Episode 1
August 4, 2025 - Bentonville Football Preview & Rogers Girls Golf Season Outlook
This installment of the 479 Media Group's High School Sports Magazine presents an insightful preview of the forthcoming fall sports season, commencing with an analysis of the Bentonville Tigers football program under the esteemed guidance of Coach Jody Grant. Coach Grant articulates the enduring legacy of success attributed to robust administrative support, a committed coaching staff, and the mentorship provided by veteran players to their successors. The discussion highlights key returning athletes, notably the all-state running back Chris Ficklin, and outlines formidable non-conference and conference challenges that await the team. Transitioning to the realm of girls' golf, Coach Jamie Rains of the Rogers Lady Mounties expresses optimism for her team, which boasts the return of all five starters from last year's state runner-up squad, thereby enhancing their prospects for the upcoming season. The episode concludes with succinct previews for area boys’ golf and tennis, elucidating standout players and teams to monitor as these athletic pursuits commence.
Delving into the vibrant landscape of high school sports in Northwest Arkansas, the recent episode of the 479 Media Group's High School Sports Magazine presents an expansive overview of the upcoming fall season. The episode opens with an insightful interview with Jody Grant, head coach of the Bentonville Tigers football team, who articulates the historical significance of the program's success and its evolution since their state championship in 2008. Coach Grant attributes their continued prominence to a strong administrative framework, a dedicated coaching staff, and a culture of mentorship fostered by senior players who guide their juniors. The discussion sheds light on key returning athletes, including all-state running back Chris Ficklin, and the formidable schedule that awaits them, characterized by both non-conference and conference matchups that promise to be highly competitive.
The narrative then transitions to the Rogers Lady Mounties girls’ golf team, as coach Jamie Rains shares her insights on the prospects for the season ahead. With all five starters returning from a previous state runner-up finish, the team is poised for an impressive campaign. Coach Rains highlights the growth and experience of her athletes, emphasizing the importance of mastering course management and mental resilience as they prepare for the state tournament on their home course. The episode concludes with brief previews of the boys’ golf and tennis teams, showcasing the depth of talent across various sports and setting the stage for an exhilarating fall season filled with anticipation and competitive spirit. The overarching theme of this episode underscores the dedication and commitment of coaches and athletes alike, as they strive for excellence in their respective disciplines.
Takeaways:
- The Bentonville Tigers football program, under the leadership of Coach Jody Grant, has cultivated a rich tradition of success, marked by numerous conference championships and state title appearances.
- Key returning players for the Bentonville Tigers include all-state running back Chris Ficklin and several other impactful athletes, contributing to the team's promising outlook for the season.
- In girls' golf, Coach Jamie Rains of the Rogers Lady Mounties expresses optimism for the season, as all five starters return from last year's state runner-up team, enhancing their competitive edge.
- The Rogers Lady Mounties' familiarity with their home course for the state tournament is expected to significantly bolster their chances for success this year, as they seek a state championship title.
- The importance of a robust freshman program is emphasized by Coach Grant, as it serves as a critical foundation for sustaining the success of the varsity football team.
- The podcast provides a comprehensive overview of the upcoming sports seasons in Northwest Arkansas, highlighting the competitive spirit and dedication of student-athletes across various sports.
Transcript
Welcome to the first episode of the 479 Media Group's High School Sports Magazine where we spotlight the team's coaches and athletes who represent the best in their communities.
Speaker A:I'm Dave Schoen and for most of the athletes we'll speak about, high school will be the highlight of their careers, while others will be fortunate enough to move on to college athletics or beyond.
Speaker A:And the magazine will focus on all of them during our podcast.
Speaker A: ning that extends back to the: Speaker A:Later on, we'll return our attention to the golf and tennis seasons and we speak with Rodgers Lady Mounties coach Jamie Raines on the prospects for a team poised for an encore to its state runner up finish last season with all five of our starters returning.
Speaker A:All of that is coming up in just a moment on the High School Sports Magazine, Presented by the 479 Media Group.
Speaker A: Welcome back to the: Speaker A:Area football teams start their fall camps this week with the season kicking off at the end of the month.
