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Grand Lake Sports Zone

Northeast Area Football Preview – Quapaw and Commerce – Presented By Jim Rexwinkle and Nate long of State Farm

QUAPAW WILDCATS 

Coach – J. MACARTHUR 

OFFENSE 

Developing young talent and building on the success of last season is the focus for head coach J. MacArthur and his coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Jake Manning will have five returning starters this season to work with in the spread air raid offense. Seth Johnston (6-0, 165, Jr.) returns and will start at quarterback. Johnston is a three-sport athlete and a player coach MacArthur wants to get in space and let him make plays. One target he will look for is Koen Myrick (5-11, 205, Sr.), a salty veteran at the wide out spot. Myrick is a four-year starter. Preston Thomasson (5-9, 150, Sr.) will play running back and handle his share of carries this season. Deacon Shapp (5-11, 180, Jr.) and Payton Shapp (5-11, 175, Jr.) will both play wide receiver adding to the arsenal. Anchoring the line is Alex Lovell (6-3, 245, Jr.) at center. Looks for the Wildcats to use multiple formations and motion in the hurry-up, no-huddle style offense. Many of the offensive starters will play defense. 

DEFENSE
Zane Stand (5-9, 135, So.) is an exciting young player at one of the corner positions. Stand has excellent speed and the ability to recover quickly. P. Shapp will occupy a corner spot as well. Inside linebackers Zayne Summan (5-10, 165, Sr.) and Stetson Caldwell (6-2, 185, Jr.) are run stoppers in the middle of the defense while Myrick and Thomasson will start at outside linebacker giving the Wildcats some speed on the edge. Garrett Williams (6-1, 200, Sr.) is an experienced defensive end looking to disrupt the opposing backfield. Grant Crawford (5-10, 325, Sr.) starts at nose guard with Lovell seeing time there as well. D. Shapp moves to free safety, while Johnston should see time in the defensive secondary. One of the underclassmen to watch is Caiden Porter (6-0, 205, Fr.). Porter will play linebacker in the 3-3-5 defensive coordinator Trenton Stand is implementing. The coaching staff consists of Aaron Thomasson, Jerome Porter, Kirk Myrick, Mike Richardson and Taylor Warner. 

8-27 – at Chouteau-Mazie 

9-3 – vs. Dewey 

9-10 – vs. Riverton KS 

9-17 – BYE

9-24 – at Wyandotte 

10-1 – vs. Ketchum 

10-8 – at Pawhuska 

10-14 – vs. Afton 

10-22 – at Oklahoma Union 

10-29 – vs. Fairland 

11-5 – vs. Commerce 

COMMERCE TIGERS
Coach – LOGAN CAWYER

OFFENSE
Coming into his first season as head coach after being an assistant for four, Logan Cawyer is looking to get things back to normal for the Commerce Tigers. The Tigers are returning five starters from last year’s offense, including running back Eric Cunningham (5-11, 160, Sr.). Cunningham will be a four year starter for the Tigers and is expected to help lead the young team. Another running back to keep your eyes on is Connor Pace (5-11, 180, So.). A young, yet promising running back for the Tigers. Brandon Cochran (6-2, 270, Jr.) and Daniel Nino (5-9, 210, So.) look to bring their strength and tenacity to the offensive line, and are two players coach Cawyer has high hopes in. The Tigers bring back experience in their tight end Marcus Howard (6-0, 185, Sr.) who has proved himself to the coaches as a solid player for Commerce. Seth Hailey (5-10, 210, Sr.) returns as the full back for the team and is a player people will want to watch. Cawyer plans on running a spread offense, getting the ball into his playmakers hands as much as possible.  

DEFENSE
The Tigers return six starters from last seasons defense. Cunningham, Hailey, Nino, and Howard will all play both sides of the ball. Cunningham will line up at the linebacker position, with Howard at the outside linebacker position. Nino will line up on the defensive line and Hailey will play the defensive end position.  Other players to watch on defense are Aiddenn Vanatta (6-2, 200, Sr.) and Kyle Forbis (5-9, 160, So.). Vanatta is an experienced defensive end and is expected to help lead this defense in the right direction. Forbis comes in with only one year under his belt, but is responsible to protect the open field, playing free safety. Expect the Tiger defense to show a four man front, while staying balanced and running to the ball. 

9-3 – at Galena, KS

9-10 – vs. Chelsea

9-17 – vs. Keifer

9-24 – at Pawhuska

10-1 – vs. Afton

10-8 – at Wyandotte

10-14 – vs. Ketchum 

10-22 – at Fairland

10-29 – vs. Oklahoma Union 

11-5 – at Quapaw 

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