The Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm kicked off the 2024 football season on the road, with their first game in Searcy, Arkansas. The matchup between the Crimson Storm and the Harding Bisons, the defending National Champions, was a battle from the start. Trailing the Bisons for the entirety of the game and inevitably taking a loss with the final score being 59-0, the Storm put up a significant fight.
Despite the loss, Carter Brock, an inside linebacker, and Adam Atwell, a kicker and punter, commented on some of the good things found in the game. “I’m impressed with our front seven, our [defensive] line, they balled out and had a tough game,” mentioned Brock. Atwell was excited to see teammate Karston Keene come back to the game after injuries. He said, “It was good to see him back on the field. I was pumped to see him play and make some tackles.”
Although the game ended in a tough loss, hope for the future season is bright. Improvements can be made as a team and individually. Brock, when asked how he could improve on his own game, said, “I can improve by practicing harder. I think that’s going to be a big emphasis this week with how we practice and set the energy every single day.” Correspondingly, Atwell explained how he can also improve as an individual player. “I can improve by staying determined all week and working on my technique.” As a team, Brock discussed how “ultimately our energy can be improved.”
Moving on from this defeat is crucial for this upcoming Saturday. Brock shared, “The game is in the past; there’s nothing we can change about it now, and we just have to put it behind us. We have a full season ahead of us we can look forward to.” Atwell continued, “I think we have got to move on from that game and not let it drag on into this week. We have a fresh start, and we just need to come out ready to play.”
You can catch the Crimson Storm in action at their first home game this Saturday, the 14th, against the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys. Kickoff will be at 6:00 p.m. You don’t want to miss it!
Photos by Maddy Hada