By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Last year’s 6-4 record marked the seventh-straight season the Sarcoxie football team has finished at .500 or better, and the Bears were just a few close losses away from an even better finish.
Sarcoxie dropped its final four games, but those last three losses were by a combined 13 points.
“Those are three pretty tough losses, and you think if the ball bounces your way in one of those games, we’re talking a different story,” head coach Russell Ellis said. “I was proud of the group we had, a good core group of upperclassmen that did some really good things.”
Ellis, who’s entering his ninth season at the helm, will have at least a handful of returning starters on both sides of the ball to work with this season. Not all of those were starters, but they give Sarcoxie plenty of returning varsity experience.
Quarterback Jaron Malotte, an all-district and second-team all-conference selection, is the only player in the backfield who graduated. He’ll be replaced by senior Blake Heckmaster, who was an honorable mention all-region running back and an all-conference athlete in the Southwest Conference. Heckmaster rushed 30 times for 388 yards and scored six touchdowns.
“He was our starter two years ago but broke his arm in week five or six against Miller, so he has plenty of varsity experience,” Ellis said.
Sarcoxie’s triple option offense will utilize three running backs, including fullback Noah Garrison, a junior who started every game there last year and rushed 145 times for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns. He was an all-district performer who also earned second team honors in the Southwest and was a second-team all-region running back.
Senior Garrett Smith started every game at wing last season and racked up five touchdowns and 366 yards. Two others are sharing reps at the other wing back position: senior Antonio Benito, who rushed for 145 yards, and sophomore Gatlon Malotte.
The Bears graduated all their wide receivers except senior Hunter Price and some younger players who played sparingly. Junior Grant Caddick and sophomore Josh Hoffman both figure to contribute at receiver, as well.
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Up front, Sarcoxie returns most of its offensive line, including senior Eli Ellis (second team all-conference and all region) and senior Kevin Lopez (honorable mention all-conference and all region). Juniors Coleson Cobine and Caleb Chrisman got a lot of reps last season and have made big strides entering their junior years. Freshman Grey Phelps has impressed in the offseason and could step into a starting role as a ninth grader.
On defense the team will have to replace its entire secondary. Heckmaster returns after playing outside linebacker but will move to strong safety; he had 22 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception. Caddick will also play safety. At corner the team has Hoffman, Malotte and junior Chris Lara in the mix.
The linebacking group could be a strength with all four returning with some level of experience. Smith (98 tackles, four sacks) returns at inside linebacker after garnering all district, second team all-conference and second team all-region honors. Garrison (73 tackles, one fumble recovery, one interception) also returns on the inside after earning honorable mention all conference and all region honors.
Senior Hunter Price will play outside after making 18 stops last season, and sophomores Daycen Haskins and Lane Everts are in the mix for the other outside spot.
Lopez, Chrisman, Phelps and Cobine will be in the mix on the defensive line.
“I think if you talk to every coach, every coach is optimistic,” Ellis said. “If they’re not at this time of year, what the heck are they doing? I feel like we’ve got a good core group of young men that have done a great job in the weight room this offseason. I feel really confident in our guys knowing our system, knowing what to expect and what’s going on. I’m really confident in the culture and expectations they have for each other. I think we’ve got a really good coaching staff that will get the kids in the right spots and get them coached up to do things right.”
Sarcoxie will once again host what is a unique jamboree with six teams scheduled to attend, including Pierce City, Stockton, Ash Grove, Cabool and Aurora.
The Bears open the regular season at Commerce, Oklahoma on Aug. 25 and won’t play their first home game until hosting Stockton on Sept. 15.
