Holley is returning to 11 man football

The landscape of area high school football has certainly changed especially when it comes to 8 Man football.

Four or five years ago 8 Man football seemed to be the answer and the future for schools struggling with low numbers of players.

However, that situation has changed rapidly as now all the 8 Man schools are either going back to play 11 Man football or are merging with another school leaving no 8 Man teams in either Section V or Section VI for this coming season.

One of those schools is Holley which after playing seven years of 8 Man is now returning to 11 Man football for this fall playing an independent schedule.

“I’m excited and the boys are excited. I think we’ll be competitive,” said new Hawks Coach Wyatt Wink. “It is going to be interesting for sure.”

Wink is looking for the Hawks to have a squad numbering 22 to 25 players. Again this year the Hawks varsity squad will also have players from Lyndonville.

“Going back to 11 Man means a bigger field, a lot more space, a couple of more linemen and another skill position player so more depth is needed,” added Wink.

The Hawks independent schedule includes games against some familiar foes including Notre Dame, Attica, CG Finney and Canisteo-Greenwood along with a couple of new foes in Cardinal O’Hara from Tonawanda and St. Mary’s of Lancaster.

The tentative schedule has Holley opening the season at O’Hara on September 6. The Hawks are also scheduled to host O’Hara on September 27.

Practice will begin on August 18 with a scrimmage against Red Jacket slated for August 30.