Ethan Dunn may not be perceived as a prototypical middle linebacker. At 5-foot-11, the Southside senior and three-year starter admits opposing teams at first believe him to be a skill position player, perhaps a running back.
But then, seeing Dunn up close and personal, they come away with a different feeling, with Dunn’s ability to find a ballcarrier and bring him down.
In fact, Dunn was the Mavericks’ top tackler last season, recording 112 stops, 36 of those solo. That was a significant upgrade from his sophomore season, in which Dunn had just 49 tackles. But then again, Dunn was just one of several go-to players on defense, helping Southside reach the Class 7A quarterfinals.
“We had some good players that year; I’ll admit we had a great team,” Dunn said.
Dunn began his junior season registering at least 10 tackles in three of his first four games, including 15 against Mountain Home. He also had 18 tackles in a late-season game against Russellville and a season-high 19 in the finale, a win against Siloam Springs.
Other stats Dunn had from last season included 14 tackles for loss, four sacks, five caused fumbles, three recovered fumbles and even a blocked extra-point. It was enough for Dunn to be named to the 6A-West All-Conference team.
However, the Mavericks didn’t qualify for the playoffs and it’s been a motivation for Dunn and his fellow seniors to make postseason play once more before their Southside careers come to an end. Dunn’s senior season got off to a good start with the Mavericks’ 27-7 win against arch-rival Northside on Aug. 29. It was the third straight year Southside has prevailed in the “Battle of Rogers Avenue.”
“I think the Mavericks will do great this year,” Dunn said. “I think, yeah, last year was a down year. I think now, we didn’t lose too many starters, a few on defense. But other than that, we didn’t lose too much.
“So, I think this year we’ll be back, I really do. I think, considering how many returning players we have, I think this year we have a good shot, and we have a great shot.”
Football isn’t the only sport Dunn competes in at Southside. He also throws the shot put and discus on the school’s track team.
This past spring, Dunn won several meets throwing the shot put, including the McDonald’s Relays in April at Southside, and took first in the discus at several meets as well. He also competed at the Class 6A state meet, and finished second in the discus (doing so for the second straight season) and fourth in the shot put.
At the Meet of Champions in Searcy this past May, Dunn placed fifth in the shot put and ninth in the discus. Dunn admits having a hard time deciding which event he likes the best.
“It is a tough one,” he said. “I’ve always been better at disc; I don’t know why, but I’ve always just flowed through disc. I feel like disc is almost like an art compared to shot, which is more like brute strength.”
So which sport does Dunn like better, football or track?
“You know, I’ve always played football, even in peewee, all with peewee, elementary, junior high and then high school,” Dunn said. “And man, my love for this sport has stayed the same; so I have to go football.”
Dunn is also diligent in his studies, possessing a 4.08 grade-point average and recently got a composite score of 32 on the ACT exam.
There’s another pastime Dunn has picked up – rock climbing.
“Lately, I’ve been getting into rock climbing,” he said. “Believe it or not, my stature does not make me incapable of rock climbing. I would say I’m actually pretty good for somebody at my surface.”
For the time being, Dunn wants to help on the climb to get the Mavericks’ football squad back in the playoffs and also finally winning state in both shot put and track.