Family Tradition Hellers have played big role in Greenwood success.

Football: Hellers have played big role in Greenwood success.

Hunter Heller (45) of Greenwood stalks Siloam Springs quarterback Luke Lampton Oct. 7 at Panther Stadium in Siloam Springs.
Hunter Heller (45) of Greenwood stalks Siloam Springs quarterback Luke Lampton Oct. 7 at Panther Stadium in Siloam Springs.

GREENWOOD -- The Heller family has been a part of Greenwood football for more than a decade.

Hunter Heller, a 5-foot-9, 190-pound senior inside linebacker, represents the last of four Heller brothers who have worn the blue and white Bulldog uniform. Today, he will snap the chinstrap on his blue helmet with the large G on each side for the final time.

[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]

Today’s Ticket

Class 6A State Championship

at War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

Russellville vs. Greenwood

KICKOFF 6:30 p.m.

RECORDS Greenwood 12-0; Russellville 11-1

COACHES Russellville — Billy Dawson; Greenwood — Rick Jones

Hunter's three older brothers played on a combined six state championship teams for Bulldogs coach Rick Jones. Today the youngest of the group hopes to earn his first championship ring. Greenwood (12-0) will take on Russellville (11-1) in the Class 6A state championship game at 6:30 p.m. in War Memorial Stadium.

"It's real important for me and it's real important for this team," Heller said. "We just want this."

The Heller family has been involved in the Bulldogs program for so long, Jones created a special "Heller Rule" this past summer.

Each year Jones and his coaching staff hold a Moms 101 camp for the mothers of Bulldogs players. The moms spend a day before the season going through a full practice somewhat similar to what their sons experience. The moms play the same positions as their sons, and their son's position coach is their coach for the day.

"They sort of get an idea of what their sons do on a daily basis and get to know those coaches on a different level," Jones said.

Rose Heller ordinarily would have taken on the role of linebacker, since that is where Hunter plays. But because she'd been in that spot with her other sons, Jones created the Heller Rule that allowed her to choose any position she wanted.

"Rose decided she wanted to be a quarterback this year," Jones said. "So we installed the Heller Rule, so that in the future, as long as we are here, if a mom has four boys in the program, when the fourth one is a senior, she can practice anywhere she wants."

So far, the Hellers are the only four-son family Jones has had, so it could be a long time before the rule is enforced again.

Growing up with three older, football-playing brothers has been an advantage, Hunter said. His brother Zack was an offensive lineman and has been able to help Hunter learn about blocking schemes and how to combat those as a linebacker. His other two brothers, Kegan and Gavin, were linebackers and have helped him learn the nuances of playing linebacker.

This season, Heller leads the Bulldogs in tackles with 105 and also leads the team in sacks with four. He's second on the team in tackles for loss with 14.

Heller got an early start in the Bulldog family when he joined the youth Fasdogs program, although he did it a year earlier than he was supposed to.

"He sneaked in here when he was in the second grade," Jones said, "He was supposed to be in the third grade, but he came in here with his big brother."

Having older brothers in the program gave Heller an inside knowledge of the highly successful Greenwood football team.

"It just made me feel like I belonged," he said. "I had a lot to live up to, but to see my older brothers and those older guys walk down this same path to this field, it was awesome. I knew I wanted to be a part of that."

Heller was injured last season against arch-rival Alma, suffering a season-ending knee injury. Jones said the knee was still bothering Heller when summer practice started, but he fought through it.

"They are just tough, tough kids," Jones said. "They have a warrior spirit.

"I guess like all brothers they have similarities, but they are also really, really different. The thing that is similar to them is that they love the Bulldogs, there's no doubt about it. They have a great mom and dad, and they are workers. The kids know how to work."

Sports on 12/03/2016

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