The first season under a new head coach is always difficult. Throw in no spring practice, a pandemic and the stress of a one-of-a-kind school year, and you have a football season like no one has ever seen before. Yet, our hometown Heber Springs Panthers made us proud this fall with their determination and hard work. They never gave up, even when the going got tough. For that, we want to salute all the hard-working young men who make us proud to be Panthers.
The final record doesn’t tell the whole story for the Panthers this season. Despite finishing the season at 2-9, they made a lot of strides and showed a lot of fight. Good coaches can improve technique and put in new schemes, but fight comes from within. The Panthers showed they have fight in abundance this season, and Coach Wood will be able to use that in the future.
Despite two tough losses to start the season, the Panthers toppled Dover's big team, showing out with a 42-6 mercy rule. They then went into a tough conference schedule and performed well against a lot of good teams. Even in their losses, the Panthers gave a good showing for themselves and never gave up. A 22-17 win on the road over Southside Batesville in mid-October was crucial for the Panthers’ confidence. The team then got to head out on the road for a playoff game against Trumann. Though they didn't win the game, it was a valuable experience for all the players and will be something to build on for next season.
We especially want to congratulate all the Seniors who worked hard for the team this year and gave their all to make their last season a memorable one. It’s always tough to have a coaching change before your senior season, but these guys were troopers and laid a solid foundation for the coaching staff to build upon in the future. Congratulations to our 2020 Heber Springs Panthers Seniors:
Hunter Kent
Nathan Mckee
Diego Rubio
Zach Willard
Matthew Cook
Preston Roberson
Jayden Bremmon
Trevor Weathers
Kevin King
Coach Wood has coached very successful teams at Pulaski Academy and Russellville. He knows what it takes to win football games. Give him a few years with the hard-working kids of Heber Springs, and this team will be hard to stop. Coach, we’re all behind you, and we’re all rooting for you. Go get ‘em!