Vanessa Abrahamson Blog: Arkansas Class 6A high school football team preview: Van Buren is looking to recover after a key injury dampened the 2021 season

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Arkansas Class 6A high school football team preview: Van Buren is looking to recover after a key injury dampened the 2021 season

SBLive previews Arkansas High School’s football teams from the three major classifications. Today we introduce the Van Buren Pointer from the 6A-West Conference.

By Kyle Sutherland

VAN BUREN NOTES

HEAD COACH

Moe Henry, first season

2021 AT A GLANCE

Overall balance: 4-6

Conference Recording: 1-6, seventh in 6A West

Playoffs: Didn’t qualify

IMPORTANT DEPARTURES

QB/WR Connor Brady

EN Owen Lee

LB Alex Marcos

DB Dylan Barlowstate of affairs

PLAYER TO SEE

Junior QB Bryce Perkins – Perkins led the Pointers to a 4-0 record last season before going down with a broken collarbone. He rushed for 1,123 yards with 12 TD along with 133 yards and 3 touchdowns on the floor in that span.

So WR Trenton Cooley – Cooley expects to take over at one of the receiver spots after a solid offseason.

Senior WR Andrew Hammond – Hammond proved as a junior that he was a reliable part of the receiver rotation and should pair well with Henry, Sayoxomphou and Jacob Gavelis on a new offense.

Senior WR/DB Malachi Henry – Henry, the top player on the Pointers roster and the coach’s son, impresses on both sides of the ball, especially on offense after rushing for 1,150 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior and earning an all-state. He has multiple offers including Air Force, Army, Central Arkansas, UT-Martin.

Junior TE/DE Jacob Gavelis – A great blocker, Gavelis is very elusive as evidenced by the times he’s been strung up in the Wildcat pack. Staff put a lot of emphasis on his pass-catching ability last year, and he’ll contribute in multiple places for a breakout season.

Senior OL Caleb Davis – Davis had some starting experience in his sophomore season and earned a starting spot last season.

Senior OL Ivan Martinez – Martinez suffered an injury in his sophomore year but has recovered well and is well suited to play either guard or tackle.

Senior OL Colton Reather – Reather is one of several returning offensive line starters who gained valuable junior varsity experience as a sophomore and then earned a varsity spot as a junior.

Senior Orienteering Sam Shepherd – Shepherd earned the 2021 all-conference and could be the best of any returning offensive linemen in overall strength and evasion ability. He has great footwork and shows great coordination as well as constant alertness to what’s going on around him.

Junior Orienteering Chasen Thibodeaux – It wasn’t certain how much Thibodeux would contribute in 2021 but he impressed the coaching staff and earned a starting role.

Senior LB Grant King – King, also a state wrestler, started eight games at Linebacker in 2020 and then earned the all-conference last year. He returns for his senior season as one of the best defensive leaders.

Junior DB Nathan Fisher – Fisher is a natural defender but can become a linebacker in the situation. The defensive backfield is in good hands with him and Tobey Sayaxomphou’s experience.

Senior DB Tobey Sayaxomphou – Another basketball standout, Sayaxomphou is the undisputed leader in high school as a three-year-old starter, using his superb hands to snare passes on both sides of the ball.

OUTLOOK

Moe Henry has served as Van Buren’s defensive coordinator for the past three seasons and took over as head coach in April after former Razorback Crosby Tuck resigned to pursue other opportunities.

The Pointers are looking to put together a successful season for the first time since 2019, but the task gets even greater now that they not only share a conference with nearby juggernaut Greenwood, but also Little Rock Christian and Pulaski Academy .

After making their first 4-0 start in over a decade, the Pointers quickly went south after the season-ending injury to Bryce Perkins, who had an incredible start to his varsity career.

Perkins is healthy and ready to command the state’s attention along with his corps of skill players led by Malachi Henry, one of the state’s top prospects for 2023, as well as the entire offensive line from a year ago.

The biggest questions for Van Buren will be how the lack of depth will hold up and how quickly the defense can come together, which is the side Moe Henry knows best if there’s a silver lining. Grant King, Class 6A State Wrestling Champion and veteran linebacker, will anchor this side of the ball along with Tobey Sayaxomphou at the back end.

COACH SAID

“Last season, our starting quarterback was lost to injury for the season; we were 4-0 before he got injured and went 0-6 after the injury. Our offense, under the new coordinator, is dying to go out there and prove they can be a part of this conference. We’re still trying to grow defensively, and having replaced 6 Pointers on Defense from a year ago, we’re already struggling with depth and injuries on this side of the ball.

–moe henry

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