Hornets to open season on TV against Marianna

By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor

The Hazen Hornets and Marianna Trojans will be the first game televised by Fearless Friday on Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. on KARZ-Channel 42 in Little Rock. The game will take place at Hornet Field in Hazen.

A year ago, Hazen went undefeated; Marianna was winless. The Hornets beat the Trojans 50-8 in the season opener

After two weeks of practice, Hazen coach Joe Besancon is proud of his team’s practice.

“It went good,” he said, referring to the second week of practice. “We get a little better each week. Our biggest concerns is making sure that they are in shape. I think we’re right where we need to be offensively and defensively. We’re just trying to make sure we can play four quarters of ball.”

A year ago, Hazen, en route to its first state championship, did not play a full four-quarter game until Week 10 against Carlisle.

“We’re trying to be fast in practice with what we do for conditioning,”

Besancon said. “We’re just trying to make sure we can play four quarters. I tell them all the time. A 300-pound bench press and a 4.4 40 doesn’t mean anything if you can’t do it in the fourth quarter.”

Besancon said he always anticipates every game being played for 48 minutes.

“I don’t look past anybody,” he said. “The kids do not either. You’ve just got to make sure you go out there that first quarter and start needing to sub.”

One of the biggest questions for the Hornets this season is the quarterback position after losing four-year starter Luke King to graduation. Josh Dawson, who played quarterback some a year ago, especially in Week 10 against Carlisle when King was suspended for the first half, has been taking a majority of the snaps in practice. “He’s doing really well,” Besancon said. “He progressed a lot this past week on some of the stuff we’re asking him to do. I had some other kids throwing the ball, and they looked pretty good too. Josh is moving right along.”