LIONS WRAP UP SPRING PRACTICE WITH COMPETITIVE SCRIMMAGE

BISMARCK — The time of excitement for Bismarck Lion football is back to make some noise on the gridiron for the 2022 season.

The Lions wrapped up their spring football campaign successfully last Thursday in a competitive scrimmage game at Doyle Henderson Field. The Lions displayed a high scoring affair with a 48-42 final score in their Blue-white spring scrimmage according to head coach Daniel Keithley.

The numbers look efficient for the Lions’ roster as this year’s turnout for the spring is the highest during Keithley’s arrival.

Last year, Keithley noted the Lions averaged around 23 players for spring ball. For spring 2022, the Lions had more than 40 players out and that is a positive sign for the program’s future.

“We had a big number for spring practice and it’s a step in the right direction,” Keithley said. “Our spring workouts and spring game went really well and the boys competed.”

Keithley noted offensively, the Lions look real good and they have a lot of weapons with a backup quarterback to maintain an effective attack in their execution. The Lions will have several key receivers to spark their air game with their entire line returning.

“We had a great offseason,” Keithley noted. With several options to display, the defense will be questionable, but Keithley is confident in the coaching expertise of defensive coordinator Cameron Brown.

Overall, Keithley is excited about how the offense will stand out this season. The Lions are welcoming a historic productive freshmen class that finished last year’s junior high season undefeated. With a load of talent add to the veteran senior leadership to take command next season has a lot of high expectations for a long year of football in Lion Country. The Lions’ 10 days of spring workouts were productive and number wise, this is one of the biggest teams Keithley has had going into his sixth year as the head Lion of the Bismarck football program.

Last season, the Lions finished 7-5 overall, fifth in conference at 3-4 and advancing to the second round of the Class 3A state football playoffs.

The Lions are coming into the 2022 preseason predictions as a playoff contender and have a history of high climax on the rise for a special year of football in the fall. Bismarck’s summer schedule consists of the Lions beginning their workouts June 3 to return to Poyen as the defending Small Town 7-on-7 competition champs from last year. From there, the Lions are scheduled to work out at team camps in Gurdon, Prescott, and Hope to showcase some talents in the south part of the Natural State.

Following their fall campaign in August, the Lions are set to face off in The Rock at War Memorial in Little Rock against Prescott Aug. 23 to kickoff the 2022 football season.