Photo by John Henson Harlan assistant coach Chris Thompson led a stretching drill as Boss Bryson waited for instructions during a practice session earlier in the week

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

 

By John Henson
Sports Writer

With a roster full of what coach Brian Williams describes as “new faces,” the Harlan Green Dragons opened practice with very little experience back from last year’s 2-9 squad.
Running back Darius Akal and tight end Hunter Clem, two of the Dragons’ top playmakers, are now at Eastern Kentucky University. Senior quarterback Baylor Varner is sitting out his last season to focus on baseball. Jonah Sharp, last year’s top rusher, transferred.
The Dragons no longer have 10 of their top 12 tacklers from a year ago on a defense that gave up over 33 points per game. Junior linebacker Donovan Clark is the top defender back as he ranked third, behind Clem and Akal, with 58 tackles. Eden Caudill, a junior, was seventh in tackles last year with 49. Jordan Rodriguez, Caiden Jackson, Elijah Caudill and Beck Bryson all had at least eight tackles last season and will be counted on to play bigger roles this year.

Harlan football schedule

Aug. 22 at Knott Central
Aug. 29 Open
Sept. 5 at Morgan County
Sept. 12 at Phelps
Sept. 19 at Berea
Sept. 26 at Pineville
Oct. 3 Middlesboro
Oct. 10 Thomas Walker, Va.
Oct. 17 at Lynn Camp
Oct. 24 Williamsburg
Oct. 31 East Ridge