RISON - Rison will be without All-Conference senior running back Kyson Walker this week when the Wildcats host the Ouachita County Harmony Grove Hornets this Friday night at George Walker Field of Champions. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Wildcat Coach Chris Vereen said he plans hold Walker out the next couple of weeks to assess the extent of a shoulder injury he suffered in the Wildcats’ 48-20 win over DeWitt last week.
Walker had seven carries for 35 yards last week before injuring his shoulder while playing defense in the first half. He was used sparingly on defense the rest of the game.
Vereen said Walker was going to go through some medical exams this week to determine the nature and extent of the injury. He said he intends to hold him out of the Harmony Grove game this week as well as next week, which is an open date for Rison. He said he will assess his condition to see if he might be available for the Junction City game on Sept. 18.
Harmony Grove, which has traditionally played Rison tough, is in a rebuilding phase. Junction City, which some polls have as the no. 1 team in Class 2A, shutout the Hornets 45-0 last week at Junction City.
Ernie Horstkamp, who led the Harmony Grove football program since 2018, left the coaching profession last May to go into private business. One of his assistants, William “Bud” Chambliss, was elevated to head coach.
The Hornets are coming off a 3-8 season, but they still managed to make the playoffs after finishing in a three-way tie with Centerpoint and Fouke for fourth in the 7-3A with a 3-4 record. They were knocked out in the first round by Mayflower, 43-7.
Before his departure, Horstkamp told Arkansas Football magazine that Harmony Grove returns five offensive and six defensive starters, including All-Conference senior linebacker Matthew Priddy and senior receiver Landon Berends.
While there has been a coaching change at the top, Vereen said Chambliss has basically kept Horstkamp’s multiple, spread offense in place.
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