Speaker A:The Bentonville Tigers have either won or contended for the 7A West Conference championship over the past two decades, and head coach Jody grand said the teams have worked hard to continue that tradition.
Speaker B: en blessed really since about: Speaker B:I was fortunate to be with him for that.
Speaker B:We've been able to kind of build this program from the ground up.
Speaker B:When he got here, it was not a very good program and we've been fortunate enough to build something that's pretty special and, you know, probably one of the top programs in the state at this point.
Speaker B:We've been to I think 11 or 12 state title appearances.
Speaker B:We've won, let's think we've won four or five of those over the years.
Speaker B:We've won conference championships.
Speaker B:I think we've won 12 to 15 conference championships over the last even 18 years.
Speaker B:We've only not wanted two or three years, so it's been a pretty successful deal.
Speaker B:I tell you your credit, having an administration that understands the value in athletics and in football and what it does for us.
Speaker B:For a school, you know, we're blessed to have phenomenal facilities, good coaches, just great support from Our community and admin.
Speaker B:And I credit that to why we're able to maintain what we're doing.
Speaker B:And we're doing this even after halfway through the school split into two schools.
Speaker B:So proud of the tradition and what we've built here at Bentonville.
Speaker A:In addition to the coaches, obviously the players have to have a lot to do with it, too, in the fact that each year the senior class, the senior players continue to teach the underclassmen and show them what they need to do to succeed.
Speaker B:Yeah, we talk about that a lot around here, talking about type of legacy that they, their class leaves and what they leave to the younger generation.
Speaker B:And they take great pride in that.
Speaker B:I think that's important.
Speaker B:So, you know, going through this program is a process, and there's a lot of highs and lows, and it's all in, like, what you gain from being a part of it and what you leave when you leave this program, what you leave for the younger kids.
Speaker B:One thing I think is really neat is we have a lot of our former players.
Speaker B:Every time they're in town or around, they come back.
Speaker B:And it says a lot about what this place and what this program meant to them.
Speaker B:But the whole program is based on, you know, the foundation of this program is built around these players and these kids over the years and for what they pour into this and, you know, what it takes to do this.
Speaker B:What we ask of them is significant for kids that are 15, 16, 17 years old.
Speaker B:And the buy in that they have, they're so coachable, they trust us, they listen, and the results are from that.
Speaker B:So real fortunate to get to coach a lot of great young men before.
Speaker A:We get to this season coming up.
Speaker A:Also, you talk about the tradition in the program, and you also have to include the freshman team, the ninth grade team, which continues to have outstanding seasons in the, in the junior High conference.
Speaker A:If I'm not mistaken, Bentonville's won quite a few of those titles over the years.
Speaker A:I think Bentonville west may have got you last year, but Bentonville has been at or near the top, and that ninth grade team has had a lot to do with that.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think if in the last five years alone, our freshman team is 482 with four conference championships, which is really impressive because our junior high conference is really good.
Speaker B:Coach Horton is the leader of that program, has done a great job.
Speaker B:And you know, his, you know his.
Speaker B:He's.
Speaker B:What he's doing, what we're asking him to do is teach these kids how to play this game, teach these kids how to love this game and teach them how to win.
Speaker B:And that's what they do.
Speaker B:When we get them from him, they're ready to play for us and they, and they understand how to win and they know what it takes to win.
Speaker B:So you know, you can't be a great varsity program without a really, really good freshman program and a really, really good JV program.
Speaker B:So we're fortunate to have all that.
Speaker A:Well, we'll talk about what this season coming up has in store.
Speaker A:Who are some of the players you're going to be counting on to lead the team this year?
Speaker B:Yeah, so from an offense perspective, you know, we return our all state running back, Chris Ficklin, who has, you know, been a starter for us over the last three years.
Speaker B:He started starting games.
Speaker B:He started as a sophomore in state championship game and has been our guy ever since.
Speaker B:You know, he returns Blair Irvin iii, all state receiver returns.
Speaker B:We've got all conference receivers, Jack Dunn and Conrad Schmidt's coming back.
