Times-Herald

Football teams gearing up for season openers

Preparations for the 2021 prep football season will officially begin on Monday with the start of practice for most state high school teams.

With team camps, 7-on-7 tournaments and events and other workouts, most if not all teams have been busy much of the summer.

Following this week, all high school teams will have two days of practice with helmets only and three more with helmets and shoulder pads before being allowed to progress to full pads.

Palestine-Wheatley interim head football coach Paxton Crawford said Sunday the Patriots would begin summer practices today.

The junior high was scheduled to take the practice field this morning at 10 a.m., while the varsity Patriots will practice at 6 p.m.

Palestine-Wheatley is scheduled to open the 2021 prep football season on Friday, Aug. 27, at Des Arc. The Patriots will follow that date with road trip to Marked Tree on Sept. 3, before having two open dates.

Crawford will be assisted by assistant coaches Steve Sherland and Mark Main.

Jonesboro head coach Randy Coleman said his Hurricane team has already covered the basics on both sides of the ball. The Hurricane participated in four 7-on-7 tournaments and four team camps, most in June but will not be participating in a preseason scrimmage with Forrest City this summer.

Forrest City will play a junior high scrimmage game on Thursday, Aug. 19 at Palestine-Wheatley and the Patriots will take on Forrest City in a varsity scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 20, at Sam Smith Stadium.

“We could play a game right now. We’ve done enough through the spring and summer. Every core thing that we do is in,” said Coleman, who expects to have 95 to 100 players on the roster.

Jonesboro opens at home on Aug. 27 when they host Little Rock Catholic. Forrest City opens the 2021 season on Aug. 27 at Star City while Palestine-Wheatley travels to Des Arc for their Aug. w7 season opener.

Nettleton head coach Steven Hampton, whose team opens Aug. 27, at Blytheville, said the Raiders have had a good summer.

“We had three team camps and got to look at different kids in different spots,” Hampton said. “For us, this first week is finalizing those personnel moves, who will go where, and installing schemes, doing pursuit drills and building our team’s identity on both sides of the ball.”

Valley View head coach Sean Cockrell expects 80-plus players for the start of practice. The Blazers open at home Aug. 27 against Southaven, Miss.

“The first couple of days, especially in helmets and shorts, we want to make sure we’re installing our offense, make sure we have all that down. Defensively, where there are things we can’t do, we’ll work on blitzes, form recognition, pursuit drills, a lot of individual work,” Cockrell said

Brookland’s Eric Munoz expects to have 60-65 players on the roster. The Bearcats open the season Aug. 27 at Gosnell. Brookland dropped down into the 5A-East football conference last season, replacing longtime East opponent Blytheville. Due to Covid, the Brookland-Forrest City regular season ending game was not played.

Entering his second season as head coach, Munoz said the Bearcats are stronger and faster than they were a year ago before their first year of 5A-East football, and they’ve also had a year in the systems he installed.

Forrest City will take on Brookland this season under first year head coach Teli White.

The Lee Academy Cougars, playing eight-man football, will participate in a preseason jamboree on Friday, Aug. 13, at DeSoto School and will officially open the 2021 season on Aug. 20, at Union Christian at Farmerville, La.

The Cougars are coached this season by Patrick Marter.

As of press time, there was no word on whether or not Marianna Lee would be fielding a football team.

The Trojans were unable to field a team last season and will more than likely drop down to play eight-man football this season if possible.

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2021-08-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thnews.pressreader.com/article/281676847955109

Alberta Newspaper Group