Cave City Transitioning to 8-Man Program Due to Low Participation

Cave City High School’s football program will move from 11-man to 8-man football beginning with the 2025 season, according to conference and team sources.

The decision comes in response to declining participation numbers, which have made it difficult for the Cavemen to sustain a traditional 11-man roster.

Randy Myers with EAB Radio first reported that coaches in the 4A-3 Conference confirmed the program’s immediate transition.

Carrie Lovell, posting in the “Caveman 11 man or nothing” Facebook group, said the players made the decision after meeting with coaches. “Not because THEY want to,” she wrote, “but because they want the football program to continue for the kids coming up after them.”

Lovell applauded the players’ willingness to make a sacrifice for the future of the program, calling it a “mature and very thoughtful decision.” She added that players plan to finish their high school football careers “with their heads held high.”

Cave City joins a growing number of Arkansas programs shifting to 8-man football, which requires fewer athletes and has helped schools with shrinking rosters keep their programs alive.