Speaker B:We had a nice little move in.
Speaker B:And Daquan Prevo, who's going to be a phenomenal receiver within this conference.
Speaker B:He's Arkansas Razorback commit.
Speaker B:Well, we will, we will have five new offensive linemen but they're, they've got great size and have a lot of JV opportunities that they had to prepare them for this.
Speaker B:Defensively, we're excited about a lot of guys that are returning.
Speaker B:One of our leaders on the defensive side is senior outside linebacker Eli Pearson, all state performer from last year, senior cornerback Tristan Brown.
Speaker B:And then you want to talk about our linebacker, inside linebacker Cam Thornton.
Speaker B:Mead, he was an all conference performer.
Speaker B:But then really the nucleus of our defense is our D line.
Speaker B:It might be one of the best defensive, defensive lineman's defensive lines we've had with Kellen Rona at nose guard, Julian Grundy at one end and then Robbie Debray at the other end position.
Speaker B:And you know that's, that's.
Speaker B:They've been, they were real solid for us last year.
Speaker B:All three of them started and they're all coming back.
Speaker B:So we're excited about all these guys and you know, we got some new faces.
Speaker B:We'll start quarterback Coleslaw Pecki, who's our backup last year, but played a little bit in some crucial games and then there's a few other, you know, people will see some really good talent out there, but their new names and new faces just were waiting their time to play.
Speaker B:So we like this group a lot.
Speaker A:Well and as you head into the season, we'll talk about the conference.
Speaker A:But you have three very tough non conference games on your schedule leading off the season.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, once again we're playing a really tough non conference.
Speaker B:We open at Tulsa Union.
Speaker B:They have a new coach, a new coaching staff.
Speaker B:Obviously they're loaded and well coached each and every year.
Speaker B:So it's always a very tough first game.
Speaker B:And then we get Conway coming to us, who the last time, last game we played here was in the semifinals against them and we ended up beating them on a, on a, on a last second field goal.
Speaker B:And then Lee Summit North.
Speaker B:So we went to their place last year.
Speaker B:They beat us.
Speaker B:Very talented team, very athletic.
Speaker B:They're coming to our place, those three for non conference before we get into the brutal 7A West.
Speaker A:Well, that brutal 7A west just continues to get more challenging each year.
Speaker A:Fayetteville, Bentonville, West, Rogers all seem to be on the rise.
Speaker A:And you know, in any case, you're not going to have an easy night when you get to conference play.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:And that's a good thing for our conference.
Speaker B:We need that.
Speaker B:We need to have challenges each and every Friday night.
Speaker B:It prepares you for the playoffs.
Speaker B:I think our conference does a really good job.
Speaker B:Very well coached.
Speaker B:You don't ever, you don't ever put on film of an opponent and not see a team that's disciplined and coach.
Speaker B:And so that helps prepare us.
Speaker B:Yeah, but listen, lots of good teams.
Speaker B:Rogers is loaded, Fayetteville's is loaded.
Speaker B:West has a lot coming back.
Speaker B:They'll do a great job.
Speaker B:North side hired a new coach.
Speaker B:Harbor's hired a new coach.
Speaker B:You know, things are going to trend in the right direction for those teams.
Speaker B:What Brett Hobbs did last year at Springdale was phenomenal.
Speaker B:I'm sure he'll piggyback off that.
Speaker B:Eric Munoz is continuing to work hard to get things going at Heritage.
Speaker B:So I like our conference.
Speaker B:I think it's trending in the right direction.
Speaker B:So it should be fun to watch how the 78 west kind of pans out.
Speaker A:And you spoke of harbor getting a new coach.
Speaker A:Aaron Dannenhauer, who used to.
Speaker A:Who's been coaching at Bentonville for years.
Speaker A:And I imagine that fourth week of the season when you play harbor, that's going to be pretty interesting.
Speaker B:Well, yeah, listen, I'm, I'm happy for Aaron.
Speaker B:He's not only been.
Speaker B:Been my office coordinator, but he's also a dear friend of mine and he deserves this opportunity.
