Purple Dogs look to make themselves at home on the road
Fayetteville will open the season at home against Little Rock Central Sept. 5. But the Purple Dogs won’t see the Friday night lights at Harmon Field against until Week 6 at home against Fort Smith Northside.
“We played Van Buren, Bryant, Bentonville and Har-Ber on the road last year and won all of them,” Patton said. “Bryant, Bentonville and Har-Ber were conference champions. A lot the kids have been here before and know how we approach things. They know how mentally tough you have to be to have success on the road. It doesn’t faze me or scare me to go on the road. Those were the cards we were dealt. Other people make a bigger deal out of it than we do. I’ve not heard the kids say one time that they didn’t like going on the road. They just want to play.”
Fayetteville will travel to Jefferson City, Mo., Russellville, Bentonville and Springdale High before returning home for four of their final five contests.
“It’s one less distraction, really,” Patton said. “When you’re on the road, it’s all centered on the Fayetteville Bulldogs. When we’re home, sometimes you’ve got distractions. Kids patting players on the back and pep rallies and more free time in the afternoons to get distracted.”
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