2-4A Week 3

[Ladyfan]

Not looking like a good week for the 2-4A

Predictions in bold:

Lonoke (1-1) @ Newport (1-1)

Clinton (2-0) @ CAC (1-1)

Maumelle (2-0) @ Mills (0-2)

Bald Knob  (1-1) @ Harmony Grove (2-0)

Heber Springs (0-2) @ Harding Academy (1-1)

Pocahontas (1-1) @ Southside (1-1)

[LakeRat]

Looks like a typical week 3 non-conference schedule...

Lonoke vs Newport looks like it will be a good match-up between former conference foes.

CAC will get a good workout from a decent Clinton team.

Heber will get another game to work on their defensive weakness against Harding...

Southside will power up over Pocahantas

Stuttgart will have a bye week to savor their stunning upset of Warren last week...

[HeberFan]

Looks like a typical week 3 non-conference schedule...

Lonoke vs Newport looks like it will be a good match-up between former conference foes.

CAC will get a good workout from a decent Clinton team.

Heber will get another game to work on their defensive weakness against Harding...

Southside will power up over Pocahantas

Stuttgart will have a bye week to savor their stunning upset of Warren last week...

Um.....

Newport will beat Lonoke... and Clinton will take care of CAC.  Heber will indeed see a lot of passes from Harding Academy, but, Southside won't have an easy time with Pokey.

I agree with you about Stuttgart... rain is their friend.

[Redskin2015]

Um.....

Newport will beat Lonoke... and Clinton will take care of CAC.  Heber will indeed see a lot of passes from Harding Academy, but, Southside won't have an easy time with Pokey.

I agree with you about Stuttgart... rain is their friend.

Clap!

[Chuckitdeep]

Not sure what to make of 2-4A this season outside of Stuttgart and SS it looks to be a down year for the conference. I think we'll find out a lot about SS defense against a Pocahontas team that seems to be able to put up a lot of points. Should be a good one to watch! Hopefully Heber rebounds a but and can get it going against Harding Academy

[LakeRat]

I wouldn't say the confernce as a whole is down... It's tough to read much into pre-conference performance predictors within 2-4A... There's no one team that stays on top year after year. There is also really good competitive parity within the conference.

Another factor... we can't keep the same schools in this revolving-door conference line-up. Every other year 1-3 teams shuffle in/out of the conference.

Right now Southside Batesville looks to be the team to beat this year in 2-4A. Heber Springs, Stuttgart and possibly CAC may challenge Southside for the conference title... 4-5 weeks from now it could be one of the other 4 teams getting hot and schooling the rest.

[Chuckitdeep]

I don't know what to think about Heber if it's just a hard schedule that they're struggling early or if they're going to be that way all season. Hoping they will look good against Harding Academy. I agree with new teams coming in and leaving each year it's hard to know what it will be like. Would like to see a lot of competitive games this year never fun watching any one team walk through conference schedule. Very excited for the SS V Stuttgart game should be fun to watch!

[Thatoneguy2]

I don't know what to think about Heber if it's just a hard schedule that they're struggling early or if they're going to be that way all season. Hoping they will look good against Harding Academy. I agree with new teams coming in and leaving each year it's hard to know what it will be like. Would like to see a lot of competitive games this year never fun watching any one team walk through conference schedule. Very excited for the SS V Stuttgart game should be fun to watch!

Please stop posting about stuff that you have no idea about what youre talking about. Research before you speak bozo.

[HeberFan]

Please stop posting about stuff that you have no idea about what youre talking about. Research before you speak bozo.

Name-calling is pathetic.

[phdefense]

I agree with you about Stuttgart... rainlightning is their friend.

FIFY
Football games do not get cancelled for rain.

[HeberFan]

FIFY
Football games do not get cancelled for rain.

I was speaking in a general way. And yes, football games get canceled due to rain. Ever heard of a hurricane?

[phdefense]

I was speaking in a general way. And yes, football games get canceled due to rain. Ever heard of a hurricane?

