A new, yet familiar face will be taking over the Lone Tree Lion football program this fall with Joe Donovan returning to where his coaching career commenced. 

The co-head coach at Highland the last several years moves over one town to the east to head a Lion program where he had his first assistant job back in the 1990s. While the area is nothing new to Donovan, he is in uncharted waters transitioning from 11-man to eight-player football. The coach that has over two decades of experience is ready for the challenge of his first year in the new league.  “It is an exciting brand of football. I watched a couple games a few years ago and it intrigued me. It is different with scheming on both sides of the ball like on defense you don’t have as many down linemen so you are wanting hybrid players that can play multiple positions. We are trying to find those type of players and I enjoy that strategy part of it. I look forward to the challenge ahead.”

Donovan takes over a Lion program that was 4-4 in 2021 and they will start up the new campaign in week zero action on Friday at Midland.