Pleasant Surprises to the 2022 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During the football season, I always look for talented players as well as talented teams. Meanwhile, I also keep an eye out for both prospects and teams that have surprised me. Everyone likes to have pleasant surprises that are delivered to them. The same can be said for teams and players that are putting up impressive production to start the season. Let's look at what has been some pleasant surprises to us at Prep Redzone Arkansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lavaca Golden Arrows</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One team that is off to a tremendous start to the season is the Golden Arrows of Lavaca. Impressive victories over Horatio and Magazine have helped the Arrows gain plenty of momentum. This Friday night, Mount Ida will pay a visit in a battle of undefeated football teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cutler Winters-Quarterback-Lavaca-2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Winters does an impressive job of throwing the deep ball. He is an accurate quarterback and can make some difficult throws look easy. Winters does a good job of extending the play and is not afraid to escape the pocket to pick up yards. Over the next few years, both Winters and Lavaca will cause people to keep the eyes open. I look forward to being able to see what they both accomplish the rest of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gurdon Go-Devils</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Go-Devils of Gurdon are off to a tremendously hot start to the season. Gurdon's offense appears to be clicking on all cylinders and look to have plenty of momentum as the season shifts toward conference play. The Gurdon offense is averaging 47 points per game and this team has the potential to make some noise come playoff time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='446995' first='Sheldon' last='Smith']-Running Back-Gurdon-2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith is off to a great start this season. The Gurdon running back has rushed for 468 yards and four touchdowns through the first three games. Smith has displayed an ability to take it the distance from anywhere on the field. He has the potential to have a strong 2022 football season and is a running back folks should watch out for in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='172373' first='Bradyn' last='King']-Offensive Line-Gurdon-2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>King is a powerhouse on both the offensive and defensive lines. His power on the offensive side of the ball causes plenty of headaches for opposing defensive linemen. Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, King does an excellent job of stuffing the run but also putting pressure on the opposing quarterback. King is a prospect that is going to be on plenty of radars over the next couple of seasons and is a player with the potential to play on Saturdays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alma Airedales</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Alma Airedales have started off the season with three straight victories over Van Buren, Siloam Springs, and Pryor. The mix of an explosive offense and a stifling defense has the Airedales clicking on all cylinders as they enter conference play next week. With plenty of momentum entering conference play, Alma is a team to watch out for the rest of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='205766' first='Joe' last='Trusty']-Quarterback-Alma-2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trusty is off to a tremendous start this season for the Airedales. The Airedales and Trusty have been sharp to start the season. He is a quarterback that has the accuracy to make all the throws needed. Trusty can fit the football into some tight windows and does an impressive job of throwing his wide receivers open. He is a prospect that college coaches should take a look at as conference play approaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='393056' first='Drake' last='Stogsdill']-Athlete-Alma-2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stogsdill is a wide receiver that can slice a defense to pieces when he is working in the slot. The young man uses his speed and smooth route running to create separation from opposing defensive backs. Meanwhile, Stogsdill uses his instincts well from the offensive side of the ball and translates it well to the defensive side of the ball. He is a prospect to keep an eye on over the next two years for the Alma Airedales.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->