Gridiron: Kelly relying on senior 'six-pack' for success

The 2022 Kelly Hawks finished the regular season at 5-4 and made an early exit from the state tournament at the hands of Priory. This year the team is another year older and has several key players returning for their senior seasons.

Hawks head coach Lance Powers called his senior group “the six-pack.”

“There’s six of them that I had since they were freshmen,” Powers said. “They’re going to be a core element to this team.”

Powers said not only do his seniors want to play their best, but they also want to be leaders for the younger players, especially Ethan Graham and Reece Eftink, who return to the Hawks after earning Semoball Awards nominations.

Kelly head coach Lance Powers talks to his team after a football summer camp. (Photo by Tony Capobianco)

“Those two take great pride in how they play, practice and perform, especially on Friday nights,” Powers said. “So it’s very important that they’re great senior leaders first and then play the tails off so the younger guys can see what that looks like.”

The maturity of the seniors appears to already have rubbed off on the underclassmen as Powers said the team has begun to adopt the work-together-as-one unit attitude.

“I think if they keep doing that, that will propel them,” Powers said. “If they can keep that attitude, and we got to stay healthy, but if they can keep practicing like that and performing like that, it’s going to take them very far on Friday nights.”

Like many other teams around the area, Kelly has been working all summer to figure out who goes at each position. The team will have several first-year starters on the offensive line and across the defense, something Powers said will get figured out on Friday nights.

“You practice it and practice it and then it’s like the lights come on and they prove to you that they can do it.” Powers said. “Then you can go from there and have faith and trust in those guys.”

The offense of the Hawks will be led by junior quarterback Skyler Still who Powers said has had a good summer, especially in the recent 7v7 they had with St. Vincent and New Madrid County Central.

“He had a great night, he did a lot of good things tonight and put the ball right on the receivers how we need it,” Powers said. “I fully expect that will carry on throughout the season as he keeps playing.”

Kelly will open up the 2023 campaign at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 25 at home against the Doniphan Dons.

__Kelly__

__Coach:__ Lance Powers (Ninth sea-son with team; 35-47 team record; 35-47 career record)

__Last season:__ 5-5

__Key returns:__ Reece Eftink. Ethan Graham, Skylar Still

__Key losses:__ Gavin Price, Jacob Chapman, Caden Dunn

Sept. 1 vs. Malden, 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Chaffee, 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 vs. Charleston, 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 at Principia, 7 p.m.

Sept. 29 vs. Scott City, 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 at Hayti, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 at Portageville, 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 vs. Ste. Genevieve, 7 p.m.