Whether anyone likes it or not, Dollarway High School football is still in full effect.
The Cardinals and the rest of their school community have endured for years now suggestions that their school should shutter its doors forever due to low enrollment, but so far that's not the case. A state title contender for the better part of the past four decades, the Cards have rewarded their fans with five playoff games since 2018, including last year's 3A state first-rounder against Glen Rose to cap a 5-5 season.
"For us to be the only team [in Pine Bluff] to make the playoffs, it gave me and my teammates a lot" of confidence, junior offensive and defensive lineman Jacolby Young said.
The redesign of the basketball floor inside the Dollarway Fieldhouse, where the Cardinals warm up before practice, is a sign their pride isn't easily damaged and their purpose of regaining prominence in Arkansas isn't finished.
The way their preseason camp is organized takes on a different shape from neighboring programs. To prepare for the rigors of after-school practice, they work out during late afternoons inside the fieldhouse at the school's old Dollarway Road campus, and then walk to the weight room before taking to the Cardinal Stadium field, where five state championship teams before them endured brutal August heat twice a day.
In today's once-a-day camp, fifth-year Coach Martese Henry has developed a method to the late-summer madness.
"On Aug. 26 at 5 p.m., we start our pregame. If we're not acclimated to the heat then ...," Henry said, leaving a fill-in-the-blank pause. "It's getting that regimen where they're already acclimated to the heat."
Henry is stressing conditioning with a small roster to limit injuries and prepare them for playing on both sides of the football. The Cardinals "tentatively" number 35 players on their yet-to-be-released roster, Henry said, with about 25 on average turning out during the first two days of drills.
"We got some solid numbers for our participation. We've been working on conditioning, pretty much, not doing too much install [installation of plays]. We'll probably do install next week."
To boot, Henry assembled a nonconference slate with statewide brands Booneville, Texarkana and Camden Fairview. Booneville reached the 3A state semifinals last year, Texarkana is trying to reclaim its glory days while remaining in 5A and Camden Fairview went undefeated in the 5A-South Conference.
"With a younger squad, I want to see what our weaknesses and our strengths are early," Henry said. "At the same time, that type of schedule gives me an opportunity to evaluate every player, and it's almost like playoff-caliber games in the nonconference. So, just trying to get them season early, iron sharpens iron early, and I believe in playing stiff competition. At the same time, I believe in marketing our program."
Dollarway returns six offensive and four defensive starters, but a small roster means freshmen and sophomores will be called on for varsity action. Senior D'marion Wallace is transitioning from wide receiver to quarterback, taking over for graduate Briveon Sample.
"Basically, it's more stuff that I need to know, more charge I need to take with the offense and the team and being more verbal," Wallace said.
Heck or high water notwithstanding, the Cardinals still have plenty of reasons to play, their still-standing high school and its loyalists among them.
"We just block out all the negative things that keep going, keep doing what we're doing and execute more," junior running back and linebacker Terreik Hayes said. "It'll be the small things like discipline and integrity."