Gravette Lions Named To 2009 All-Northwest Football Team

Gravette Coach Bill Harrelson Is NW Arkansas Coach of the Year

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

— When the going got tough, the Gravette football team looked to coach Bill Harrelson for leadership.

Through an offseason full of questions, Harrelson worked the Lions like his previous successful team. Through the tragic death of a teammate, Harrelson guided the Lions with strength and compassion.

“What I’ll remember most is the attitude of the young men that were on the team,” Harrelson said. “They hung together in adversity and there was no individualism at all. Everyone was out for each other.”

The Lions were a reflection of their leader, who has been selected as the All-Northwest Arkansas Small Schools Coach of the Year.

Harrelson, in his fourth year at Gravette, pushed his team in the offseason after graduating 10 starters from a 9-3 team in 2008.

“He kept the same mentality,” senior lineman Dakota Lacy said. “He said, ‘Do everything you can the best you can.’ He told us that a lot of people weren’t looking at us to be as good as we were in the past just because we lost so many good players.

Harrelson saw new leaders emerging during the summer and fall and saw what his team was capable of in a 21-14 win at Wellington (KS) in Week 3.

“I think that gave us a lot of confidence,” Harrelson said. “We felt like we could play with anybody in our conference because we felt like Wellington was as good as anyone in our conference.”

The Lions continued their successful run through the 4A-1 Conference, winning their first four league games and finishing second to state champion Shiloh Christian.

But the Lions’ focus was on the memory of junior Casey Russell, who died Sept. 23. Behind Harrelson’s direction, the Lions dedicated the season to Russell, a great leader and players.

“The outpouring of emotions (Harrelson) had on this really pulled people together,” Gravette defensive coordinator Duke Mobley said. “It was a superhuman effort on his part.

“To his credit, he didn’t overplay it but he kept it on everybody’s mind. He supported what the players were trying to do but did not go too far with it.”

Harrelson said he just did what he thought was right for the team and hopes his players remember how they came together through the adversity.

“There’s always a lot more to a football season than what you see on Friday night,” Harrelson said. “The wins and losses are huge. But the way this team gelled and helped each other get through the situation, I think everybody will carry that on more than they’ll carry on the wins.”

Harrelson led the Lions (9-3) to their school record third straight postseason appearance. The Lions have had seven home playoff games under Harrelson.

An Elkins graduate, he returned to Northwest Arkansas in 2000, taking a coaching job at Fayetteville where he coached football and track at Ramay Junior High and Fayetteville High before taking the Gravette job in 2006.

He also had coached at Garrison, TX, Madisonville, TX, at Salem and at Henderson State University.

His 23-15 four-year record at GHS includes 4-6 in 2006, 10-3 in 2007 and 9-3 in both 2008 and 2009.

Sports, Pages 7 on 12/30/2009