MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE PREVIEW
Eagles return talented roster in pursuit of crown
By Griffin Callaghan
gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com
Reinhardt finished undefeated in the Appalachian
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Division last fall, checking in with another
top-10 ranking in the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics.
However, last season saw five teams from
the Mid-South Conference register in the top
25, headlined by Lindsey Wilson at No. 3, with
another receiving votes.
Reinhardt (9 -3, 6 -0 MSC) opens its season with
No. 24-ranked Faulkner, which posed a challenge
for the Eagles during their hotly contested 14-6
home win. Faulkner finished second in the Appalachian
Division last year at 5-1 (8-2 overall).
Bluefield (6 -5, 4-2 MSC) was the only other
Appalachian Division team to finish above the
.500 mark in the conference and overall. K entucky
Cristian ( 3-8, 2-4 MSC) , St. Andrews ( 2-
9 , 2-4 MSC) and Point ( 2-8, 2-4 MSC) all held
the same conference record, with U nion (1-9 ,
0-6 MSC) being the lone winless team.
Lindsay Wilson (12-1, 7-0 MSC) won the Bluegrass
Division last season, while K eiser (9 -3,
5-1 MSC) took first place in the Sun Division.
Last year’s conference opener between Reinhardt
and Bluefield lived up to expectations with a
49 -35 shootout. The Rams’ offense was one of
the strongest in the division, averaging 38.9
points per game, right behind the Eagles’ 39 .3
points per game.
Reinhardt, K eiser and Lindsay Wilson all
made the NAIA Football Championship Series
last year, with K eiser beating Reinhardt 16 -13
in the first round. Lindsay Wilson knocked off
K eiser in round two 54-12 but fell to G rand
V iew 34-28 in the semifinals.
St. Andrews and Point both welcome new
coaches to the Appalachian Division this season.
The K nights brought on Robert Curtain
as the third coach in program history, while
the Skyhawks promoted defensive coordinator
Trevor Z eiders to the lead role.
“This is a good conference,” Reinhardt coach
James Miller said. “There will be some of the
same and some new things this year. We will
have to adjust to all that. We open with Faulkner
and Bethel. Both are very well coached and
will be ranked in the top-25.”
Reinhardt brings the majority of its key contributors
back from last season, minus starting
quarterback Billy Hall. Top running back Devyn
Collins ( 811 yards, 13 touchdowns) and receiver
Navarie Solomon (9 23 yards, 13 touchdowns)
return after finishing in the top four, statistically,
at their respective positions.
The Eagles’ defense got even better last season,
allowing only 15.8 points per game and 13.5
points per game in conference play. The loss of
Teon Burroughs hurts interior production, but
returning talent in the secondary with safety
Jalen Everett and defensive back K ellen Neal
creates a strength on defense.
PREDICTION
1. Reinhardt
2. Bluefield
3. Faulkner
4. Kentucky Chr.
5. Point
6. St. Andrews
7. Union
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Reinhardt favored to win the Mid-South and advance to another run through the NAIA playoffs.
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