Finality Of Game Fuels Ogle

GRAVETTE — Brenton Ogle had barely stepped onto the field before Gravette’s Oct. 26 game with Berryville when he was suddenly hit with a dose of reality.

The senior outside linebacker was about to make his last appearance at Lions Stadium, and any of the football games that followed could be his last.

“I was pretty emotional about it,” he said. “I mean, I went out there and gave it everything I had. I played hard that game because I realized it was the last time I’d play on that fi eld.

“It just hits you. It’s the senior year, and you’re starting to play and starting to enjoy it. Then you start realizing it could be your last game. If we lose this one, I’m done for high school football.”

Things have moved rather quickly for Ogle (5-foot-6, 127 pounds) since he became one of the senior leaders Gravette leaned upon this season. He spent the last two seasons playing junior varsity football, and he admitted it took him a little bit to catch up with the faster pace of varsity action.

He finished the regular season fourth on the team with 67 total tackles, including 10 in the game against Berryville. Ogle was also responsible for one quarterback sack against Farmington and a forced fumble against Ozark.

“Brenton has shown a lot ofmaturity this year,” Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said. “He stepped his game up when we lost a lot of seniors last year, and he’s done a great job of being a leader.

“The outside linebacker has such a tough job. They have to play the run and the pass. We have the defensive line and linebackers that play run and the secondary plays the pass, but the outside linebackers have to do both. It’s a tough job, especially on play-action passes and stuff like that.”

Harrelson marveled about Ogle’s ability as a run stopper and said he’s possibly one of the team’s hardest hitters. His better games this season have come against run-oriented teams such as Booneville and Berryville.

That will be important again Friday when Gravette (4-6) travels to Pottsville for its fi rstround game in the Class 4A State Playoffs, especially since the Apaches run a dead-T offense formation very similar to what Berryville used. He’s also felt a sense of urgency this week, not only from him but his teammates.

“When it comes down toFriday, I know everybody will be working their hardest,” Ogle said. “They’re going to put everything they have out there Friday because they know this could be the seniors’ last game.

“I know I’ve felt the urgency, and I’m sure the rest of the players have. You can tell while they’re practicing. Even though it was freezing out there (Monday), they were trying out. I know I have.”