Sporty Bowl 2021
Final Spring practice showcases Reddies’ talent ahead of 2021 football season
Reddie Athletics
The Sporty Bowl wraps up the Reddies’ 2021 Spring practice schedule. The White Team prevailed over the Red Team, 17-13.
April 12, 2021
ARKADELPHIA, AR– After not competing since 2019, the action on the gridiron was back at Henderson State for Spring football. The Reddies played their annual Red vs. White game, better known as the Sporty Bowl. Coach Scott Maxfield and his guys brought the fans out to watch the team split up for a friendly game with the pigskin to finish off the Spring practice schedule.
The Reddies are coming off a dormant 2020, as the season was canceled due to COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, HSU had a terrific 2019 campaign, going 9-2 in GAC play and capping off the season with an appearance in the Live United Bowl against Missouri Western State.
Returning players for Henderson State include unanimous All-GAC team selection L’liot Curry, who led the conference in receiving yards (1167) and touchdowns (14) in 2019, and Chase Lodree, who was an All-GAC Second Team member in 2019.
Young players were eager to touch the field, making impact plays throughout the game on both sides of the ball. Redshirt freshman Landon Ledbetter and redshirt senior Adam Morse were behind center in the game. During his career at Heritage High School in Midlothian Texas, Ledbetter threw for over 3,000 yards and 47 touchdowns in his senior year and over 9,000 yards and 128 touchdowns with a 67 percent completion efficiency in the three years he lettered at Heritage.
Draven Smith, a freshman tailback from Vilonia, AR, got some reps on Saturday, even rushing in a touchdown. Smith ran for over 2,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in his senior season at Vilonia. On defense, Jorge Sanchez heard his name called several times throughout the Sporty Bowl. Sanchez is a redshirt sophomore who played his prep football at Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas.
Special teams players in the Sporty Bowl were Temo Martinez, a junior out of Dardanelle, AR, and Tristan Heaton, a sophomore kicker/punter who played at Atascocita with Sanchez. Both kickers successfully converted on field goals and extra points on the day.
At the conclusion of the Sporty Bowl, the White team prevailed over Red, 17-13, never trailing in the friendly competition. The Reddies are set to compete this Fall and avenge their shortcomings from the 2019 season.
