2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW / ARP | Tigers want respect, and one way or another, they’ll earn it

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is entry No. 12 in 15 In 15: 15 Previews in 15 days, previewing the high school football teams in the ETBlitz.com coverage area. Mitch Lucas did the Tatum preview on Tuesday, but Joe Hale returns, handling today’s preview of the Arp High School Tigers. We have three more of our 15 previews to go: Leverett’s Chapel, the Gladewater Bears, and the Kilgore Bulldogs. Those will all be here on ETB this week. For now, sit back and read about the Tigers.

Arp High School running back / linebacker Josh Smith (6) is shown here against Elkhart, and when we say both, we mean both: Smith had over 100 tackles on defense last year, and ran for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns, to boot. (File photo courtesy of DENISE BARDSLEY)

ARP – Arp has reached the University Interscholastic League’s Class 3A football playoffs in two of the three seasons Wes Schminkey has been the head football coach.

Expect more of the same, if you believe in preseason predictions. Coming off a 7-4 season a year ago, the Tigers are ranked 22^nd in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine’s state 3A Division I preseason poll and picked to finish second in 11-3A, Division II behind Troup.

“We appreciate (their) confidence in us, but we’re going to do our best to win the district,” said Schminkey, on the eve of his fourth season as the head football coach.

His Tigers return quite a few players with experience. And that should definitely count for something. Some have more of that than others. Zane Bourque, Josh Smith and Zyon Washington are three-year starters, although Borque was injured and missed some playing time last season.

He’s back now, though, and listed as an athlete on the roster. Borque will quarterback the Tigers’ multiple offense. Despite missing some playing time, he and Josh Smith, a tough running back with a good combination of physicality and speed, put up impressive numbers a year ago.

Bourque (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) finished his junior season with 283 yards passing and 285 yards receiving with 13 touchdowns in just seven games. But many who watch the Tigers know – as much as one can know – that if Borque had been in the lineup, those numbers would’ve been drastically higher.

Smith, one of the most dynamic rushers in East Texas, rushed for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. And don’t write Smith off as only one of the most valuable pieces Schminkey and company have on offense: defensively, as an outside linebacker, Smith (5-10, 175) had more than 100 tackles.

Other players to watch include Jaxon Schminkey (6-1, 225, a tight end / linebacker, a senior); Eli Ladd (6-0, 250, the Tigers’ senior center); Zyron Washington (5-10, 200, a senior who will play along both offensive and defensive lines); and Wyatt Johnson (5-9, 165, also a senior who will play both wide receiver and defensive back).

Top underclassmen are juniors Hudson Orpineda (5-9, 155, running back / linebacker), Wyatt Calley (5-9, 155, fullback / linebacker), Casen Burgins (running back / outside linebacker) and sophomore Ty Langley (5-9, 145, quarterback / safety).

Arp High School football coach and athletic director Wes Schminkey (above) has been the Tigers’ AD and head man since 2022. And this season, as the Tigers open ranked in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 3A-Division II preseason state poll, Schminkey has every intention of his team being the one to hold a district championship. His son, Jaxon, is also a key member of the team. (File photo courtesy of ARP HIGH SCHOOL FACEBOOK)

Depth of linemen on both sides of the football is a concern.

“We’re going to make do the best we can. We return quite a few players with experience,” Schminkey continued when questioned about his 3-4 defense.

The Tigers close out the preseason with a scrimmage Thursday night at home against San Augustine, beginning at 6 p.m., before kicking off the regular season on Friday, Aug. 29, at Harleton. Other non-district games are against Garrison, Mineola and Sabine before the rivalry showdown against Troup on the road to open district play for both teams on Sept. 26.

See a complete schedule for the Tigers below, as well as an example of the ETBlitz.com Arp team poster. There are only 7-8 spots on the poster, which will be placed on all Arp football articles on ETBlitz.com the entire season. Spots are only $100 each, and that’s for the entire year, but again, they’re limited. To book a spot on the ETB Arp team poster, e-mail Jenna Lucas at ads@etblitz.com.

For all 15 schedules in one place, here you are: THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS! | Regular season begins next Thursday, Friday; here are schedules for all teams in the ETBlitz coverage area! | Presented by KILGORE MERCANTILE & MUSIC.

Again, coming in the next two days are previews for Gladewater, Leverett’s Chapel and Kilgore, just in time for the scrimmages to come to a close. Our preview for the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, including Kilgore College and Tyler Junior College, will be a part of ETBlitz.com on Friday, just before their respective season openers.

If you’d like to read the season previews so far, here they are:

No. 1: Troup (On Thursday, August 7): 2025 ETB OFFICIAL TROUP FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Tiger by the tail? LOL, not this one! | Troup aims to start, and finish, strong in ’25.

No. 2: Gilmer (On Friday, August 8): 2025 ETB OFFICIAL GILMER FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Glory days: A return to the big time for the Buckeyes?

No. 3: Overton (On Saturday, August 9): 2025 ETB OFFICIAL OVERTON FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Can Mustangs ride back to double-digit wins, and keep up winning ways?

No. 4: West Rusk (On Sunday, August 10): 2025 ETB OFFICIAL FOOTBALL PREVIEW | WEST RUSK / A decade of postseason runs? Well, let’s run it back, son

No. 5: Beckville (On Monday, August 11): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW: BECKVILLE | Records falling, winning being done — just another weekend for Ross and the Bearcats

No. 6: Sabine (On Tuesday, August 12): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SABINE / A reset, a new season, and this Cardinals team has talent (Presented by KILGORE MERCANTILE & MUSIC)

No. 7: Carthage (On Wednesday, August 13): 2025 ETBLITZ CARTHAGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Armed & loaded Bulldogs on Drive For 11 / Presented by ZIPPY J’S

No. 8: Henderson (On Thursday, August 14): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW / HENDERSON | Meeks returns, and Lions fans, get ready for a ride | Presented by WHATABURGER

No. 9: White Oak (On Friday, August 15): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW / WHITE OAK | In a stacked district, could Roughnecks challenge for title? | Presented by ENERGY WELDFAB

No. 10: Pine Tree (On Saturday, August 16): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW / PINE TREE | Pirates want to make double-digit wins in a single season a regular thing, and to become a title contender | Presented by GOUDARZI & YOUNG

No. 11: Tatum (On Tuesday, August 19): 2025 ETBLITZ FOOTBALL PREVIEW / TATUM | Lots of new faces, but talent there to help Eagles soar