SBLive previews Arkansas High School’s football teams from the three major classifications. Today we introduce the El Dorado Wildcats from the 6A-East Conference.
By Kyle Suthlerland | Photo by Jimmy Jones
EL DORADO WILDCATS
HEAD COACH
Steven Jones, fourth season, 20-14 record
2021 AT A GLANCE
Overall balance: 11-2
Conference Recording: 6-1, T-1 at 6A East
Playoffs: Def. Hamilton Lake 48-27; Def Marion 60-27; Def. Greenwood 27-17 in 6A state championship game
IMPORTANT DEPARTURES
QB Sharmon ResterAll-State, Lamar Signee
WR Kam BibbyAll-State, Arkansas signatory
WR Jackie WashingtonAll-State, Southern Arkansas Signer
LB Patrick SixbeySAU signatory
LB Jyrin AdministratorArkansas Tech
DB Mario GanterOuachita Baptist signers
PLAYER TO SEE
Senior RB Shadarioius Plummer – It was easy for Plummer to get lost in the offensive mix considering he had to share the limelight with three talented wide receivers, but he put on a great season rushing for 1,200 yards and 23 Touchdowns rushed. He was the 6A state championship most valuable player, rushing for 181 yards and scoring all four of the Wildcats’ touchdowns.
Senior WR DeAndra Burns Jr – One of the fastest players in the state, Burns is looking to build on a solid junior season, which included 42 passes for 859 yards and 10 touchdowns. The three-year starter, who signed for Arkansas State in June, and his other Division I offerings include Arkansas, Pittsburgh and UT-Martin.
Senior QB Kolin Parker – After playing mostly juniors last season, Parker is in the two-way race as a quarterback.
Senior QB Jon Brooks Elijah – Jones mentioned Elias’ arm strength as a plus and that he’s one of the two finalists to be the next starter at quarterback.
Senior WR TJ Dunn – With the depth El Dorado had at wide receiver last season, Dunn hasn’t seen as many replays, but Jones has high hopes for him this season.
Senior Orienteering Jamal Green – Green took a full-time spot on the offensive line as a junior after scoring three starts as a sophomore.
Senior Orienteering Japhen Baker – Baker is one of two returning starters from a front greatly underrated in 2021.
Senior DL Takoi Steward – Steward is a three-year-old starter and a giant up front, pushing 300 pounds. As a junior, Steward accumulated 38 tackles (6 for losses) and 4.5 sacks.
Junior DL Trey Cook – Along with Steward, Cook will be one of the key leaders along the defensive front.
Senior LB Danquez Shelton – With twins Javin and Jyrin Steward, Takoi’s older brothers, and the departure of SAU signee Patrick Sixbey, Shelton will be the center defense leader after a year ago amassing 102 tackles (11 for losses) and 8 sacks.
Senior DB Bryson Boulden – Boulden is essentially a three-year starter, having started all of last season at one of the cornerback spots plus eight games in his sophomore year.
OUTLOOK
El Dorado went 2-2 in the month in the season after an opening loss to Jonesboro and then went on to have nine straight wins to capture the school’s 10th state championship and first since 2013.
Former El Dorado head coach Scott Reed, who has held the position at Cabot since he left the Wildcats after the 2018 season, mentioned after Cabot’s 41-35 shootout win over the Wildcats in Week 2 that El Dorado likely the best players from top to bottom has bottom in the entire state.
It would be difficult to refute Reed’s claim when looking at the bottom line: Rester totaled 4,500 offensive yards and 51 touchdowns, Plummer rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and 24 total touchdowns, plus Bibby, Burns Jr. and Washington combined for 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns.
With three of those five gone, along with three offensive lineman graduating, the first question is who will take over Rester? The Wildcats came into the offseason with five candidates, but Coach Jones confirmed it came down to a two-way race between seniors Parker and Elia, who also excel at golf. Unlike Rester, who was a double threat, Parker and Elia are pocket passers.
With Bibby and Washington gone, more attention is being paid to Plummer in (and off) the backfield, along with the threat Burns poses with his speed. Dunn is a receiver mentioned by Jones who has been patiently awaiting his turn in a crowded room but has a big season ahead of him.
On the offensive line, the Wildcats return with seniors Baker and Green.
Defensively, El Dorado has a recurring starter at every level, starting with a crucial play up front in Mammut Tackle Steward, starting in its second season.
Shelton is the only returnee at Linebacker, a position that has lost three strong contributors, while Boulden is the only one to return most of his varsity career as a high school starter.
COACH SAID
“Our locker room is playing with a chip on our shoulder because we heard we lost a lot of talent from last year’s team as nine players will be playing college football. The odds might be that El Dorado will slip a little, but our boys are eager to prove otherwise and are eager to compete and win. We feel like we have a really good team coming back that can fill in the gaps the guys from last year had.
“You can’t repeat the experience [of getting to and winning a state championship]. Going forward, it’s great that our guys who might not have been starters but role players can step up and be ‘the guy’. The senior class with the leadership we have that can take the younger guys under their wing. After winning the state championship [the senior class] is motivated to keep pushing this cause and not be the one that lets us slide backwards.”
–Steven Jones
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