Speaker B:He'll do a really good job there.
Speaker B:Here's what I say about Harbor.
Speaker B:Harbor is not far off.
Speaker B:They were, they were really good on offense last year.
Speaker B:They struggled defensively.
Speaker B:That got him in a lot of games.
Speaker B:Aaron will do a good job.
Speaker B:He's put together a good staff.
Speaker B:They'll be well coached.
Speaker B:Those guys will get it going.
Speaker B:Harbor, you know, could be harbor football of old again and it won't take long.
Speaker B:And so I'm happy for Aaron, crowd for him and yeah, we look forward to playing him week Week four as we open conference play.
Speaker A:Meanwhile, the Shiloh Christian Saints have reached the finals in the past six seasons, winning a state title during their 4A trilogy against Joe T. Robinson before moving up to 5A where they ran to the Little Rock Parkview powerhouse for two seasons, and then getting moved up to 6A where they reached the finals against the Greenwood Bulldogs.
Speaker A:Juggernaut last year.
Speaker A:2024 also saw December appearances at War Memorial Stadium by the Farmington Cardinals.
Speaker A:During the first year for hall of Fame men are Tommy Tice and the Elkins Elks, whose first year after the graduation of several all state performers ended with a surprise run to Little Rock.
Speaker A:We'll continue our high school football coverage over the the next few weeks, but when we come back, we'll head to the golf course where the season starts this week for area teams.
Speaker A:That's Next on the 479 Media Group's high school sports magazine.
Speaker A:We're back on the 479 Media high school sports Magazine.
Speaker A:The high school golf season starts this week with a number of teams involved in invitational tournaments.
Speaker A:One of the teams looking for a state championship are the Rogers Lady Mounties, who return every starting member of last year's team that finished behind only Mount St. Mary in last year's championships and will get the chance to better that mark on a course they're familiar with.
Speaker A:Coach Jamie Rains spoke about her team's prospects.
Speaker C:Well, we were we finished runner up Last year behind Mount St. Mary's we won our conference and we will have all five girls back this year on our varsity.
Speaker C:As juniors, Avery Allen led us last year and then behind her will be our Scudder triplets, Anna, Elizabeth and Kate, and they're very close together.
Speaker C:All four of those girls are like any four of them could be the leader on a different day, so which is a great problem to have.
Speaker C:And then our fifth player is Avery Orr and she's working to get better every day.
Speaker C:We just started practice this week.
Speaker C:Today was our second day.
Speaker C:Of course we have big expectations.
Speaker C:We're working to improve and our goal, of course, is to try to win.
Speaker A:The state championship now, the four girls you talked about, the Scudder triplets and Avery Allen, all three are in there, all four in their junior season.
Speaker A:And they've been playing since they were freshmen, at least.
Speaker A:On the varsity team.
Speaker A:On the varsity team, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker A:And what's that experience has been like and where do you feel their game has shown the most improvement this year?
Speaker C:They.
Speaker C:I feel like they've grown in all aspects of the game, but I think horse management has been a big one, you know, making sometimes the easier shot.
Speaker C:I say easy, the not.
Speaker C:Not going for the big shot.
Speaker C:And.
Speaker C:And then they've all improved in putting.
Speaker C:So I think all of that as freshmen, we had a great season and then kind of had a rough first day.
Speaker C:And I think that was just nerves and age.
Speaker C:And I'm hoping that this year, you know, we show a little bit more maturity than what we did last year.
Speaker C:And we, and we had a great state last year.
Speaker C:So our second day was a little shaky.
Speaker C:We were within two or three strokes going in the second day and Mount St. Mary's turned it on.
Speaker C:But I think, yeah, I just think our.
Speaker C:We will have.
Speaker C:Our growth will be in handling the pressure a little bit better.
Speaker A:Now.
Speaker A:These girls, of course, have a tradition to follow.
Speaker A:The Lady Mounties have had a great.
Speaker A:Have had some great golfers.
Speaker A:They've gone on to play for the University of Arkansas team and they've moved on and talk about what that tradition has been like in motivating the girls and getting them prepared.
