In the 2023 season we saw a lot of surprises.
RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week: Coach of the Year
Whit Overton
When looking at the coaching candidates, you begin to get a grasp of how good football is here in the River Valley. Chris Young is no stranger to the lights of War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, getting his 16th visit of Greenwood’s 17. Along the way, got Greenwood’s 11th State Championship. Ricky May always has the Charleston Tigers ready to pounce and were looking to defend their State Championship. Doc Crawley has the hardnosed Booneville Bearcats setting records and bulldozing opponents and winning the 2023 Class 3A State Championship. Out of all those coaches and their illustrious resume’s, one name stood out to all of us at the RNN Sports Department. Whit Overton.
Coach Overton bleeds Mansfield Red and White through and through. Aa a graduate of the Mansfield School District, Coach Overton took over a program that had not seen much playoff success and was overshadowed by the neighboring Powerhouse teams. This year…. all that changed. The Tigers got off to a fast start averaging over a 50-points per game, while holding true to their team first culture. Back-to-back losses to Charleston and Booneville, did not spoil the Mansfield season. The Tigers rolled into the playoffs the number 3 seed out of the 3A-1 Conference. After a very convincing win over Centerpoint in the first round, Mansfield traveled to Hoxie and pulled an upset. Then went on the road again the next week to Salem and knocked off the Greyhounds. The historic Mansfield run would come to a close at the hands of the Prescott Curley Wolves in the Semi-Finals. With the success and amazing season your RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock of The Week Coach of the Year is Whit Overton
RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week: Dudes of the Year Team
This was a hard choice, some were obvious and stood out. Some we had to make tough choices, are they offense or are they defense. Do we do a 2nd team? Where can we get stats. To the coaches we reached out to, thank you for your help on names and stats on Dudes of the Year.
Offense
QB – Kane Archer – Soph – Greenwood – All-State, 6A State Championship Game MVP, 6A West Offensive Player of the year, 8th Nationally in scoring with 49 total touchdowns. Holds several Power 5 Offers
RB – Dax Goff – Sr – Booneville – All-State, 3A State Championship Game MVP, 3A-1 Offensive Player of the year, Booneville career yardage leader with 5,961 yards. 266 Carries for 2,691 yards 39 Touchdowns. Committed to Harding University
RB – Daniel Burton – Jr – Mansfield – All-State 115 Carries for 1,519 yards 18 Touchdowns.
RB – Brayedan Davis – Sr – Greenwood – All-State 237 Carries for 1,584 yards 23 Touchdowns
OL – Ryan Shortes – Sr – Greenwood – 6A Burlsworth Award winner, 6A West All-Conference
OL – Matt O’Bar – Sr – Booneville – All-State, 3A Burlsworth Award winner. Was part of an offense that gained 6,331 yards. 45 tackles
OL – Lance Sims – Sr – Booneville – 3A-1 All-Conference. With Matt O’Bar, part of an offense that gained 6,331 yards. 31 tackles.
OL – Cody Taylor – Soph – Greenwood – 6A West All-Conference. Holds several Power 5 offers.
OL – Turner Wright – Sr – Mansfield – All-State
WR – L.J. Robins – Sr – Greenwood – All-State 79 receptions for 1,015 yards 17 Touchdowns. Back to Back 1000 yard seasons. Holds several offers to play in college.
WR – Grant Karnes – Jr – Greenwood – All-State 72 receptions for 990 yards 13 Touchdowns. 10 yards shy of back to back 1000 yard seasons.
Defense
DL – Cash Archer – Jr – Greenwood – All-State, 6A West Defensive Player of the Year, 20 sacks, 38 hurries, 78 total tackles. Holds several Power 5 Offers
DL – Dakota Deer – Jr – Mansfield – 3A-1 All-Conference, 3 sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, 38 total tackles
DL – Maddix Terry – Soph – Charleston – 44 Total Tackles, 5 Tackles for a loss, 8 sacks and 4 fumble recoveries
LB – Zander Walters – Soph – Mansfield – 3A-1 All-Conference, 61 total tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 3 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles
LB – Hunter Warren – Soph – Booneville – 3A-1 All-Conference, 87 tackles, 4 sacks
LB – Reese Merechka – Sr – Charleston – 3A All-State, 3A-1 and Farm Bureau Insurance 3A- Defensive Player of the year.
LB – Hunter Little – Sr – Charleston – All-State, 93 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception.
LB – Kason Davis – Sr – Waldron – 4A-7 All-Conference 2nd Team, 21 total tackles
DB – Brady Mackey – Sr – Greenwood – All-State, Farm Bureau 6A Defensive Player of the Year, 82 total tackles, 7 Interceptions
DB – Payton Martin – Sr – Mansfield – 3A-1 All-Conference, 23 total tackles, Committed to play baseball at University of Arkansas – Rich Mountain.
DB – Cole Bailey – Jr – Waldron – 4A-7 All Conference, 72 total tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 1 sack.
K – Andrea Emilini – Charleston – 46 points, 44/47 on extra points, 2/4 Field Goals, 12 Touchbacks on Kickoffs
RNN Sports Stone Cold Lock Of The Week: Some More Dudes Of The Year – Honorable Mention
QB – Jace Washburn – Booneville
QB – Jeremy Strozier – Mansfield
QB – Eli Huck – Charleston
QB – Noah Patrick – Waldron
RB – Rylen Ray – Booneville
RB – Conner Lentz – Booneville
RB – Chakong Vang – Magazine
RB – Steve Grano – Waldron
RB/DB – Tyler Turnipseed – Mansfield
RB/DB – Andrew Burton – Mansfield
OL – Mathew Crosby – Booneville
OL – Sam Hicks – Booneville
OL/DL – Caiden Ore – Mansfield
OL/DL – Logan Ore – Mansfield
WR – Isaiah Arrington – Greenwood
WR/FS – Emiliano Gaona – Charleston
LB – Kolton McCubbin – Magazine
LB – Eli Whitaker – Greenwood
LB – Sam Ehler – Waldron
DB/P – Landon Nelms – Greenwood
DB – Braden Skaggs – Greenwood
K – Bodey Steinfeldt – Greenwood
LS- Jack Edwards – Greenwood