That would be wind not rain

[HeberFan]

Hurricanes are destructive by wind and/or rain. A category 1 storm does not have much wind, but if slow moving, creates floods. That would be a rain issue.  In the future, I can say "weather."

[Chuckitdeep]

Please stop posting about stuff that you have no idea about what youre talking about. Research before you speak bozo.

Dude go back to whatever troll hole you came out of and leave the thread for 2-4A to the folks who actually follow the conference.

[bigchief72455]

Dude go back to whatever troll hole you came out of and leave the thread for 2-4A to the folks who actually follow the conference.

No doubt. I was going to go back to the little kids table but most of us are still there. He needed to get back in his high chair.

[LakeRat]

I don't know what to think about Heber if it's just a hard schedule that they're struggling early or if they're going to be that way all season. Hoping they will look good against Harding Academy. I agree with new teams coming in and leaving each year it's hard to know what it will be like. Would like to see a lot of competitive games this year never fun watching any one team walk through conference schedule. Very excited for the SS V Stuttgart game should be fun to watch!

Heber Springs pre-conference play is somewhat frustrating to watch... it's small part the schedule, but mostly a reflection of the mediocre coaching staff.

This year... the Clinton game showed the Panthers real potential for their conference season. They came in with a solid game plan, focus and intensity. The historic rivalry fueled it and coaching staff kept the energy and intensity up the whole game.

Week 2 for the last few years has become a "throw-away". Playing the larger and more talented 5A team, Heber shows up expecting to be beat and it's reflected in the energy/intensity of the coaching staff and flows through the whole Panther sideline and on to the field. The play calling, low energy and play on the field just feels like a practice game.

Week 3 is more of the same except with a much smaller, less talented, but better coached Harding team. Too much indecision and low intensity on the sidelines flows out onto the field. The result reflect the investment. Just get through it and head to conference play, it doesn't matter...

I recognize that non-conference games don't count against the record and give teams a good opportunity to assess strengths, shore up weak spots and tighten up execution. But by week 3 if you have indecision, confusion, chaos and low energy execution it builds little, to no, momentum heading into conference play. In high school sports... momentum, energy and intensity are critical components. If your coaches are yucking it up, lost on the sidelines and holding 4 minute confabs just to count heads and field a kickoff/return team that ends up reflecting on play and game results.

[Trojanbird]

Sounds like you don't like your coach there Rat!  It's still early.

[Panther4life]

Heber Springs pre-conference play is somewhat frustrating to watch... it's small part the schedule, but mostly a reflection of the mediocre coaching staff.

This year... the Clinton game showed the Panthers real potential for their conference season. They came in with a solid game plan, focus and intensity. The historic rivalry fueled it and coaching staff kept the energy and intensity up the whole game. The start of the season has always been a little bit of a let down, but the panthers the last two years pulled it out and shared the conference championship.  Sesson is still young and I have faith the Panthers will bounce back.  This year does lack something but they will find it. 

Week 2 for the last few years has become a "throw-away". Playing the larger and more talented 5A team, Heber shows up expecting to be beat and it's reflected in the energy/intensity of the coaching staff and flows through the whole Panther sideline and on to the field. The play calling, low energy and play on the field just feels like a practice game.

Week 3 is more of the same except with a much smaller, less talented, but better coached Harding team. Too much indecision and low intensity on the sidelines flows out onto the field. The result reflect the investment. Just get through it and head to conference play, it doesn't matter...

I recognize that non-conference games don't count against the record and give teams a good opportunity to assess strengths, shore up weak spots and tighten up execution. But by week 3 if you have indecision, confusion, chaos and low energy execution it builds little, to no, momentum heading into conference play. In high school sports... momentum, energy and intensity are critical components. If your coaches are yucking it up, lost on the sidelines and holding 4 minute confabs just to count heads and field a kickoff/return team that ends up reflecting on play and game results.

