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The Green Forest Tigers will play their first game under new head coach Dalton Ewing on Aug. 29, hosting Hollister, Mo.
Ewing, a former Green Forest player who has pledged to bring a hard-nosed mindset to the Tigers program, said he likes what he saw from his new team over the summer.
“I’m excited,” Ewing said on Thursday, July 31.
One reason for Ewing’s excitement is the Tigers’ performance over the summer at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
“Our O-line’s doing real good,” he said. “D-line’s doing real good. They’re big, fast kids.”
Ewing said Green Forest’s offensive line will be the youngest position group for the Tigers.
“Right now, we’re probably starting two juniors and three sophomores,” he said. “But like I said, they’ve looked really good as a whole group.”
Sophomores William Bing, Bojack Forney and Samuel Osborne — a transfer from Harrison — will give the Tigers good size up front. Junior Silas Sparkman is a returning starter at left tackle.
The Tigers will have to replace the majority of their offensive production after the graduation of running back Ridge Gordon-Swofford, quarterback Mason Meador and receiver Brityn Gilliam. That trio led Green Forest to a 4-7 record last season and the Tigers earned a state playoff berth for the first time since 2014.
Under former coach Greg Tibbitt, Green Forest operated a Spread offense and passed frequently at times. Ewing prefers a Wing-T set built on a power running game.
“We did pretty good in 7-on-7,” Ewing said of Green Forest’s summer performance. “But to be honest, we’re not going to bank off of throwing the ball a ton.” Senior Ryne Stone will take over as the Tigers’ starting quarterback.
“He’s looked really good this summer, throwing and running,” Ewing said of Stone, the son of longtime Tigers assistant coach Brandon Stone.
Ewing also mentioned senior Jaden Ochoa, who will play running back and defensive back this fall. Senior Gave Serna was a second-team all-conference selection last season, while junior Ywa Hay Moo made the conference’s all-sophomore team.
Moo, who won four events in the junior high district track and field championships as a freshman in 2024, gives Green Forest a big-play threat.
“He’s one of the fastest kids I’ve seen in high school,” Ewing said. “He’s still learning the position. But when it clicks, it’s going to click. He’s gonna be someone everybody in the state’s gonna know.”
Defensively, the Tigers will lean heavily on senior Colton Fancher, a two-year starter at linebacker and defensive end.
Fancher left the field on a stretcher after suffering a broken leg against Berryville in last year’s Carroll County Super Bowl.
Fancher was a firstteam all-conference selection last season.
“We weren’t sure if he was going to be able to play,” Ewing said. “He’s looked really well. He’s back 100 percent.”
Senior Jaden Kaler also was an all-conference pick last season and returns at linebacker. Kason Compton will start on the defensive line after earning all-sophomore honors.
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