Coach Tim Branum and the rest of the Marked Tree football staff will be pondering how to replace senior starters such as Clint Hawkins (34) and Zach Wynn (54) who were so instrumental in their winning the last three seasons. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner) [Click to enlarge]

After losing only four games in the last two seasons, the Marked Tree Indians have become accustomed to winning again. And fortunately, true to the old saying, nothing breeds winning like winning.

No doubt coach Tim Branum and his staff will be playing off of that as well as past tradition when the team assembles in August to begin fall practices. Questions which were raised during the spring practices scheduled to finish tomorrow (Thursday) will have to be answered. Tops among those questions is how to fill the holes left by the graduation of 10 seniors.

Many of those seniors had been three-year starters with all of them instrumental in the winning ways the Indians had achieved.

"We saw it coming," said Branum. "We knew we would have to do some recruiting to get some more kids playing."

Like most schools and coaches now, the Indians and Branum are the victims of what seems to be a lessening concern for playing football, especially in the smaller venues such as Marked Tree.

While the coaches managed to get some 27 kids onto the field, many are playing football for the first time.

"Because of that we're teaching some fundamentals so we can have a starting point in August," Branum continued. "We've got a good core of kids to begin with, though."

At the top of that core is senior outstanding 2A-3 conference back and all-state pick, Michael Gray at running back. A three-sport player, Gray has the tools to play virtually any position on the field. As a running back and kick returner, though, he has proven to be his most dangerous, gaining over 1,000 all-purpose yards in his previous two seasons.

But Gray is not the only hope Marked Tree has of continuing their winning ways. Other returning seniors include linemen Earless Coleman, Zac Eldridge and Jessee Baker, and backs Quincell Wilson and Francisco Matos.

"Each one of them will play a heavy role for us," said Branum. "We'll be counting on each one of them to help us."

Unfortunately, there won't be much help numbers-wise from the junior class as only Josh Dabney returns.

So, obviously, incoming sophomores will be counted on to fill in the gaps. Among those sophomores, Branum said one in particular, Greg Johnson, "has looked pretty good during spring practices."

As with all traditionally-competitive football programs, even with the perceived lack of numbers in the upcoming season, the Indians will find a way to win. And in doing so, while they will be a surprise to some, to the faithful, it will be no surprise at all.

The Indians and Junior Indians 2008 football schedules reflect changes from the last few years with the AAA realignment, including the EPC Warriors once again being a conference game.

Marked Tree Indians

September

5 -- at Riverview.

12 -- EPC.

19 -- at Cedar Ridge.

26 -- Augusta.

3 -- at McCrory.

10 -- at Walnut Ridge.

17 -- Salem.

24 -- Open.

31 -- Cross County.

7 -- at Rector.

Junior Indians

4 -- at EPC.

11 -- Cedar Ridge.

18 -- at Augusta.

25 -- McCrory.

2 -- Walnut Ridge.

9 -- at Salem.

16 -- Open.

23 -- at Cross County.

30 -- Rector.