The last two years Heber started out rough but the managed to share conference championship.  The Panthers will find their grove.  There is something missing but these 3 games are helping them find that out.  I have faith the Panthers will do ok in the future and there will be some upsets along the way!!

[HeberFan]

Heber Springs pre-conference play is somewhat frustrating to watch... it's small part the schedule, but mostly a reflection of the mediocre coaching staff.

This year... the Clinton game showed the Panthers real potential for their conference season. They came in with a solid game plan, focus and intensity. The historic rivalry fueled it and coaching staff kept the energy and intensity up the whole game.

Week 2 for the last few years has become a "throw-away". Playing the larger and more talented 5A team, Heber shows up expecting to be beat and it's reflected in the energy/intensity of the coaching staff and flows through the whole Panther sideline and on to the field. The play calling, low energy and play on the field just feels like a practice game.

Week 3 is more of the same except with a much smaller, less talented, but better coached Harding team. Too much indecision and low intensity on the sidelines flows out onto the field. The result reflect the investment. Just get through it and head to conference play, it doesn't matter...

I recognize that non-conference games don't count against the record and give teams a good opportunity to assess strengths, shore up weak spots and tighten up execution. But by week 3 if you have indecision, confusion, chaos and low energy execution it builds little, to no, momentum heading into conference play. In high school sports... momentum, energy and intensity are critical components. If your coaches are yucking it up, lost on the sidelines and holding 4 minute confabs just to count heads and field a kickoff/return team that ends up reflecting on play and game results.

The coaching staff does a fine job. Nothing wrong with calling a time-out at any stage of the game. Makes no sense to leave them unused, or, keep them "just in case."  If one is needed now, call time out.

Heber has a tough non-conference schedule and always competes well in conference.

[phdefense]

Nothing wrong with calling a time-out at any stage of the game

Even when trying to run out the clock to ensure victory? If you really believe your point had merit you would have let it stand on its own without trying to prop it up with personal insults.

[HeberFan]

Even when trying to run out the clock to ensure victory? If you really believe your point had merit you would have let it stand on its own without trying to prop it up with personal insults.

I made the correction, agreed.

Most of Heber's times out this season have some before "big play" situations, which is smart.  I see college coaches doing the same thing this fall.

[LakeRat]

I'm not sure where anyone got the impression I had concerns with "time-outs"... I don't and didn't raise any.

My concerns are with poor game execution which is a reflection of the lack of organization, management, focus, game plans, etc. within the coaching staff. Heber isn't a hot bed for churning out kids with exceptional athleticism and building a team around them. The critical component that has made this program competitive since 2005 has been a program focused on strong execution that arrived when Steve Janski came on board. A good portion of that program continued after Janski left but it's showing signs of deteriorating under the current leadership.

[HeberFan]

I'm not sure where anyone got the impression I had concerns with "time-outs"... I don't and didn't raise any.

My concerns are with poor game execution which is a reflection of the lack of organization, management, focus, game plans, etc. within the coaching staff. Heber isn't a hot bed for churning out kids with exceptional athleticism and building a team around them. The critical component that has made this program competitive since 2005 has been a program focused on strong execution that arrived when Steve Janski came on board. A good portion of that program continued after Janski left but it's showing signs of deteriorating under the current leadership.

Janski had the great luck of calling the "give it to Braylon" play when he was here. On defense, Braylon mopped up at linebacker.  A single, Division 1 player changes 4A football.

Much of Janski's success came from some of the best talent the school's ever had. Give the same teams to the coaches following and they would do as well, or in my estimation, better. The "brilliance of Janski" is best debunked by his last season in Cleburne County -- a 2-8 record. Over this eight years, he averaged half a game over .500 for win percentage. That includes playing "less than powerhouse" teams like Marianna Lee, Cave City, Gentry and a newly formed Batesville Southside.

Janski's career win percentage at Heber is 55.5 percent.  In the four full seasons following, Heber coaches have a 58.6 percent win record.

Bottom line? It's neither accurate to belittle the current coaching staff, nor, think Janski was better.