Decatur football season a go

Photo by Mike Eckels Senior Leng Lee will take over the helm as quarterback for the 2016 Decatur Bulldog football season. Lee played as backup quarterback for the past two seasons and is ready to lead the Bulldogs.
Photo by Mike Eckels Senior Leng Lee will take over the helm as quarterback for the 2016 Decatur Bulldog football season. Lee played as backup quarterback for the past two seasons and is ready to lead the Bulldogs.

DECATUR -- It was a uncertain start for the Decatur High senior boys' football program, but the team finally got a green light on Aug. 15 to play the 2016 season.

During the Decatur school board meeting June 20, the question of whether or not to have a 2016 high school football season was discussed at length. The problem? Not enough players.

At the time, Shane Holland, head football coach, had only nine players interested in going out for the team. It takes a minimum of 15 players to make up a team, he said.

Board member Kevin Smith argued in favor of continuing the Decatur football program, citing past experience with the issue.

"I was here when the board decided to cancel the season because of lack of players. It ended up hurting the Bulldog program," Smith said. "The program has never fully recovered from it."

The board decided to wait and see how many athletes showed up on opening day of classes Aug. 15.

The board, however, reopened the issue when a few of the Decatur football players showed up at the July meeting to plead for the program.

Headed by senior Brandon Coker, along with juniors Troy Kell and Taylor Haisman, the three players pleaded with the board to continue the program for the sake of the other seniors on the team who have played several seasons with the Bulldogs, and for the future of the Decatur program.

"I've played football for the Bulldogs for the past two seasons and I really want to make my senior season a memorable one," Coker said.

In response to Coker's plea, Ike Owens, school board president, thanked the players for bringing their concerns to the school board and issued a challenge to the trio.

"If you can talk some of your friends into joining the program and get the numbers up, we will allow the 2016 season to take place," Owens said.

By Friday Aug. 12, it became apparent that Coker's efforts, along with that of Holland and athletic director John Unger, worked. Twenty-one boys turned out for that practice session, dispelling all doubts as to the fate of the Decatur Bulldogs football season.

"When you have eight or nine players showing up to play eleven man football, it's been real frustrating," Holland said. "But we knew that when school started we would get more kids wanting to play football."

Holland said the reason for the low numbers during the summer was that many of the kids had to work or help out with family matters.

"With our social and economic structure here in Decatur, a lot of kids aren't always available to attend practice," said Holland. "They are off doing construction work or watching little brother or sister. This was something new to me when I got here, but I have learned to work around it."

Once the word was given to proceed with the program, Holland went to work building his team.

At the helm in his last season with the Decatur Bulldogs will be quarterback Leng Lee. Last season, Lee, along with brother Alex, made up two thirds of the "All Asian Backfield." Lee was a running back and backup quarterback for the Bulldogs for the past two years. His ability to make quick decisions, coupled with speed, will be the driving force for the Bulldogs this season.

"I will do my job as quarterback to make yards and touchdowns," Lee said. "Whatever coach needs me to do, I will do my best to get it done."

Alex Lee, along with Jafett Puga and Johnny Brandon, will back up the running backs on offense for the Bulldogs. This is the second season for both Lee and Brandon, who are juniors. Puga, who is a senior, played his sophomore year but elected to sit out his junior year.

Missing from the team this year is veteran center Cameron Shaffer. Shaffer made the decision to sit out her senior year on the football team to concentrate on the Decatur volleyball program. Coker will take over as center for the Bulldogs.

Coker will also play on the defense this season in an entirely unfamiliar position, a move which Holland believes is in the best interest of the Decatur defense.

"We are moving him back to linebacker," said Holland. "This is a new experience for him. He has always been an end. He has lost a little weight over the summer which will make him a little faster, making him a perfect choice for this position."

Holland is still working out the bugs but is confident that his team will be ready for its first game, Aug. 23, against the powerhouse Mountainburg Dragons in a benefit game at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m.

"We need to get the community involved in supporting our program," Holland said. "We would like to have the bleachers full at every home game this year. This kind of support means a lot to the kids and will go a long way toward ensuring the future of the Decatur football program."

Decatur High School Senior Boys' Football Schedule:

• 9/2, 7 p.m., Berryville, Away

• 9/9, 7 p.m., Gentry, Home

• 9/23, 7 p.m., Mountainburg, Away

• 9/30, 7 p.m., Magazine, Home

• 10/7, 7 p.m., Hackett, Home

• 10/14, 5 p.m., Westside, Coal Hill, Away

• 10/21, 7 p.m., Western Yell County, Home

• 10/28, 7 p.m., Danville, Away

• 11/3, 7 p.m., Lavaca, Home

Sports on 08/24/2016