East Lawrence and R.A. Hubbard players working together
Aug. 17—CADDO — For the East Lawrence Eagles, preparation for this season has been anything but normal.
With the end of the 2021-22 school year, R.A. Hubbard High School officially closed its doors, with its students now split between Hatton and East Lawrence High.
Both schools have faced challenges from the consolidation. For East Lawrence football, it's been combining the mostly older kids that came R.A. Hubbard into the current team's fold.
So far, the challenge has been met with success.
"It feels like family. It was just a brotherhood from the start," said senior Daekwon Burgin, a former R.A. Hubbard player. "They welcomed us with open arms and we just got to work."
"It was like they had been here the whole time," added senior Noah Simmons.
Burgin said kindness shown by the East Lawrence faithful has made a tough situation about as easy as could be.
"At first it hurt. I'm not going to lie. But soon as I came to East Lawrence, I felt the love when I came in the door," Burgin said. "And not just from the players, but from the teachers, the school and the community."
"I knew this was the place for me," Burgin said.
On the field the arrival of the Hubbard players has been felt instantly. Players such as Burgin, along with Quintez McCoy, Tristan Garth and Kyle and Myle Hampton bring years of experience to an East Lawrence roster that lost several key players from last year's team.
"They added a lot of talent to our team and they give us a lot of potential," Simmons said. "They came in and they want to be good. We all have the same goal, we want to do something special this season."
Simmons was blunt about the most critical aspect the Hubbard players added to the team.
"They brought a fire that we needed," Simmons said. "I feel like last year we kind of lost some of that so they've been a jolt of energy."
The Eagles are coming off a disappointing 3-7 season in which they missed the playoffs. With aspirations of returning to the postseason, the road will be tougher this year with the team now in Class 4A. Still, the players believe they have what it takes to turn it around.
"It's going to take hard work. We have to grind," Simmons said. "But if we stay focused, I think we have a chance to do something special."
