10-01-2009, 07:14 PM
By AARON SNYDER / The Independent
Football is back for some former area high school players.
It has returned in the form of the North Eastern Kentucky Warriors, an amatuer football team that is part of the Heartland Football League.
The inaugural team will compete among a group of several teams within a four-hour radius.
Former Greenup County football player Ricky Witt, who graduated in 2008, founded the team, which already consists of about 47 players, but is looking for more.
Witt originally formed the team in hopes that it would be part of the United States Football Alliance, which was founded in 2005.
The USFA includes teams such as the West Virginia Lightning, of Charleston, and the Ceredo Kenova Crash.
However, the level of competition includes a good amount of college-level talent, which Witt said the team would not be prepared for yet.
With the help of Rich Maxwell, the coach of the West Virginia Gladiators of the USFA, Witt decided the HFL would be the best option.
âIt all kind of came up like a dream,â Witt said. âI just kind of started asking around and we got this far.â
The next step is finding athletes between the ages of 18 and 30 to help complement the players the team already have signed.
Current players include Zach Prichard, a Fairview graduate, Dustin and Cody Brown, Greenup County graduates; Matt Thompson, Jeremiah Nunley, Matthew Wells, Russell graduates; Benjy Mullins, a Raceland graduate, and Tony Williams, a Boyd County graduate.
Former Raceland quarterback Scott Grizzle and Darrell Mahan, who played at both Ashland and Greenup County, will each see time under center.
According to Witt, the team is in need of some good-size linebackers, since the team will primarily operate out of a 4-4 defensive set.
âThe secondary is great and we have great receivers,â Witt said. âWe need a good, quick running back and we need a kicker desperately.â
According to Witt, two of the main goals are to provide football to those who could not play in college, whether it be for financial reasons or otherwise, and to compete with good sportsmanship.
Witt will be a player on the team, while Jason Bear and Devin McClurg, who both played at Greenup County, will serve as offensive and defensive coaches. Bear will also be the head coach.
After the teamâs roster is set, fundraisers such as a possible golf scramble and the selling of merchandise, such as t-shirts, will provide some of the funds needed to get the ball rolling. The funds will go toward jerseys, pads, helmets, and so forth.
The Warriors will play their home games at the former Portsmouth High School football field.
The Warriorsâ schedule will consist of 10 games â five home and five away. The playoffs are in Columbus and the championship game is played in Homestead, Fla.
In 2009, Heartlandâs first season, the Mid-Ohio Jets were crowned champions.
The Warriorsâ season will not begin until next summer, and practice will likely officially start in February.
Signups will be held on Saturday at McKell Middle School at 11 a.m. with a fee of $25. Tryouts will be held on Sunday at the same place. While it is a league designed for the 18 to 30 age group, there is no age limit.
http://www.dailyindependent.com/localspo...81143.html
Football is back for some former area high school players.
It has returned in the form of the North Eastern Kentucky Warriors, an amatuer football team that is part of the Heartland Football League.
The inaugural team will compete among a group of several teams within a four-hour radius.
Former Greenup County football player Ricky Witt, who graduated in 2008, founded the team, which already consists of about 47 players, but is looking for more.
Witt originally formed the team in hopes that it would be part of the United States Football Alliance, which was founded in 2005.
The USFA includes teams such as the West Virginia Lightning, of Charleston, and the Ceredo Kenova Crash.
However, the level of competition includes a good amount of college-level talent, which Witt said the team would not be prepared for yet.
With the help of Rich Maxwell, the coach of the West Virginia Gladiators of the USFA, Witt decided the HFL would be the best option.
âIt all kind of came up like a dream,â Witt said. âI just kind of started asking around and we got this far.â
The next step is finding athletes between the ages of 18 and 30 to help complement the players the team already have signed.
Current players include Zach Prichard, a Fairview graduate, Dustin and Cody Brown, Greenup County graduates; Matt Thompson, Jeremiah Nunley, Matthew Wells, Russell graduates; Benjy Mullins, a Raceland graduate, and Tony Williams, a Boyd County graduate.
Former Raceland quarterback Scott Grizzle and Darrell Mahan, who played at both Ashland and Greenup County, will each see time under center.
According to Witt, the team is in need of some good-size linebackers, since the team will primarily operate out of a 4-4 defensive set.
âThe secondary is great and we have great receivers,â Witt said. âWe need a good, quick running back and we need a kicker desperately.â
According to Witt, two of the main goals are to provide football to those who could not play in college, whether it be for financial reasons or otherwise, and to compete with good sportsmanship.
Witt will be a player on the team, while Jason Bear and Devin McClurg, who both played at Greenup County, will serve as offensive and defensive coaches. Bear will also be the head coach.
After the teamâs roster is set, fundraisers such as a possible golf scramble and the selling of merchandise, such as t-shirts, will provide some of the funds needed to get the ball rolling. The funds will go toward jerseys, pads, helmets, and so forth.
The Warriors will play their home games at the former Portsmouth High School football field.
The Warriorsâ schedule will consist of 10 games â five home and five away. The playoffs are in Columbus and the championship game is played in Homestead, Fla.
In 2009, Heartlandâs first season, the Mid-Ohio Jets were crowned champions.
The Warriorsâ season will not begin until next summer, and practice will likely officially start in February.
Signups will be held on Saturday at McKell Middle School at 11 a.m. with a fee of $25. Tryouts will be held on Sunday at the same place. While it is a league designed for the 18 to 30 age group, there is no age limit.
http://www.dailyindependent.com/localspo...81143.html