HEARNE, Texas -- Hopes are high in Hearne as the Eagles welcome new head coach Clinton T. Smith to the fold. Smith moves from Burton, where he racked up a 39-10 record in five years and took the Panthers to the 1A Division II state semifinals in 2011. He replaces Ralph Lymas, who went 29-33 in six seasons as the Eagles head coach.

The Eagles will take to the field with six starters back on offense and six back on defense. While only two starters return on the offensive line Hearne has plenty of returning talent at the skill positions, including Jamarcus Johnson at wide receiver. Johnson, who earned first-team all-district honors on both offense and defense a year ago, teams up with Lorenzo Castilleja in the defensive secondary. Two starters also come back on the defensive line and at linebacker.

The Eagles will play in a challenging District 11-2A Division I this season. Buffalo, Centerville, and Crawford look to the be district favorites, but the Eagles are right there with the rest of the group looking to take them down. Riesel and Moody make the jump from 1A, and could be two winnable winnable home games on the schedule for the Eagles. In fact Hearne has six home games this season, and if they can adjust to Coach Smith’s spread attack they could challenge for a playoff spot in his first season.

2012 SCHEDULE
8/31 Franklin
9/7 @ Caldwell
9/14 New Waverly
9/21 OPEN
9/28 Centerville
10/5 @ Rosebud-Lott
10/12 Riesel
10/19 @ Buffalo
10/26 Moody
11/2 @ Bruceville-Eddy
11/9 Crawford