PRAIRIE GROVE — Corbin Bowlin’s rise to West football All-Star status began with a transfer from Lincoln to Prairie Grove as an eighth-grader and took a boost from Prairie Grove coaches.
Last summer, Prairie Grove head football coach Danny Abshier challenged Bowlin and the incoming senior class.
“He kind of made us the leaders,” Bowlin said.
Abshier laid out an team concept, leaving no room for self-serving attitudes, informing Bowlin and his classmates from a talented group that included Tyler Dickerson, Conner Lantz, Rhett Marrell, Ethan Miller, James Moss, Dylan Myers, Ryder Orr, Camden Patterson, Chayton Smith, Michael Uher, Matthew Velasco, Brian Ward and Coner Whetsell,
The Class of 2023 welcomed the challenge and took it upon themselves to willingly undergo intensified conditioning in preparation for a small roster playing both ways as the Tigers took a quantum leap into the 5A classification for football.
“We chose ourselves to run, one guy might say ‘I think we didn’t run enough,’ and so we’d run some more,” Bowlin said.
Abshier literally ran the Tigers into contention for a 5A West Conference title and playoff berth.
“It was the first year we felt like our voices were heard. We felt like we were in control,” Bowlin said.
On Sept. 16, 2022, the Tigers sustained a 41-21 loss to Tulsa Metro Christian at home on Friday night to conclude the nonconference portion of the season, 2-1.
Hours later, on Saturday morning, Abshier lined the Tigers up on the same field to do some more conditioning, as much a mental tuneup as physical workout.
“We were all black and blue all over and we were still out there running. It was a good way to recover and we bounced back with Pea Ridge,” Bowlin said.
On Sept. 23, the Tigers opened 5A West play with a solid, 48-31, win on the road at Pea Ridge, a former top rival from the 4A-1.
Memorable 5A West Win
Bowlin counts a Sept. 30 win at home over preseason conference favorite, Harrison, among the most enjoyable moments from a memorable senior season.
Bowlin played tight end at Lincoln, but former Prairie Grove head junior high coach John Elder convinced him he would get more playing time moving to the offensive line because of the abilities of classmate Matthew Velasco.
The Tigers won 46-40 on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Patterson to Velasco with seconds left.
“We were able to do a flea flicker motion and throw it to him. One of my favorite memories is winning that game and being a part of that magic,” Bowlin said.
Prairie Grove went into an Oct. 14 game at Dardanelle sporting an unblemished 3-0 league record. Bowlin attributed the extra-conditioning with empowering a strong offensive line performance in a 50-27 victory over the Sand Lizards.
“It can be seen throughout the season. There were unseen heroes in the Dardanelle game. We were able to run up field and get out blocks up field, and being able to play both offense and defense without throwing up,” Bowlin said.
Basketball Interlude
Bowlin transitioned into basketball weeks before football season ended with a 28-20 first-round playoff loss to Batesville on Nov. 11.
Bowlin took his enthusiasm from football onto the hardwood, assuming a leadership role although he knew he wouldn’t get much playing time.
“Basketball gave me that team camaraderie. I was doing pregame speeches. I was the “hype man,” that’s what everybody called me,” Bowlin said.
He’s deeply appreciative of veteran Prairie Grove head boys basketball coach Steve Edmiston for consistently working to refine his game.
“Coach Ed, he could see I wasn’t the most talented kid, but I’m thankful he didn’t give up on me. I learned a lot from his son, Cole Edmiston, too,” Bowlin said. “Basketball is not one of my gifted sports, but I liked being with the kids on the team.”
Bowlin’s personal basketball season highlight reel showcased him knocking down a 3-point buzzer-beater at halftime of a Nov. 8 season-opener at Ozark.
“That was breathtaking for everybody because I’m not a 3-point shooter, but I made it,” Bowlin said.
“Basketball helped me slim up a little bit after football. It was something to keep my mind going,” Bowlin said.
Soccer Humility
In the spring, Bowlin went out for soccer, experiencing the sport for the first time along with Matt Chandler, an assistant football coach placed in charge of the Prairie Grove boys program.
“Brian Ward was with me. It was his first year and Coach Chandler’s first year. We learned together,” Bowlin said. “I decided to get out of my comfort zone a little bit and try a sport I never tried before. It was a lot of fun.”
Chandler recognized the Tigers wouldn’t dominate like they did in football. He balanced realistic expectations with constant exhortation. Bowlin recalls Chandler telling the team, “Go out and do your best.”
“It was just a great experience with a bunch of guys like Tristan Lunschen and Jacob Bullard,” Bowlin said.
He split time playing goalie with Tyler Tigert and sustained a black eye an season-opening 4-1 loss to rival Lincoln on Feb. 28.
“I got with all my Lincoln buddies and we took a picture together afterwards. I’m covered in blood from my eye cut open,” Bowlin said.
That never diminished his desire to learn the goalkeeper position and contribute to the team. Prairie Grove finished 2-11 overall and 1-6 in the 4A West and recorded a nonconference, 2-1, win over Class 5A Siloam Springs on April 24.
“As the season went on I finally got the hang of playing goalie, then we lost (1-0) to Huntsville (on April 27 in the 4A West Conference tournament), and I never did get to see how good I’d be,” Bowlin said.
Football Future
Saturday’s All-Star football game represents the first of more gridiron action for Bowlin. He’s picked up an academic scholarship from Arkansas Tech University at Russellville worth $7,000 a year for four years that doubles should he obtain a 4.0 GPA as a freshman.
Bowlin also plans to walk-on at Tech, following a path his role model, the late Brandon Burlsworth, took on his way to becoming a starter for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks on the offensive line.
Bowlin did a research paper on Burlsworth in middle school and considers the former NFL draftee as someone he’s always looked up to.
He plans to switch from the offensive line back to tight end at Tech, which runs a double tight end set.
Bowlin began his summer by going on a tour of western states with his cousins, cousins, twins Mason and Lucas Adkins, both 2023 Lincoln graduates. They visited the Grand Canyon, enjoyed the view at Hoover Dam spanning the Colorado River at the Arizona/Nevada border, and went on to Las Vegas, among their travels.
Bowlin’s role model is his father, Brandon Bowlin, who joined the U.S. Marines shortly after Corbin was born.
“He played both ways in football at Lincoln. He gave me that ‘never quite’ attitude. That’s kind of where I get my motivation to be a leader and talking from him,” Bowlin said.
Local fans haven’t heard the last from Bowlin yet.