Five football players at Lakeside were among 20 area players named Thursday to the watch lists for the 2018 Farm Bureau Insurance Awards.
Farm Bureau honors the top offensive players, defensive players and coaches for each classification. Staff members of Hooten's Arkansas Football will select three finalists for each category.
The 45 finalists and their families will be invited to attend an awards ceremony on Dec. 10. All player nominees are seniors.
"This list of players includes some of the best student-athletes in our state, and Farm Bureau Insurance wishes each of them continued success the rest of the season," said David L. Moore, senior vice president - state manager for Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company. "Farm Bureau Insurance is proud to honor excellence as the title sponsor of this outstanding event."
Lakeside (4-5, 3-3) has secured the No. 4 seed from the 5A-South going into the regular season finale with Hot Springs (1-8, 1-5). The Rams will be matched up with the No. 1 seed from the 5A-East, which is currently led by Nettleton (8-1, 5-1).
Quarterback Taylor Gillham, receiver Sawyer Lamb and lineman Adrian Masias were named to the watch list for offense in Class 5A. Linebacker Reece Turner and lineman John Fuller were nominated on defense.
Gillham is 107-for-185, 57.8 percent, passing this season for 1,699 yards and nine touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also has five rushing touchdowns.
Lamb has been Gillham's top target with 43 receptions, 715 yards and six touchdowns in seven games. Masias (6-3, 280) leads one of the most experienced lines in the state.
Turner leads the Rams with 80 tackles, 47 solo and 10 for a loss, including one sack. a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Fuller is third on the team with 66 tackles, 40 solo and a team-best 16 for a loss, including four sacks, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
The Trojans also have two nominees. Running back Damien Walker made the watch list on offense in 5A and Eddie Miles made the watch list for defense.
Defending Class 2A runner-up Mount Ida (7-2, 4-2 2A-7) boasts five nominees. The Lions went into Thursday's game with Lafayette County (1-8, 1-5) with a chance to lock up the 2A-7's third seed and a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
Running back Gage Dyer was nominated for the Lions on offense. Dyer is averaging a team-best 11.6 yards per carry for 463 yards and six touchdowns.
The team's two leading rushers were named to the watch list for defense in 2A. Running back Jonathan LaGrange and quarterback Cade Jackson have combined for 22 touchdowns and almost 1,700 yards this season.
LaGrange leads the defense with 75 tackles, 51 solo and eight for a loss. Jackson has 39 tackles, 30 solo and a team-best three interception.
Also named to the watch list on defense were linemen Ethan Winkley and Oscar Pinedo. Winkley leads the team with 15 tackles for a loss, as well as 59 total tackles, 47 solo and four sacks. Pinedo has a team-best six sacks, 14 tackles for a loss, 64 total tackles and 48 solo.
Mount Ida head coach Mike White was nominated for the 2A's coaches award, as was Mountain Pine head coach Sam Counce. The Red Devils (6-3, 5-1 2A-5) secured the No. 2 seed from their conference for a home game in the first round of the playoffs against the fourth seed from the 2A-4 conference.
Magnet Cove (4-5, 3-3) needed a win on Thursday against Cutter Morning Star (1-8, 0-6) to secure the conference's fourth seed. The Panthers feature two players named to the watch lists.
Running back Eli Dawson was nominated on offense. He averages 7.3 yards per carry for 1,276 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Senior Ty Dawson was nominated on defense with 66 tackles, including a team-best 14 for a loss and three sacks. He has also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and blocked two punts.
Lake Hamilton linebacker Kanaan Williams made the watch list for defense in Class 6A. The Wolves (5-4, 2-4) are the No. 6 seed for the 6A-West going into tonight's regular season finale against Greenwood (8-1, 6-0).
Williams leads the team's defense with 73 total tackles, 23 solo and five for a loss. He also caught two interceptions, recovered two fumbled and forced a fumble.
Lake Hamilton will be matched up with the No. 3 seed in the 6A-East, which will either be Searcy (7-2, 4-2) or Marion (7-2, 4-2). Searcy played Thursday night at Sylvan Hills (3-6, 2-4) and Marion played on the road at Jonesboro (6-3, 5-1). The Lions topped the Patriots, 37-23, in Week 5.
Fountain Lake running back Andrew Roberson made the watch list on offense with 792 yards and five touchdowns in eight games. Roberson has been slowed by injury during his senior season, but head coach J.D. Plumlee said he has mostly recovered in time for the team's playoff push.
The Cobras (5-4, 2-4 4A-7) needed a home loss by Haskell Harmony Grove (5-4, 3-3) to Joe T. Robinson (7-2, 5-1) on Thursday to go into today's game at Ashdown (3-6, 1-5) with a chance to earn the 4A-7's fifth seed.
The conference's No. 5 seed will face road game in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs against the top seed from the 4A-3, which currently features a three-way tie between Rivercrest (8-1, 5-1), Jonesboro Westside (7-2, 5-1) and Trumann (6-3, 5-1).
Arkadelphia (4-5, 4-2) will not know its seed until after this week's games, but the Badgers do know they have four players named to the Farm Bureau awards' watch lists. They can win their fifth straight game tonight at Malvern (0-9, 0-6) to secure one of the top four seeds from the 4A-7.
Running back Zion Hatley and Gabe Goodman were nominated on offense. Hatley has been slowed by injuries throughout the season, but he currently has 492 yards and six touchdowns after running for 1,679 yards and 34 touchdowns a year ago.
Goodman has converted 27 of 28 extra-point kicks and 8 of 20 field goals with a long of 41 yards. He is averaging 38.9 yards per punt with five downed inside the 20 this season.
Linebacker Josh Wallace and defensive back Victory Tademy made the watch list for defense. Wallace has 50 total tackles, 42 solo and four for a loss. Tademy has made 15 tackles, 14 solo and two for a loss with a team-best three interceptions.
Sports on 11/02/2018