Flames to play TAPPS 11-man in 2012

MARBLE FALLS — Faith Academy opened its doors in 1999 and fielded its first football team a year later.

The squad had seven players, enough for a six-man team.

Eleven years later, the Flames now have 19 players on the varsity team with 18 on the junior high squad.

On Friday, athletic director John Berkman announced the small-Christian school would make the jump to 11-man football effective in 2012.

“We have done the research and gone through the process of researching the costs, the pros and cons,” he said.

Administrator Mark Earwood, head coach Russ Roberts and Berkman had been discussing the move since September, though Roberts excused himself after a couple of meetings.

“We live on faith,” Roberts said. “It’s our lifestyle. We have to trust in faith that he will direct us.”