Van Buren, Alma coaches expect battle in trenches

The Van Buren Pointers and Alma Airedales have met under a lot of circumstances through the years. This one is a first. Friday marks the 49th straight season for the two to play each other and 73rd time overall. Van Buren leads the series, 37-30-5. More times than not, the two Crawford County rivals, separated by just eight miles, have met in the season opener. This year, it’s the season opener for only Alma with Van Buren moving its nonconference game against Siloam Springs to zero week last week and opening the season with a 35-21 win. Does the advantage go to Van Buren, getting the opening-week jitters and bugaboos out of the way. Does the advantage go to Alma, keeping new schemes under a new offensive coordinator under wraps until Friday night. “I think there’s a little bit of an advantage for them because you’ve got the little things worked out and you’ve got a game of conditioning under the belt,” Alma head coach Doug Loughridge said. “I think there’s an advantage for us because we got to see them play, their personnel and special teams. They don’t really know with a new offensive coordinator like we have. So, there’s advantages and disadvantages.” At 7 p.m. on Friday night, though, those things probably don’t matter. “Once you kick off, you can throw all of that stuff out the window when it comes down to Alma and Van Buren,” Loughridge said. “It’s who ever shows up and plays.” Alma’s coaching staff did watch Van Buren’s 35-21 win over Siloam Springs, including the three long offensive touchdowns and a 99-yard kickoff return. “That game was all it was billed up to be,” Loughridge said. “I knew Siloam was big and physical. Van Buren is probably more athletic than they have been since I’ve been here at Alma at the skilled positions. Their five skilled guys and the quarterback are as good or better than they have been since I’ve been here.” Van Buren will be under the direction of Crosby Tuck for the first time as a head coach in the rivalry, but he was the offensive coordinator in last year’s 48-33 win over the Airedales. “It’s a game that the community really cares about and the school really cares about,” Tuck said. “It’s a big one. I got to see that first hand last year, my first year to be really involved in that rivalry. It’s huge here.” Van Buren rolled up 446 yards in the win over Siloam Springs, and sees that as an advantage. “I’m glad that we were able to get that first win and take some momentum into this game,” Tuck said. “I think that’s very important for us to be sitting at 1-0 going into that ballgame. That’s where all of our attention is, keeping that battle of the bone right here.” Alma scrimmaged Southside last week in preparation for the season and the opener against Van Buren. “I was proud of the way we held up on the offensive and defensive lines,” Loughridge said. “The thing about scrimmaging Southside, you’re always going to tell how physical you are and how you’re going to hold up against big, strong teams. I thought our defensive line held up, they were outmatched against their offensive line. Their offensive line was big dudes across the board. I thought our offensive line held up really well. Their defensive front is good. It’s about as good as we’re going to see all year even in the playoffs.” Van Buren’s offensive and defensive lines had good outings against Siloam Springs, and Tuck expects the physical play to decide Friday’s game. “I think that controls the outcome of this game,” Tuck said. “A lot of this game will be determined by the battle up front and whose lines are able to win that physicality battle. That’s something that we’re very focused on this week. It’s always true in every football game. What the lines are doing has a lot to do with the outcome, but I think this week it’s really magnified with our style and their style. What’s going on in the trenches is going to determine the outcome of the game on Friday night.” Van Buren started tackles Steven Young and Doug Giron, guards Jackson Hurst and Easton Mongold and center Jeiden Safonov on Friday along the offensive line. They will be key against Alma’s defensive front that includes Matt Hamblin, Karsten Beneux and Nathan Whalen.

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VAN BUREN, ALMA COACHES EXPECT BATTLE IN TRENCHES

LELAND BARCLAY

Times Record | 9/6/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Submitted Photo