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Funk is joined by five other seniors, four of which got their start on the same seventh grade team — Carlos Hernandez, Car - los Perez, Roger Hernandez and Damien Merworth. Any one of these players have the ability to convert plays into touchdown. Roger Hernandez accounted for one-third of the Bulldogs' total touchdowns last season with Car - los Hernandez and Funk another third each. Offense is just one aspect of the Bulldog game plan. Most of the senior players pull double duty as defensive linemen, cornerback and in Funk's case free safety. It is quit common to see him chase down running backs and wide receivers and foiling their attempt to advance the team toward the goal line. One senior on the Bulldog line - up nearly watched his sports ca- reer evaporate as he was sidelined for the 2018 and 2019 football season because of a very serious injury. Zac Luker returns to the Deca- tur roster this season after a trag- edy in his sophomore year nearly closed down his sporting career. It was the very first eight-man football contest of the league in 2018 when the two teams that got the ball rolling, Decatur and Her- mitage met at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur on Aug. 31, 2018. Shortly after the start of the fourth quar- ter with the Bulldogs trailing by 13 Luker, who was on defense at the time, was blindsided by a Hermit player and knocked out. He was laid out on the field for about five minutes. Fortunately Luker's father Jeremy who was the Decatur Fire Chief and his EMTs were on hand to administer to Luker. The younger Luker managed to get to his feet and walk off the field to a thunderous ovation by Bulldog fans. The game ended with the Bulldogs losing by six to the Hermits. As Luker was walking toward the Bulldog weight room he collapsed. The situation was so serious that the Decatur EMT's decided to call for a medivac heli - copter, which would have to land on the football field. As they were getting ready to call for the helicopter an ambu- lance from Gravette arrived. With no time to lose, Luker was loaded into the waiting ambulance and rushed to the hospital in Siloam Springs. He was later flown to Ar - kansas Children's Hospital in Lit- tle Rock where they determined that Luker's injury was so serious that he would never play sports again. Luker sat on the sidelines during the 2019 season and during the 2020 baseball season was cleared to play where he served as a pitcher for the Bull - dogs until the covid-19 pandemic canceled all sports. But he was cleared for football and will play out his final season as a wide re - ceiver and corner back. With the covid-19 ban on sport practices and contests finally lifted by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and the AAA, the De - catur Bulldogs can finally commit to full practice session in antici- pation of the coming football sea- son. With the right coaching staff and players in place, the Bulldog could become a formidable op- ponent in the eight-man football league. 2020 Football Preview Wednesday, August 26, 2020 n 15C Herald-Leader/Westside Eagle Observer DECATUR Continued from Page 14C Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Bryson Funk looks for a receiver down field during the Sept. 13, 2019, Decatur-Hermitage football contest at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur. Funk returns for the 2020 Bulldogs' eight-man football season. Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS A Decatur defender latches on to a Tiger running back during the Decatur-Brinkley eight-man football contest at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur Oct. 4, 2019. Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Behind a pack of Bulldog offensive lineman, Bryson Funk (right) sets up for a handoff to Sam Philpott (13) during the Decatur-Brinkley eight-man football contest at Bulldog Stadium Oct. 4, 2019. Funk's strong leadership will be the driving force behind the Bulldogs' success this season. Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Kevin Sanchez (33, center) tries to pull down the Hermit quarterback during the Sept. 13, 2019, Deca- tur-Hermitage eight-man football contest at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur.