High school football report
Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008
Coach has to hustle in a dual role Normally, coaches leave the sidelines for administration.
That’s not exactly the case for Grant Hall, who was named Hartford’s coach this spring.
Hall is also principal, athletic director, transportation director and softball coach at the Class 2 A school south of Fort Smith.
“I guess probably custodian is next,” said Hall, 40, a 1986 Fort Smith Northside graduate.
Wearing many different hats at a small school isn’t uncommon.
But principal and head football coach ?
“I wasn’t really asked,” Hall said. “I was just told to, which is fine. I love the game. Do what we’ve got to do to survive at a small school.” Hall unexpectedly inherited the football title after Rick Cowart, in his first season coaching the Hustlers last fall, was caught up in a reduction in force.
“Simply put, our teacherto-student ratio was out of whack, so we had to eliminate positions,” Hall said. “Of course, that’s done by last hired, first to go. That kind of stinks.” Hall said he believes Hartford’s reduction in force involved five positions. Cowart was a science teacher who just happened to be the head football coach, Hall said.
“If you’re RIF-ing people, obviously you can’t hire anybody,” Hall said. “We’ve got to take what we have on staff.” So Hall is a head coach for the first time.
A starting offensive lineman on Northside’s 1985 Class AAAA state runner-up team, Hall had worked as a junior high assistant in Fort Smith and Van Buren before being named Hartford’s defensive coordinator in 2006.
Hall became Hartford’s principal in 2007.
“I love athletics so much, in particular football, baseball and softball,” Hall said. “I like the administrative side, too. … I’ll be real honest with you. I put it in God’s hands. He’ll lead me down whichever path he wants me to go.” 7-0 N-7 Sweet home, Alabama Lake Hamilton, Springdale and Shiloh Christian are scheduled to compete in the National Select 7-on-7 Championships on Thursday-Saturday in Hoover, Ala. The prestigious tournament features more than 25 teams from across the country, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Utah. Lake Hamilton earned an automatic berth by winning the Shootout of the South on June 13-14 in western Pulaski County, one of 13 qualifying tournaments around the country.
Pulaski Academy won the state’s largest tournament — last weekend’s inaugural Vype Select 7-on-7 tournament in Fayetteville — but it wasn’t a qualifier for the National Select.
Bruins Coach Kevin Kelley said he turned down an invitation to the tournament two years and playing this weekend isn’t feasible because “it interferes with our summer practice schedule.” Traditionally, Pulaski Academy is one of the state’s strongest 7-on-7 programs.
“The bad part is I think we really would have a chance to do well this year,” Kelley said.
Kelley said Pulaski Academy will not play in another tournament this summer, but does host Central Arkansas Christian and Little Rock Christian in a passing league each Monday. Shiloh Christian won the tournament in 2006 when it was called the Southeastern Select. Springdale was the tournament’s big draw in 2005 because of quarterback Mitch Mustain. Also entered in this year’s tournament is Ruston, La., coached by former Nashville Coach Billy Laird.
NASHVILLE On the sideline If Billy Dawson was a player, his status for the 2008 season would be clouded. But he can still coach with a limp. Dawson, who has led Nashville to three consecutive state championships, said he underwent reconstructive surgery on his right knee Monday to repair the anterior cruciate ligament. Dawson said he heard his knee pop when he made “a little cut” on the field during spring practice. Dawson continued to coach on the injured knee, leading the West to a 62-23 victory over the East in the Arkansas High School Coaches All-Star game June 20 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Asked if he will be available for the beginning of fall practice next month, Dawson said, “I don’t have a choice.” Turner doing well Nashville senior linebacker Chad Turner continues to rehabilitate from serious injuries suffered in an automobile accident last fall. Scrappers Coach Billy Dawson said Turner has accompanied his teammates on 7-on-7 trips this summer and will act as an assistant coach this fall. “He’s going to be involved somehow,” Dawson said. Turner broke both ankles and his sternum and sustained a crushed lower vertebra and nerve damage on the left side of his face when he was thrown about 75 feet in a Nov. 21 crash just outside Nashville. Turner was transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and allowed to watch Nashville’s 42-26 Class 4 A state championship victory over Pine Bluff Dollarway on Dec. 7 at nearby War Memorial Stadium. Dawson said Turner plans to play baseball this spring. “He’s still got a little limp, but he’s recovered well,” Dawson said.
CONWAY Another magic man ? Conway might have found a potential replacement for Isaiah “Magic” Jackson, who signed with Central Arkansas after amassing more than 2, 000 allpurpose yards last season as a quarterback / running back / wide receiver / kick returner. It’s sophomore Desmon Cox. Wampus Cats Coach Kenny Smith said he envisions Cox in a similar role this fall — trying to keep defenders off balance from several positions. “We’re going to try and make sure people have a hard time finding where he is,” Smith said. Smith said Cox, 5-8, 160 pounds, has displayed good speed and quickness during 7-on-7 competition this summer. “He’s got a lot of talent,” Smith said. Cox’s older brother, Anthony Celestine, was a Parade All-America wide receiver in 2004 at Ridgecrest (Calif. ) Burroughs High School. He signed with Colorado State. Celestine was known as Anthony Cox when he played at Conway as a sophomore cornerback in 2001, Smith said. That team featured another future member of the 2004 Parade All-America Team, fullback Peyton Hillis.
NORTH PULASKI J. B. ’s new place After a lengthy absence, J. B. Pendergraft, the iconic Conway athletic figure and onetime defensive coordinator at Southern Arkansas, has returned to coaching as an assistant at North Pulaski. Falcons Coach Tony Bohannon said Pendergraft, 60, was hired in June to coach defense. “He’s going to be a big help for us,” Bohannon said. Pendergraft signed with Arkansas after starring at running back on Conway’s 1964 team that finished 10-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state by The Associated Press. In the mid-1970 s, Pendergraft was head coach at Booker Junior High School in Little Rock, then defensive coordinator at Conway before following Sam Goodwin to Southern Arkansas after he left Little Rock Parkview following the 1978 season. Pendergraft quit coaching in the early 1980 s to enter private business, initially in his father’s grocery store in Conway. “The funny part is I practicetaught under J. B. at Booker,” Bohannon said. “J. B. is going to do whatever he can to help. I’m looking forward to working with him.” EXTRA POINTS North Pulaski Coach Tony Bohannon said work began on the school’s new field house June 16 and the project is scheduled to be completed Oct. 17. The facility will be at the north end of the practice field, Bohannon said. … Jerry Langston brief retirement ended earlier this month when he replaced Jay Vines as Strong’s coach. Vines replaced Langston after the 2007 season, but is now the ninth-grade coach at Camden Fairview. … John Daugherty, defensive coordinator last year at Maud, Texas, has been hired as an assistant at England, Lions Coach Mike Morrison said. A 1997 Fordyce graduate, Daugherty previously coached at Barton (2003-2004 ) and Ashdown (2005-2006 ). Morrison said Jerry Price, an assistant the past two years at Vilonia Junior High School, also has been hired as an assistant. Price, a 1993 Jacksonville graduate, previously was an assistant at Pulaski Robinson. National Select 7-on-7 Championships WHEN Thursday-Saturday WHERE Hoover, Ala. TEAMS ENTERED Arlington (Texas ) Lamar, Baltimore City, Md., Madison (Ala. ) Bob Jones, Nahunta (Ga. ) Brantley County, Shreveport Captain Shreve, Lake City (Fla. ) Columbia, Shreveport Evangel Christian, Foley, Ala., McDonough (Ga. ) Henry County, Hoover, Ala., Louisville (Ga. ) Jefferson County, Lake Hamilton, Evans (Ga. ) Lakeside, Mobile (Ala. ) McGill-Toolen, Memphis University School, Niceville, Fla., Suwanee (Ga. ) North Gwinnett, Olive Branch, Miss., Oxford, Ala., Prattville, Ala., Ruston, La., Shiloh Christian, Hoover (Ala. ) Spain Park, Springdale, Jefferson Hills (Pa. ) Thomas Jefferson, Northpoint (Ala. ) Tuscaloosa County, Hyrum (Utah ) Universal Athletic / Mountain Crest FORMAT Seven guaranteed games per team in pool play; seeding based on record in pool play, double-elimination championship tournament
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