Tristin Brewer knew as a sophomore, and a newcomer to the Pea Ridge football team, he'd have to wait his turn to get on the field for meaningful snaps.
That time didn't come until the end of the season -- in fact, the final game of the regular season -- and when it did, he was ready. A season-ending injury to a senior starter against Shiloh Christian forced Brewer into the lineup and he stayed there as the Blackhawks launched a historic playoff run.
Pea Ridge Blackhawks (9-1)
Date^Opponent^Result
Aug. 28^Hamburg#^W 50-30
Sept. 1^at Booneville^W 29-19
Sept. 15^Farmington^W 24-7
Sept. 22^Gentry*^W 47-18
Sept. 29^at Lincoln*^W 48-32
Oct. 6^Gravette*^W 42-28
Oct. 13^Prairie Grove*^W 26-21
Oct. 20^at Berryville*^W 35-0
Oct. 27^Huntsville*^W 56-28
Nov. 3^at Shiloh Christian*^L 17-14
# — at UCA, Conway
* — Denotes 4A-1 Conference game
At A Glance
TRISTIN BREWER
SCHOOL Pea Ridge
HEIGHT 5’7”
WEIGHT 193 lbs.
CLASS Junior
POSITION Linebacker
NOTABLE Moved into the starting lineup at the end of the 2016 season and started for the Blackhawks throughout their run to the Class 4A championship game. Has recorded 104 total tackles, including 27 solo stops. Also has 4.0 sacks, one caused fumble and two fumble recoveries. Family moved to Pea Ridge from Pottsville at the end of his freshman year. Recorded double-digit tackles in four games this season, including 16 against Gravette.
"It was pretty eye-opening," Brewer said. "I'd gotten some reps during the season, but to step out there against Shiloh, it was a whole different animal. But I really didn't let being a sophomore define me as a player. I just always thought of myself as one of the guys and I knew I had to go out there and make an impact."
Pea Ridge head coach Stephen Neal, himself a newcomer to the program last season, said he recognized Brewer's potential early on. And it didn't take long once he moved into the starting lineup to earn the trust of the coaches as an inside linebacker.
Neal said Brewer was mentally ready for that jump last season and has used that high intensity playoff run that lasted all the way to the state championship game as a springboard to a stellar junior season. The 5-foot-7, 193 pounder has registered 104 tackles and 4.0 sacks this season. He's recorded double-figure tackles in four games with a season high of 16 against Gravette and 13 against Prairie Grove.
"In our defense we have a whole lot of checks and balances," Neal said. "We'll call our defense with a lot of checks. We call the defense after the offense breaks the huddle and set up. He is the one I count on to get us lined up, to make those automatic checks and there are a number of them that we do. And we're able to do those on the field because of how smart he is.
"He is the quarterback on defense."
Brewer's family moved to Pea Ridge at the end of his freshman season from Pottsville when his father took over as pastor at a church in Rogers. Brewer said the family chose to make Pea Ridge their home because his grandfather is also a church pastor there.
As is usually the case with a new athlete, there is a coming up period where the newcomer has to earn his stripes. That moment came when Brewer squared off against big offensive lineman Beau German, a senior who tipped the scales at 275 pounds.
"(German) lined up in practice one time at fullback and I was playing linebacker," Brewer recalled. "He stared me straight down. So I knew the play they were running was Bama and he was coming straight at me. We hit and he didn't push me back, and I didn't push him back. From then on I had his respect, so therefore it kind of went to everybody."
Neal has entrusted Brewer at times to call the defensive alignment this season.
"I told him, 'Next year, I'm just going to sit over on the sideline and drink a bottle of water and just let you coach the defense," Neal joked. "We have that much faith and confidence in who he is and his understanding of what we want."
Brewer will be ready when that time comes, just like he was when he was called on last season.
The Blackhawks (9-1) beat Waldron 40-0 Friday in a first-round playoff game. Waldron is a rising program making its first playoff appearance since 2003. Last season the Bulldogs ended a 43-game losing streak under coach Rickey May.
Sports on 11/15/2017