Coach Bryan Harris and his Warriors are looking forward to the 2008 season when EPC will be moving back to the 2A-3. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner) [Click to enlarge]

The EPC Warriors finished up their spring football Wednesday, May 21 with an eighth period scrimmage during school.

"We had some really good practices," said coach Bryan Harris. "We were working primarily on a new defense this spring. Our offense will remain basically the same. We've got some size and some guys who can run. A lot depends on grades as to who we will have in the fall."

Harris said last year they had just 12-13 players in the spring, but this year "we had 22 or so with 18 or 19 who could start for us on one side of the ball or the other."

Names such as D.J. Brister, J.P. Bishop, Randall Holt, Ben Gordon, Hunter Richmond, Dane Buck and Cody Cruz will populate the line charts on both side of the ball giving the Warriors "a lot of depth."

At linebacker Lando Bass, Joseph Parnell and Hayden Weathers will bring experience while in the secondary returning starters are Dustin Beatty, Bucky Chamberlin and Bubba Timbs.

"Matt Powell is a pleasant surprise," said Harris of the basketball/baseball veteran who is trying his hand at football this season. "He has picked things up real quick and will help us in the defensive backfield and at receiver."

Most of these same players will be on the other side of the ball, as well when EPC is on offense. Leading the pack will be Beatty, who racked up over 1,000 yards in combined rushing and receiving.

"Cantrell Campbell will also see time in the backfield," said Harris.

With the Warriors moving down to 2A from 3A last year, they are expecting to be more competitive with regard to the number of players.

"There were times last year we had around 20 or so players and we had to go up against teams with 30-35," concluded Harris. "They could do a lot of substituting we couldn't. It'll be more even this year."

While the schedule shows a number of changes to the new conference assignment, on thing remains the same, the traditional yearly battle with arch rival Marked Tree. The difference this year is that the game will count in the conference standings.

Here are the schedules for the Warrior and Junior Warriors:

Warriors

5 -- at Corning.

12 -- at Marked Tree.

19 -- Augusta.

26 -- at Cross County.

3 -- Open.

10 -- Salem.

17 -- at Rector.

24 -- McCrory.

31 -- at Walnut Ridge.

7 -- Cedar Ridge.

EPC Junior Warriors

4 -- Marked Tree.

11 -- at Augusta.

18 -- Cross County.

25 -- Open.

2 -- at Salem.

9 -- Rector.

16 -- at McCrory.

23 -- Walnut Ridge.

30 -- at Cedar Ridge.