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2D El Dorado News-Times Wednesday, August 28, 2019 Jones has high hopes for inaugural season at El Dorado
By Tony Burns
Sports Editor
Steven Jones took over an El Dorado football pro- gram that went 5-6 last season while Jones was lead- ing Junction City to a 2A State championship. The Wildcats have had the spring and summer to adjust to a slightly different system.
“I really like where we’re at, right now. I feel like we’re ahead of where I expected to be at this point,” Jones said on August 13. “I’m expecting to have a big year. I think we have a chance to have a really good team. We have a good mix of older guys that have been in the program and have a lot of experience on the field and a good crop of younger guys that can bring some explosiveness to our team, a good mix of experience and youth. I think that can make for a great season.”
What would he consider a “great” season?
“The goal is to win a state championship,” he an- swered. “That starts with our non-conference sched- ule, taking care of business. We want to have a fast
start. The focus is on Conway but going through the non-conference schedule, we have three tough games. We want to compete early on in the season. We want to show we’re ready to play. We expect to have some good games early on. As we get into con- ference play, the goal is to win the 6A West. That will be a challenge with Greenwood and Benton coming back. Most people are ranking them 1B and 1A in the state. It’s a very talented conference, some really good teams, some great coaches we’ll go up against each week. But we look forward to that challenge. The goal is to win every game we play.”
That will be easier said than done with a non-con- ference that could match any in the state for degree of difficulty. El Dorado squeezes rival Camden Fair- view between 7A opponents Conway and Cabot, which will be led by former Wildcats’ coach Scott Reed.
Jones believes the rugged non-conference could prepare El Dorado for the league games that matter the most.
“Obviously we want to win those games early on, but we do want to be prepared for those conference games that matter,” he said. “With that non-confer- ence schedule, we look forward to the challenge of playing those teams that are all great programs. To be able to go against talented teams early in the sea- son and gauge where we’re at is something we look forward to.”
A year ago, El Dorado suffered through one of its most snake bitten squads in recent memory when it came to injuries. Jones likes the depth on this team, but health will still be critical to accomplish the goals being set.
“Number one, we have to stay healthy. Two, we have to keep focus,” he said. “There’s a lot of new stuff that we’re doing. We have to stay focused and make sure we know the plan each week and the kids are on the same page with us in understanding scheme and play calling and things of that nature. We stay healthy and have great focus throughout the season, we’ll get off to a good start.”
Strong-Huttig Bulldogs
Football Schedule
AUGUST 30th
vs GROWL ON THE GREEN
SEPTEMBER 6th
at HAMBURG
SEPTEMBER 13th
at LAKESIDE (LAKE VILLAGE)
SEPTEMBER 20th
at RISON ★ SEPTEMBER 27th at JUNCTION CITY OCTOBER 4th★
vs FORDYCE ♛★ OCTOBER 11th
vs HAMPTON OCTOBER 18th
at J.C. WESTSIDE (COAL HILL)
OCTOBER 25th
at BEEKMAN CHARTER
NOVEMBER 1st★
at PARKERS CHAPEL NOVEMBER 7th★
vs BEARDEN
Homecoming♛ Conference Game★
Brought To You By:
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2422 N. West Ave • El Dorado (870) 862-2190
Parkers Chapel Trojans
Football
Schedule
e
Aug 23rd Scrimmage at Gourdon vs Gourdon & Conway Christian
AUGUST 30th
vs GLENBROOK (Minden, LA)
SEPTEMBER 6th
at LAFAYETTE COUNTY
SEPTEMBER 13th
vs FOREMAN
SEPTEMBER 20th
at MAYFLOWER
SEPTEMBER 27th
vs HAMPTON
OCTOBER 4th
BYE
OCTOBER 11th
vs BEARDEN
OCTOBER 18th
at FORDYCE ♛ OCTOBER 25th
vs PINE BLUFF DOLLARWAY NOVEMBER 1st★
vs STRONG
NOVEMBER 8th
at JUNCTION CITY Homecoming♛ Senior Night★
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El Dorado Homes
Specializing in Manufactured Homes since 1991
El Dorado Wildcats
Football Schedule
AUGUST 30th
vs CONWAY
SEPTEMBER 6th
at CAMDEN FAIRVIEW
SEPTEMBER 13th
at CABOT
SEPTEMBER 20th
OPEN ★ SEPTEMBER 27th vs LAKE HAMILTON OCTOBER 4th★
at GREENWOOD★ OCTOBER 11th
at SHERIDAN ★ OCTOBER 18th
vs BENTON ★♛ OCTOBER 25th
NOVEMBER 1st★
at RUSSELVILLE ★ NOVEMBER 8th
vs LITTLE ROCK HALL Homecoming♛ Conference Game★
vs SILOAM SPRINGS
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Smackover Buckaroos
Football Schedule
AUGUST 30th
vs HAMPTON
SEPTEMBER 6th
at JUNCTION CITY
SEPTEMBER 13th
at SHILOH CHRISTIAN
SEPTEMBER 20th
OPEN ♛★ SEPTEMBER 27th
vs CENTERPOINT OCTOBER 4th★
vs HORATIO ★ OCTOBER 11th
vs PRESCOTT ★ OCTOBER 18th
at FOUKE ★ OCTOBER 25th
vs GENOA GENTRAL NOVEMBER 1st★
at BISMARK ★ NOVEMBER 7th
at HARMONY GROVE Homecoming♛ 5AAA District Game★
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Junction City Dragons
Football Schedule
AUGUST 22nd
vs HAMBURG (Benefit Game)
AUGUST 30th
at CAM-HARMONY GROVE
SEPTEMBER 6th
vs SMACKOVER (Wall of Honor)
SEPTEMBER 13th
OPEN
SEPTEMBER 20th
vs HAYNESVILLE ♛ SEPTEMBER 27th vs STRONG OCTOBER 4th
at HAMPTON
OCTOBER 11th
at D’ARBONNE WOODS
OCTOBER 18th
at BEARDON
OCTOBER 25th
vs FORDYCE (Mini Cheer/Pink Out)
NOVEMBER 1st
OPEN ★ NOVEMBER 8th
vs PARKERS CHAPEL Homecoming♛ Senior Night★
Brought To You By:
TIMMINS HARDWARE & Gifts
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