Bulldog football end of year report

by Head Coach Kelley Beckner

End of the year wrap up, includes postseason awards and team awards (team awards are listed in order of the picture taken from banquet)

The 2019 El Dorado Springs Football season came to its final conclusion December 18, 2019 at our end of the year banquet held at the high school cafeteria. It was a great event to end our season together as family one more time before the holiday break.

2019 FOOTBAL AWARDS – The El Dorado Springs football team celebrated the official end of their season with a banquet at the school on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Plaque award winners are (from left) Montana Hacker – OL MVP, Payton Green – Hard Hat Award, Trey Graves – LB MVP, Jordan Gallette – DL MVP, Clayton Collins – Bulldog Award, Preston Robison – Most Improved and Brayden Housh – Special Teams MVP.

I was extremely proud of everything our players accomplished this year. Although, our season ended early, we still achieved a great deal. One of the biggest highlights of the came off of the field. We started our ‘Breakfast with Champions’ and “Reading with Champions’ this season. This is where our football players ate breakfast with the elementary students, as well as greeting them as they walked in to school to start the day. Within these programs we also spread our players throughout the elementary classrooms and read or interacted with the students during portions of the day. This is something I believe in and something I hope we can continue to do.

On the field, there are many more positives than negatives. Anytime there is change within a program, there is pushback. Things are done differently, expectations are different, the list can go on…however, this group of young men took these changes head on and were able to do some really great things.

I would like to take this opportunity and give thanks to individuals who have helped throughout the season, whether it be our team meals, pre/post game snacks/meals or just anything they could think of to help our students:

Karl and Melissa Gallette, Jeremy and Renae Hayes, Kendall and Robin Overton, Mike and Cammie Housh, Emma Copenhaver, Kate Templin, Amanda Adams, Tad and Angie Thomas, Alan and Becky Collins, Eric and Francie Painter, Tracy andTerry Shepard, Jada Dickerson, Andy and Jodi Graves, Leigh Ann Morgan, Scott and Michelle Robinson, Brandon And Shannon Esry, Chuck and Shelley Johnson, Bill and Melanie Shinn, Manda Miner, Carl and Melisa Smith, Joey and Sheena Esparza, Rob and Christy McKinney, Mike and Bambi Waggoner, Eric And Becky Cooper, Beth Hacker, Jessica Trout, Parent of Donnie Keith, Kevin and Stacy Fast, Charles and Melanie Ledbetter, Walt Koshko, Danica Pierceson, Josh and Ashley Conard, Bulldog Brew-Travis Stoll, Physicians Medical, Shelter Insurance-Travis Farren and El Dorado Mexican Restaurant.

At the conclusion of our banquet, the coaches voted on Team Awards that were given to a select few individuals, those players are:

Montana Hacker OL MVP, Payton Green Hard Hat Award, Trey Graves LB MVP, Jordan Gallette DL MVP, Gaven Morgan Off. Back MVP, Clayton Collins Bulldog Award, Preston Robison Most Improved 

Brayden Housh Special Teams MVP.

We were also represented very well with postseason individual awards:

All Conference (schools with our conference; Eldo, Warsaw, Cole Camp, Sherwood, Buffalo, Butler)

1st Team All-Conference (position)

Gaven Morgan (TE), Gaven Morgan (LB), Brayden Housh (DB), Brayden Housh (P)

2nd Team All-Conference (position)

Haiden Overton (RB), Brayden Housh (WR), Derek Hayes (WR), Jordan Gallette (DL), Jordan Gallette (OL), Trey Graves (LB), Haiden Overton (Ret), Brayden Housh (K).

3rd Team All-Conference (position)

Clayton Collins (QB), Stephan Painter (OL), Montana Hacker (OL), Levi Thomas (DL), Preston Robison (DB)

SWMFCA (All-Area): This includes all class 2 school in SWMO (Ava, Lamar, Fair Grove, etc)

2nd Team (position)

Gaven Morgan (TE), Brayden Housh (WR)

3rd Team (position)

Clayton Collins (QB), Haiden Overton (RB), Jordan Gallette (OL), Jordan Gallette (DL), Gaven Morgan (LB), Trey Graves (LB), Brayden Housh (P)

MFCA All-District: This includes teams only in our district (Versailles, Stockton, FG, Lamar, Butler, Eldo, Warsaw, California)

1st Team (position)

Clayton Collins (QB), Gaven Morgan (LB)

2nd Team (position)

Trey Graves (LB), Brayden Housh (WR), Haiden Overton (Ret)

Academic All State: Players must have 2 of 3 following requirements to achieve an Academic All State nomination – 3.5 GPA or higher (on 4.0 scale), 26 or higher ACT, Top 10% in their grade level.

We were able to have one player this make achieve this honor and that was: 1st Team Academic All State Brayden Housh

I have been fortunate to coach in a lot of big games, going from a state championship game, down to a district or conference title, THIS TEAM, however, I will never forget as they were the first group I could fully call my own as their head coach. I was extremely proud of everything they gave to me, the other coaches, the school, and the rest of the community. I am excited to have back the majority of the team for the years to come but this group of seniors will always be special as they helped me achieve something I have worked hard towards in my career. Thank you again to anyone and everyone that may have had a small or large influence on this team. We have already started our preparations for next year as well having that taste of Friday Night Lights still in the back of our minds. We started a movement this year, anxious to see the movement go into full force with the months to come and into the summer of 2020.

Thank you, best wishes, and let’s ring in the new year as #ONEFAMILY full of #BULLDOGPRIDE