor in the team's improvement during the preseason drills.

"The team has a lot of potential," Pace said. "Allen can be a big play quarterback and Hopson can break it on any play." Charles runs hard, he added.

The Devils have plenty of experience in the skill positions, as the secondary will have several three year starters and the backfield will have speed and power as well.

Discussing the junior team, Pace said the numbers are up with several eighth graders coming out for the squad.

This is helping new coach Mark Shelton build the program.

Pace said the junior squad should improve as the year goes on, though they will face a tough schedule.

The junior Devils first three games will be against perennial powers as they tangle with Fordyce, De Queen and Junction City.

Last year's seventh grade team posted a 5-2 overall record, and brings this winning tradition back as eighth graders.

"They show a lot of promise," Pace said. "They're gritty kids."

The junior team will see the return of Steven Stroud as quarterback, while Eddie Fort has shown potential as a linebacker.

Others who have shown promise, Pace said, include Pierre Robertson, O'Brian Moss, K.P. Meeks, Kelvin McPeak and Kinnard Pegram.

When looking long term for the senior Devils, Pace said the team has potential, but reminds fans Mineral Springs, Stamps and Murfreesboro won't be easy teams to beat in league play.

Gurdon, though, should be in the hunt, barring injury to key players.

Preseason seers have picked Gurdon to repeat as the class of the 7AA West, though the extra A means nothing as Arkansas no longer has "B" level school districts.

The "experts" have tabbed Murfreesboro to finish second, with Stamps third and Mineral Springs fourth.

Rounding out the league, Foreman is expected to finish in fifth, just ahead of the Horatio Lions in sixth.

Dierks, a team the Devils remember well from 1997 as the Outlaws cost Gurdon a perfect regular season record after forcing a forfeit, should finish seventh, with Lewisville's Red Devils to bring up the rear.

Murfreesboro is expected to have good size and plenty of depth, but not be as quick as in past years.

Experts are predicting the Rattlers to finish with a better record than their 6-5 season last year.

Dierks will likely be running the wishbone offense to take advantage of the team's backfield.

However, the Outlaws will have a young quarterback and a halfback who missed the '97 campaign with a broken foot.

While the Outlaws have more bodies than before and more talent in the skill positions, they have little depth or speed.

Dierks also will be facing a Gurdon team whose junior players remember well what happened in '97 when the officiating crew failed to show and the Dierks administration refused to play the game, forcing a forfeit.