NORTH PULASKI FALCONS:

Falcons optimistic about season

BY JAMES K. JOSLIN STAFF WRITER
August 28, 2011

LITTLE ROCK — Over the last seven seasons, the North Pulaski Falcons have done quite well at times in their sports program. Boys teams on the basketball court and both boys and girls

units on the diamond have made noise well into the

postseason. The same cannot be said, though, for the

Falcons football squad.

Those seven years have largely brought only futil

ity, and just five victories. The Falcons notched oneof those last season, beating up the Crossett Eagles 38-13 in northern Pulaski County.

Other than that, the Falcons had two close encounters with Little Rock Christian (14-3 loss) and Sylvan Hills (16-8 defeat). Besides their lone win, they never scored more than 12 points in any other game, and they scored eight or less in eight contests, including a 56-0 debacle at Searcy.

Those figures and statistics do not paint a rosy picture for the North Pulaski boys this fall. Of course, that could all be subject to change if the newest addition to the Falcons has anything to say about it.

“It’s just great to be a Falcon,” said first-year head coach Teodis Ingram, who formerly coached at Stamps and Crossett.

“We will be running the Wing-T on offense, whereas they ran the Spread last year. Defensively, the coaches started to put in some of the 3-3 scheme last year. We are taking it to another level this year.” Taking it to “another level” will not be easy in the 5A Southeast, though. “Watson Chapel and Monticello are the top two teams. Of course there are also (Little Rock) Mills and the others,” Ingram said. “I think after the first two spots, though, it will be a pretty close battle between everybody else. It would be great for us to finish in contention for a playoff spot.” Thinking of the playoffs after averaging less than one win per year for the previous seven seasons may sound like a pipe dream. But Ingram believes that a trip to the playoffs, which would be the first in school history, is a possibility.

A key to a successful year at North Pulaski will be the team’s nine seniors.

“Our seniors are definitely one of our strengths,” Ingram said, “and our skill people. We’ve got some areas of concern with kids having to play both ways, though, so depth is our biggest weakness.” Also of importance, the coach said, are staying healthy, limiting mistakes, limiting turnovers, playing great defense and forcing opponents into mistakes andturnovers, and “giving ourselves a chance to win in the fourth quarter.”

Offensively, the Falcons will depend highly on their skill-position players. Those personnel include senior fullback Willie Frazier (5-9, 195), senior tailback Derrick Hart (5-6, 170) and senior utility player Nick Dunn (5-6, 165), who the coach said has “impressed with his ability to run, block and carry the football.”

Other pieces of the offensive machine, which returns 10 starters, include seniors Shyheim Barron (6-1, 190) and Marvin Davis (6-1, 165) at quarterback. On the line, senior center Brent Oudthone (5-10, 225) leads the way.

While the Falcons will shift from the Spread to a more conventional set, Ingram said that the plays they will run will still resemble the Spread. Those playsinclude ones like sweeps and tosses.

When opponents have the pigskin, look for junior middle linebacker Joe Sigler (5-6, 175) to be in on several stops. Ingram said he has been “very impressed with how he understands the defense and makes the correct reads.” Junior Kaleb Meins (6-1, 170) is one the defensive ends. Hart and Frazier will go at the outside linebacker spots.

At the other defensive end spot will be senior Schyler Spencer (6-1, 215).

In the secondary, Falcon leaders will include seniors Chris Griffin (5-6, 160) at safety and Austin Allen (5-11, 160) at various defensive back spots.

“I’m a Falcon, and if you cut me now, I’ll bleed little Falcons,” the coach said.

NORTH PULASKI FALCONSSEPT. 2 ............................. SEARCY SEPT. 9 ..................... @ MAUMELLE SEPT. 16 ..... LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN SEPT. 23 ................ WEST HELENA* SEPT. 30 .. ......@ WATSON CHAPELOCT. 7 .................. @ WHITE HALL OCT. 14 ................... SYLVAN HILLS OCT. 21 .................... @ CROSSETT OCT. 28 .............................. MILLS NOV. 3 .................. @ MONTICELLO

Three Rivers, Pages 21 on 08/28/2011

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