East Prairie a year older, stronger and wiser

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — After a challenging rebuilding year, the East Prairie football team is ready to turn the tide and make a statement on the field his season.

The Eagles began to hit its stride and discover its true identity as last season progressed thanks to second-year head coach David Stalker’s ability to cultivate a winning culture and ignite a spirit of unity within his players.

“We are older and more mature,” Stalker said. “We have better numbers but our core group is the same, just another year older and more developed. Our team goals are to improve in every area of the game. We will look at how we performed last year and plan to beat that every game. If we only rushed for 100 yards versus a team last year we expect, at minimum, to rush for 101 yards this year. We do this for every reasonable aspect of every game. This influences our team goals as well as we plan on making marketable improvements from last year.”

The East Prairie offensive line of Raymundo Yanez (25), Issiah Gephart (77), Cooper Oatsvall (50). and Tucker Parker (8) prepare for the next snap against Dexter on Friday at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

East Prairie returns several talented standouts, starting with sophomore running back and linebacker Tavion Ware, who rushed for 1,067 yards and 11 touchdowns on 166 carries last season.

“Tavion Ware is a great downhill runner that can be counted on to produce every down,” Stalker said.

Also back is junior running and defensive back Connor Marcum, who rushed for 419 yards and scored seven times on 65 attempts. He was also the team’s leader, grabbing 10 receptions for 129 yards.

East Prairie's Rudy Arizmendi (10) runs after the catch�during Portageville's 72-20 win over the Eagles on Friday, Sep. 9.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

“[Marcum] is really a plug-and-play type player,” Stalker said. “He’s is one of the fastest kids I have ever coached, runs great routes and can be involved in the run game. Marcum is one of the leaders of the team that drives other players to be successful. He is one of the guys you can always count on.”

Junior quarterback Ty Wallace brings athleticism to the field. He completed 11 of-23 attempts for 150 yards, one touchdown and one interception after joining the team midseason a year ago.

“He makes good decisions and can throw on the run,” Stalker said.

East Prairie sophomore runner Braylan Cade (11) looks for yardage against Dexter on Friday at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

Junior fullback Braylan Cade returns after being the Eagles’ second-leading rusher last season. He finished with 508 yards and three touchdowns on 91 rushes.

“[Cade] has gained a lot of muscle over the off-season,” Stalker said. “We hope to see him continue to develop this season. He has great vision and is a great blocker on the edge.

“Cade has really gotten bigger this past year,” Stalker continued. “He took the weight room seriously and almost looks like a different kid. He had a good season last year but we are excited to see what he will do this year.”

Junior Cooper Oatsvall and Mark Gammons are back on the offensive line.

“Oatsvall is a big-body lineman that is fast for his positional standards,” Stalker said. “He plays with intensity and has matured a lot this off-season. Gammons returns at tackle for us and provides key blocks on all of our run-game plays. He also is our kicker and as the season develops we plan on utilizing his leg.

“Gammons has always been a leader but this season he is taking it personally,” Stalker continued. “His drive and motivation rub off on his teammates around him.”

With a clear game plan in mind, East Prairie is poised to establish itself as a run-heavy, double-wing offensive powerhouse this season. Focused and determined, the Eagles are eager to hit the ground running and demonstrate their commitment to this ground-and-pound style of play right from the start.

“You can tell that all of our kids are a year older,” Stalker said. “Last year, we started the season with one senior and out of 22 kids, of which 17 were freshmen and sophomores. Now all of those 17 are back and they have developed in the weight room, all breaking personal records. This is also our second year running this offense and everything is just clicking faster.”

Some of the team’s impact players on defense are Marcum, Oatsvall and junior Tripp Shoemaker.

“[Marcum’s] speed allows him to cover multiple parts of the field and help out in the run game,” Stalker said. “He has a real nose for the ball and we expect to have a big year out of him defensively. Shoemaker has greatly improved from last year. He is a big corner that is good at playing jump balls. Oatsvall is a big athletic defensive end that plays aggressively and can take up a lot of space up front.

“[Marcum and Shoemaker] have both performed in the 7-on-7 tournaments we have attended. It’s going to be an exciting year watching these guys play ball. Oatsvall is more dedicated and locked in than I have ever seen. His maturity has shown this past summer.”

The team’s top emerging players are junior Henery Evans, sophomores Hunter Palmer, Seth Fiebig and freshman Landon Butler.

“Evans will be playing his first full season of high school football and looks to have a large role,” Stalker said. “Palmer has developed and started to earn his way into a spot and Fiebig is a returning starter who has shown major development this offseason and we look for him to contribute this year. Butler will see varsity playing time this year at offensive line and has impressed the coaching staff.”

When it comes to the Eagles’ recipe for success, there is one crucial ingredient that cannot be overlooked: leadership.

Stalker emphasized the significance of strong leadership as he believes it plays a pivotal role in both the team’s off-field dynamics and their on-field performance.

“Leadership is one of the most important parts of our team’s success,” he said. “The guys who are true leaders on the team do what is right and expected of them when no one else is looking, they also hold the other athletes accountable for their actions. This is great to have in the locker room and should give us a better chance of success on the field.”

As East Prairie gears up for an exciting season, the foundation of leadership, strong relationships and a focus on what can be controlled sets them apart.

“We instill in our players the importance of focusing on what they can control and not getting caught up in things beyond their influence,” Stalker concluded. “By adopting this mindset, it becomes easier to find the positive in every situation. Football, after all, is about fighting adversity, and when our players face challenges together toward common goals, team bonding occurs naturally. Every day presents its own set of obstacles, and it is through these shared experiences that our team grows stronger.”