Newcomers key for Gravette’s success

Gravette Lions high school football players run drills Tuesday during practice at Gravette High School.
Gravette Lions high school football players run drills Tuesday during practice at Gravette High School.

GRAVETTE — Coach Bill Harrelson will be counting on a large number of firstyear starters to mature quickly as the Lions have just three returning starters on offense from last year’s 7-4 team.

photo

NWA Democrat-Gazette

Gravette Lions high school football players run drills Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 during practice at Gravette High School.

The Lions return just one starter on the offensive line, and Harrelson said the unit will have to step up if the Lions are to make a playoff run this season. Gravette opens the season with three tough nonconference games against Ozark, Booneville and Jay, Okla. The last two nonconference games are on the road, and Gravette opens 4A-1 Conference play on the road as well.

“We’re starting a whole lot of juniors on defense and they’re going to have to grow up and play well early,” Harrelson said. “We play a tough schedule early and we need those guys to mature quickly.”

Harrelson said he’s been pleased with what he’s seen so far in the first two weeks of fall practice. He said this year’s group of 13 seniors, who did not play a lot last season as juniors on a team that was senior-dominated, have stepped into leadership roles.

“We lost a lot of starters, so we need these guys to step up and replace them,” he said.

The Lions will host Farmington in a scrimmage on Aug. 22.

“That will be a good test for us,” Harrelson said. “They are a 5A school, so we’ll see what we got right out of the gate.”

Gravette opens the season at home against Ozark on Sept. 2.

Upcoming Events