DECATUR -- For the Decatur Bulldogs, the 2014 football season was disappointing. With a 3 and 7 overall record it is easy to forget that throughout this season much good occurred.
One of the greatest highlights for the Bulldogs was the Oct. 3 game with Johnson County Westside at Bulldog Stadium. It was homecoming, a time of celebrating the return to the home field.
That day was full of festivities, beginning with the homecoming parade held on the high school campus. The entire student body of the Decatur School District was on hand to watch a large assortment of floats lovingly constructed by classes and clubs of Decatur High and Decatur Middle Schools. The amount of Bulldog pride every student displayed showed in the workmanship that went into each float.
Then there was the pep rally. All 550 students in the district piled into Peterson Gym to continue the display of team spirit. At times, the cheers were deafening. The combined efforts of team captain Victor Urquidi, Coach Shane Holland, the cheer team, and the 23-member football team all contributed to this show of Bulldog pride.
There was the homecoming coronation. Sarah Harris and Hector Aguilar were an outstanding choice for the 2014 homecoming king and queen.
And there was the game, the game. The bleachers were filled to capacity and spectators overflowed the fence line, some three deep. The outpouring of support by the community for the football program was something not seen in a while. And in the third row was the Lee family which never missed a game. A temporary public address system was brought in by Jeff Gravette and Kevin Smith to keep the fans informed and in the game.
And there was the band. For one night, the Decatur High School band, under the direction of Kristin Wages, joined forces with 20 members of the Arkansas Razorback Marching Band to put on a memorable performance at the game. The combination of the Bulldog and Razorback fight songs invoked Bulldog pride in the hearts of Decatur fans and helped to pull the team together.
There was the team. The Bulldogs played with a determination that was missing during its previous match-ups. Although captain Urquidi was sidelined with an ankle injury, "Coach" Urquidi was very much in the play, yelling encouragements to his teammates and inspiring them to give their all. The Bulldogs defeated JC Westside, 28 to 20.
A few games later the Bulldogs were still in the hunt for the state playoffs. They needed a win against conference rival Union Christian. It was probably the best game of the season for Decatur. From the opening kickoff, the Bulldogs played hard. With Urquidi at the helm, the Bulldog offense and defense, under coaches John Unger and Jason Porter, worked in unison to pull off a stunning victory, 19 to 7.
One of the most noticeable changes in the Decatur sports program was the cheer team. Chelsey Robinson took on the daunting task of transforming a small band of untrained kids into a hard-hitting cheer team. She volunteered her time to the school in order to work with the kids. The end result was a team that both impressed and inspired the community to take an active role in supporting Decatur, both on and off the field.
In the end, injuries plagued the Decatur Bulldogs throughout the season, something that Shane Holland, Decatur head football coach, knew all too well.
"Injuries decimated us this season," Holland said. "We had a lot of hopes going into the season. You have a good chance of a successful season if you can stay injury free, and that didn't happen."
Even though the Decatur Bulldogs will lose several players to graduation, the chance for some rising stars to shine was evident this season. Leng Lee, who started several games, showed the coaches that he could handle the top position. In passing alone, Lee completed 50 out of 102 attempts for a total of 624 yards, a staggering amount for a young quarterback. With a little polishing during the off season, Lee could lead the Bulldogs to a winning 2015 season.
Even though the 2014 season was not what everybody expected, the support from the fans, cheer team, band and faculty of Decatur High School showed that Bulldog Pride is not just words but a real spirit that is the small town of Decatur.
Season Stats
Passing: Victor Urquidi - 24 completions on 46 attempts for 360 yards, Leng Lee - 50 completions on 102 attempts for 624 yards, total - 74 carries on 148 attempts for 984 yards.
Rushing: Allan Castaneda - 125 carries for 589 yards, Urquidi - 84 carries for 425 yards, Lee - 87 carries for 231 yards, Tony Mendoza - 6 carries for 90 yards, Terry Kell - 1 carry for 6 yards, Jaffett Puga - 6 carries for -2 yards, total - 309 carries for 1339 yards.
Receiving: Mendoza - 10 for 253 yards, Brody Funk - 8 for 201 yards, Joey Barnes - 20 for 185 yards, Castaneda - 16 for 99 yards, Tyler Riddle - 7 for 175 yards, Lee - 8 for 75 yards, Wyatt Bingham - 2 for 10, Ryan Shaffer - 2 for 7 yards, Kell - 1 for 2 yards, totals - 74 for 984 yards.
Tackles: Castaneda - 101, Puga - 77, Funk - 71, Kyle Shaffer - 63, Urquidi - 58, Ryan Shaffer - 57, Barnes - 43, others - 215, totals - 685.
Punts: Funk - 36 for 1125 yards. Sacks: Funk - 6.
Sports on 11/19/2014