Decatur, Gentry and Gravette teams preparing for season

Gentry coach Justin Ledbetter worked with linemen on the sleds Thursday during practice at Gentry High School. The team will participate in a “Meet the Pioneers” event on Friday at 6 p.m. and in a varsity scrimmage at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28. The first game is set for Sept. 4 against West Fork in Pioneer Stadium.
Gentry coach Justin Ledbetter worked with linemen on the sleds Thursday during practice at Gentry High School. The team will participate in a “Meet the Pioneers” event on Friday at 6 p.m. and in a varsity scrimmage at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28. The first game is set for Sept. 4 against West Fork in Pioneer Stadium.

— DECATUR

Bulldogs numbers low

Decatur coach Shane Holland was anxiously awaiting the start of school next week.

Decatur opened preseason practice with just 11 players on the field, and Holland, as is usually the norm at the school, was looking for those numbers to increase when school started Monday. Holland hopes an additional seven or eight players join the team, but he said having 15 or 16 players is workable.

“Our numbers are bad right now; we don’t have very many players,” Holland said. “We always pick some up here when school starts. I don’t like that, but it is what it is. We are hoping for 17, 18, but I could be surprised. Fifteen, 16 is horribly low, but it is not unlike a couple of other teams that are in the same boat. We are very concerned.”

Holland said having less than a dozen players out right now does have a plus side. Junior Leng Lee is working at quarterback after seeing extensive playing time at the position a year ago.

“The kids that are here, we are having great practices with,” Holland said. “They are getting a lot of reps, and we are working on fundamentals. Leng Lee is throwing the ball really well at quarterback. He looks a lot better.”

The lack of overall numbers is especially evident on the offensive and defensive lines. Holland said two expected returnees moved out of the district after last season.

“That is our big problem,” Holland said. “If a lineman moved in, that would be a great thing. If there are some lineman who don’t like where they are at, they could play here.”

— Paul Nielsen

GENTRY

New coach works to change culture

Pioneers coach Paul Ernest got the chance to evaluate his coaching staff during spring practice and get a little familiar with his team over the summer. The 42-year-old, who was hired in February, liked what he saw from his coaching staff as they all also coach a different sport in addition to football. That’s something Ernest understands well, since he also coached softball at Nashville, as well as serving as offensive coordinator.

“What I found is all these guys are men of character,” Ernest said. “As far as the kids go, I got to know their names. I got to know they are involved in a lot of other things. And I got to know that we have to have a culture shift around here to be as successful as people want it. From the players to the community to the coaching staff, myself included.

“That was probably the biggest gain from the spring. What I learned from the summer is we have to learn how to compete better. We have to stop scoreboard watching. If you look at the scoreboard and decide how hard to play based on whether you are up or down, we’re not doing our job as coaches.”

The Pioneers made the playoffs a year ago, but finished just 3-8. They return just six starters, but Ernest said a few who have not played before or maybe played and quit have decided to give it a try this season.

Ernest wants his players to understand what others have done in the past to allow them to have the chance to play for the Pioneers. He was surprised to find out none of his players knew the school’s alma mater.

“We had not one kid who could tell me the alma mater,” Ernest said. “I talked to the cheerleading coach and the band director, and they are on board. We are going to have a sing-together where, if you are going to represent us in a Pioneer uniform, you’re gonna know you’re representing, through the alma mater, the people who have kept it alive.”

The Pioneers now sing the alma mater at least once, either before or after practice and sometimes both, Ernest said.

— Paul Boyd

GRAVETTE

Lions start pad work with scrimmage

Gravette put the first day of practice with full pads to good use by holding a scrimmage on Saturday morning, Aug. 8.

“I saw the scrimmage on film and was pleased with what I saw,” Lions coach Bill Harrelson said. “It wasn’t bad, and the kids competed hard.

“The kids have responded well to the first week of practice, and we came into the practices in good condition. We have 58 on the roster and not missing anybody significant, and I feel good about our numbers.”

Gravette’s biggest priorities entering preseason workouts, according to Harrelson, were replacing eight starters on defense and improving the passing game. The passing game is coming along, thanks to the work quarterback Bryce Moorman has put in during the summer and the preseason.

The Lions’ defense remains a work in progress, with improvement needed on running to the football and tackling, but Harrelson likes the steps that have been made in workouts.

Junior Drew Hendren has grabbed attention on the defensive line and is in the battle for a starting position, while Chris Young has been noticed for the work he has done at middle linebacker.

— Henry Apple