GRAVETTE — Gravette honoreda fallen teammate, crowned a homecoming queen and stayed unbeaten on Friday night.
Gravette beat Pea Ridge 24-0 at Lion Stadium to start 1-4A Conference play. But the game seemed almost a secondary event on thissolemn night.
The Lions, playing with heavy hearts, honored junior Casey Russell with a workman-like performance.
Russell, a well-liked student and starter at right tackle, died Wednesday at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.
It was impossible to miss the outpouring of support for Russell.
In the parking lot, many vehicles had the No. 56 - Russell's number - painted on their windows. There was even a roped off spot near for the front reserved for Russell. Many people wore shirts with the words "In memory of : " on the front and the words "Casey Russell" and the No. 56 onthe back.
Pea Ridge fans also hung a banner honoring Russell on their side of the field and their players wore a decal of the No. 56 on the back of their helmets.
Before the game, Gravette players walked through a line of their fans. At the front, two players held Russell's game helmet. When the players approached a banner honoring Russell at the end of the tunnel of fans, the players rolled it up and gave it to the Russell family as a keepsake.
The No. 56 also was painted twice in each end zone.
Before the game there was a moment of silence toremember Russell. To start the game, the first play was ran with 10 players. It was predetermined Gravette would be on offense. Their 10 players took the field and lined up, leaving anempty space at right tackle - where Russell would have been. To honor Russell, Pea Ridge played with 10 players on defense for that play.
After that play, Gravette defensive coordinator Duke Mobley took the ball into the stands an gave it to the Russell family.
To start the night, senior Tajhe Turner was crowned homecoming queen. Sheadmitted afterward it was a bittersweet moment in light of Russell's death.
"I am happy that I won, but it would have been a 1,000 times better if Casey had been here " she said.
Sports, Pages 7, 9 on 09/26/2009