Special - Anthony Stalcup
Billy Hall and Reinhardt could claim another Appalachian Division title and set themselves up for a deep run in the postseason.
KICKOFF 2021 173
MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE
Eagles readying for a return to deep playoff runs
By Christian Knox
MDJ Sports Writer
Reinhardt earned the top spot in the
Appalachian Division and a top-10 finish
in the National Association of Intercollegiate
Athletics rankings after an undefeated
spring season, but the Eagles have a long
climb to the top of the 22-team Mid-South
Conference with No. 4 Keiser and No. 1
Lindsey Wilson ahead of them.
No. 8 Reinhardt (9-1, 6-0 MSC) looks to
be in place to finish atop the Appalachian
Division again. Only Faulkner (6-2, 5-1) and
Kentucky Christian (6-2, 4-2) had winning
records in the division last spring. Reinhardt
beat Faulkner on the road and at home, while
Kentucky Christian lost to Reinhardt in an
away matchup and Faulkner at home. Neither
Faulkner nor Kentucky Christian finished
as an NAIA-ranked team.
St. Andrews (3-3, 2-3), Union (1-6, 1-4),
Bluefield (2-7, 1-5) and Point (1-7, 1-5)
round out the rest of the Appalachian Division.
The Appalachian Division will be
home to some of the conference’s best offenses
again this season after Point was the
only team that failed to finish last season
top-10 in the Mid-South scoring offense.
St. Andrews may make a push into the
top of the division this fall after leading
the conference in total offense per game.
The Appalachian Division was the best
offensive division in the Mid-South, but it
may also have been the worst defensively.
Reinhardt finished third in the Mid-South
in total defense and Kentucky Christian
finished sixth. Bluefield gave up the most
yards in the Mid-South, while St. Andrews,
Union and Point all ranked in the bottom
six in total defense.
Winning the conference title will be considerably
more difficult than taking the
Appalachian Division. No. 13 Georgetown
(6-2, 6-1) and Lindsey Wilson (11-0, 7-0),
which brought home its first National Championship
in the spring, sit atop the Bluegrass
Division. Keiser (9-1, 5-0) is the only ranked
team in the Sun Division, but Southeastern
(5-1, 3-1) just missed out on a top-25 ranking
after the Fire received the 26th most
votes from coaches in the postseason poll.
Reinhardt will return the majority of its
starters from the spring, including the team’s
leading receiver, leading rusher and quarterback.
Billy Hall, who earned an All-American
Honorable Mention last season after throwing
1905 yards and 22 touchdowns, ranked
second in the Mid-South in passing yardage
behind Lindsey Wilson’s Cameron Dukes.
Navarie Solomon will be back on the
other end of Hall’s passes after he finished
sixth in the conference with 643 receiving
yards last season.
The Eagles’ spring season rushing yardage
leaders, Hall (380) and Willie McCloud
(428), will once again head up the rushing
attack they helped finish third in the Mid-
South in rushing yards per game behind
St. Andrews and Keiser.
The majority of the Eagles’ defense is
returning as well, including First Team
All-American defensive end Teon Burroughs.
Appalachian Division
Prediction
1. Reinhardt
2. Kentucky Christian
3. St. Andrews
4. Faulkner
5. Point
6. Bluefield
7. Union