BENTONVILLE — The opportunity to see Bentonville’s football players for the first time since Wednesday was enough to make coach Barry Lunney happy Monday.
He was even more thrilled after the results of a practice inside the Tiger Athletic Complex as the Tigers resumed preparation for the Class 7A State Championship game Friday against Cabot.
“They looked good,” Lunney said. “It was good just to see them again.
“We did a few more reps than what we would do on a normal Monday, just to get back into that flow. We also did a little more in the weight room and conditioning. It looked good to see them to get into a normal routine. It wasn’t normal, but it’s football. You have to adjust.”
In previous years, Bentonville wouldn’t have received the opportunity to practice, regardless of the situation. Classes were dismissed Monday, and school policy stated if school was dismissed because of weather, no games or practices could be held that day.
That policy has since been modified so teams can practice if they receive approval from four school administrators — athletic director Scott Passmore, superintendent Michael Poore, high school principal Chad Scott and transportation director Chris DeWitt. Those four people were in lengthy discussions throughout the weekend before the Tigers were allowed to practice from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.
At A Glance
Class 7A State Football Championship
Bentonville vs. Cabot
WHEN: 7 p.m. Dec. 13
WHERE: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
RECORDS: Bentonville 10-2; Cabot 12-0
HOOTEN’S RANKINGS: Bentonville is No. 2 in Class 7A; Cabot is No. 1
HOOTEN’S PREDICTION: Cabot by 4
The approval came with a stipulation. The practices were not to be labeled as mandatory, meaning players couldn’t be penalized if they didn’t make the trip because of road conditions and they contacted coaches about it.
“Our first concern was the safety of our students,” Passmore said. “We discussed it at length with Chris DeWitt, and we checked with the Bentonville Police Department, which reported it hadn’t seen any unusual amount of accidents in the area. Because of this policy, we did a careful job of considering things.
“Was it a tough decision to make? Absolutely. It was a long process, and we did a lot of discussion because we wanted to make sure we did the right thing. This is also a unique situation because we’re preparing to win a state championship. Not every school is in that same situation.”
Every player who is expected to see significant amounts of playing time Friday was present for Monday’s practice, although Lunney said a couple of kids were picked up because they wanted to practice but didn’t have rides. Some parents added to the safety by taking the players to practice instead of letting them drive.
The same protocol will be used today as classes have been dismissed for the fourth day since the winter storm hit Northwest Arkansas. Players will be notified about 9 a.m. if another practice session is approved.
If Bentonville didn’t have the practices, the Tigers could have been at a marked disadvantage for Friday’s game in Little Rock. Cabot’s players also had a practice at 2 p.m. Monday, even though its classes were dismissed.
“Safety is certainly paramount,” Lunney said. “It always has to be. School can be called off, especially here because of some of the rural roads and back roads in Bella Vista that don’t get sun and stayed iced over longer.
“Had this been a regular-season nonconference game, we would have probably said it was one of those situations where we don’t get to play. But you’re talking about a state championship, and you’re playing an opponent that might not have the same issues you’re having. I found out Cabot has been practicing, and you just hope you can afford your kids an opportunity to be prepared.”