Football practice nears

Quietly waiting in the summer sun… Piggott's Parker Field stands idle this week, awaiting the beginning of August and the return of football. This will mark the 30th year the Mohawks have competed on the turf of the current Parker Field, which opened in the fall of 1978. (Times photo/Tim Blair) [Click to enlarge]

The arrival of August this week has special meaning to the state's high school football coaches, players and fans…time for two-a-days in preparation for the coming season.

The Piggott Mohawks, coming off last season's playoff appearance, will begin their new year at 8 a.m. next Wednesday, Aug. 6, as the players take to the practice field in shorts, helmet and shoulder pads. The team will be splitting offensive and defensive practice between two morning sessions, and will wrap-up around mid-day. On Monday, Aug. 11, they'll go to full pads in preparation for their season opener at home against Valley View on Friday, Sept. 5.

Head Coach Dave Hendrix is once again assisted this year by Michael Harrell and Shawn Hearn, and the staff welcomes a new member as Rector grad Alan Rabjohn comes aboard as an additional assistant. An early count indicates that around 50 players should be on the senior roster, well above the average number of players the past several years.

The junior Mohawks, who are coming off an 8-1 campaign under Michael Harrell, will begin their pre-season practices at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11. They're scheduled to open their season at Corning exactly one month later, on Friday, Sept. 11.