Speaker C:Well, yeah, we're on Instagram.
Speaker C:We have Lady Mountie golf on Instagram and we follow Brooke Matthews, who was of course one of the best golfers to ever come through Rogers High School.
Speaker C:So they follow what she's doing now.
Speaker C:We talk about her and then, you know, just how awesome it would be for one of them to go on to play in college or.
Speaker C:And maybe, you know, use that to get their education.
Speaker C:They're all 4.0 students.
Speaker C:Of course, the Scudder girls are also amazing runners.
Speaker C:So I think that may be where they go, how they go to school.
Speaker C:But, but yeah, we, we've definitely talked about the tradition of the Lady Mounting golf team and how we want to continue to.
Speaker C:To have that grow.
Speaker A:Now, you mentioned the state turnout.
Speaker A:Of course, Mount St. Mary's won it last year.
Speaker A:Who are some of the challengers that the Lady Maui's are going to have to deal with this year?
Speaker A:Bentonville is coming back very strong.
Speaker A:Harbor has a young team and talk about those teams.
Speaker C:Yes, we know, Bentonville's got, we've we played against them last year and they have, I believe, all but maybe I think two back and then they have some girls that are coming on.
Speaker C:That's the thing.
Speaker C:You don't know what everybody's young offers will be.
Speaker C:And then also harbor always has a has a good program.
Speaker C:Mount St. Mary's will have, I think, all but one girl back again this year.
Speaker C:But the positive is that state tournament is going to be held at Lost Springs, which is our home course.
Speaker C:So I'm hoping that could help us in our bid to try to try to get this to get a state championship.
Speaker A:Familiarity with the course is always going to be important.
Speaker A:And what is it about Lost Springs that benefits your game?
Speaker C:Well, we practice there.
Speaker C:We practice there every day that we're not somewhere playing in a match.
Speaker C:And then all five of my girls are varsity girls are members at Lost Springs, so they've played there all summer and they practice there very regularly.
Speaker C:So it definitely will give us a familiar course to play.
Speaker A:Your first tournament coming up, if I'm not mistaken, is the Cabot Invitational on what and who are some of the other teams you're going to have to contend with there?
Speaker C:Well, Conway, I believe, will be there.
Speaker C:Cabot, of course.
Speaker C:And to be honest, I don't know.
Speaker C:I don't know who's got what.
Speaker C:So it'll just kind of be us and we'll be at a course we have not played.
Speaker C:So that's kind of good for us.
Speaker C:Go out and try to, you know, figure out how that course plays and then first two to three holes and, and then do our best to finish with our best score.
Speaker A: ome the crown they claimed in: Speaker A:On the boys side are the Bentonville Tigers, who return a couple of all state performers from last year and are led by head coach Ken early as they prepare for the Harbor Invitational later this week.
Speaker A:Among some of the other top teams, the Shallow Christian Saints head to Mountain Home and Huntsville this week.
Speaker A:In just a moment, we'll start our preview of the high school tennis season, which starts next week as we wind down our first Episode of the 479 Media Group High School Sports Magazine welcome back to the 479 Media Group's High School Sports Magazine.
Speaker A:The high school tennis season is set to start next week, but a lot of Northwest Arkansas teams coming off stellar seasons.
Speaker A:The defending state champion Rogers Mounties boys have singles runner up Harrison Deer and doubles champion Aiden Matthews and William Edwards returning for the upcoming season while also in 6A, the Bentonville Lady Tigers return runner up Glenna Langford and defending champion doubles team of Kavya Kurichidi and Abigail Schuman.
Speaker A:Class 3A saw the best performance in last year's finals with Hoss Hall Fayetteville winning and Providence Academy in second for the boys while Thayden beat out Elkins in the girls field.
Speaker A:We'll catch up with some of the coaches over the next few weeks as the season approaches and we'll also look in on the volleyball and cross country teams as their seasons get closer.
Speaker A:All of this is coming up on the High School Sports magazine, presented by 479 Media Group.
Speaker A:I'm Dave show and we look forward to the upcoming season and wish all of the teams the best of luck this year.
