SPRINGDALE -- Springdale Har-Ber's football team was happy to be home after two long trips to Alabama for 7-on-7 competition.
Har-Ber hosted a team camp last week after competing in 7-on-7 tournaments at Auburn, Ala., and Hoover, Ala., where the Wildcats went 2-5 against a star-studded field. Har-Ber advanced to the finals of the losers' bracket at Auburn and reached the finals of the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 tournament at Shiloh Christian.
"I am so thankful we are done traveling," Wood said last week after Har-Ber hosted Bentonville and Siloam Springs at Wildcat Stadium. "Now that team camps are over, we can lift (weights) and focus on fundamentals."
The Wildcats will get five days off prior to the start of full-scale practice on Aug. 6. Har-Ber, 3-8 last season, will open with consecutive home games against Webb City, Mo., and Kansas City Rockhurst.
"It's good for our kids to see the speed and athleticism of other programs," Wood said. "We got down there at Hoover, and everything happened at a really faster pace. Our record wasn't very good but I think we learned some things, especially how important details are when you're going against teams that are really talented."
Har-Ber will return seven offensive starters along with all-conference quarterback Fuller Chandler, who transferred from Springdale High. The Wildcats won at least 10 games from 2007-10 and captured the state championship in 2009, four years into its existence.
"There were some animals down there at Hoover," said Austin Henderson, a senior defensive back. "There were some Auburn commits, Alabama commits, and a No. 1 receiver committed to Ole Miss. But it was a good experience for us to go up against that type of talent."
Wood complimented a handful of players who helped themselves during the summer, including Tali Nasilia, who'll play mostly at outside linebacker after spending his junior season at running back. He'll join his brother, Oliver Nasilia, who saw action at linebacker as a freshman.
"We've gotten better this summer but by no means have we arrived," Wood said. "We can barely see the light at the end of this tunnel."
Har-Ber still made the playoffs last year despite winning three games. The Wildcats were eliminated after a 28-27 loss at Bryant in the first round.
Sports on 07/23/2015