By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
In what was expected to be a rebuilding season, Ava still managed to go 5-5 including a five-point road loss to Buffalo and an eight-point loss to rival Liberty.
Now the SCA and the rest of the Ozarks will have to deal with a typical Ava squad, one that returns 14 starters and will again be competing for conference, district and state championships in Dan Swofford’s 12th season.
Senior Jacob Lakey will set the tone for Ava on both the offensive and defensive lines after earning All-SCA honors last season. He’ll be joined by seniors Westyn Merriett, Brody Tidwell and Brady Koop who could see significant roles on the defensive side of the ball as well.
Senior Cayden Lee will return to his spot at tight end, as well as his pivotal role as an interior lineman.
“No matter what level you play on, line play is the heart and soul of your team,” said Swofford. “We expect the experience of last year’s team gained on the line will pay dividends this year.”
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Zach Richards is back at quarterback after a breakout junior campaign saw him rush for 641 yards and eight touchdowns, in addition to starting at safety. Classmate Blayne Mendel rushed for 366 yards last fall while also finishing third on the team with 59 tackles.
Both Richards and Mendel were All-SCA selections in 2020.
Spencer Skyles returns for his senior year after battling injuries for the majority of 2020 and seeing limited playing time. As a sophomore Skyles tallied 884 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns. He also added 42 tackles and two interceptions.
He is one of the league’s most physically-gifted seniors.
“Spencer, he was very good. We are extremely excited to have him back and healthy. It’s hard to replace his experience and his speed. Having him back on both sides of the ball is very important to our team’s success.”
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Swofford is also excited about the addition of Kage Stewart, who is back for the Bears after sitting out 2020. He will see time at linebacker.
After three consecutive 10-win seasons and district championships from 2017-19, Ava will now try to get back on track in one of the state’s top small-school leagues. Three members played for district championships a year ago.
That gauntlet will again prepare everyone for postseason football.
“The SCA is packed with solid football and the key to being one of the top teams is to bounce well,” said Swofford. “Bouncing well is the ability to bounce back from either adversity or prosperity. Anything could happen in the league this year. Our key to success will be staying healthy.”
Ava will open the 2021 season by hosting Buffalo on Aug. 27. The Bears visit Mountain Grove and Liberty on consecutive weeks – Sep. 10 and Sep. 17 – before hosting Thayer on Oct. 8.
