Panthers to scrimmage
Benefit game to held Friday at Rogers Heritage
The Siloam Springs football team isn’t taking its scrimmage this week against Rogers Heritage lightly.
The Panthers and War Eagles will get together at 6 p.m. Friday for an Arkansas Activities Association benefit game at David Gates Stadium in Rogers.
Because of the covid-19 pandemic, it will be the Panthers’ first live action against another team since the final game of the 2019 season against Greenwood.
“It’s an opportunity. I mean we understand that now,” coach Brandon Craig said. “I think a lot of the things we’ve taken for granted it the past, with everything that’s happened, we realize now that this is an opportunity for us to do what we love to do. Hopefully we bring some passion and energy to the field on Friday night.”
Typically, when the time for a scrimmage rolls around, coaches say that their teams are ready to face someone else.
But during the pandemic, the Panthers did not have a traditional offseason or spring practice or summer program, which usually includes team camps, 7-on-7 competitions and other live action events.
However, despite losing those chances to compete, the team does want to go up against another opponent before the season opener against Rogers High on Aug. 28.
“We want to get out there and get some experience against someone else,” Craig said. “We’re up against the clock. As a coach you’re always trying to make sure you’ve covered all the bases. We know this year we’re going to do our best to make sure we’ve covered all our bases and do what we’re supposed to do, knowing that it may not look as crisp and as clean as in years past. “
Craig said the scrimmage will have a junior varsity portion that’s in a team camp format, followed by a half game (24 minutes) for the varsity.
That time on the field will give a glimpse of where the Panthers are at heading into the season.
“That’s why Friday is so critical,” he said. “We need to get as much on tape as we can, be able to evaluate. We kind of know based on returning starters and things like that the kids that are going to play for us. We’ve got some question marks at some positions we really need to answer and we need to see if they can step up in a game-like situation on Friday night.”