It was there they watched some of the state's best Class A teams in the late 1990s. For the lifelong friends, just the chance to be around players they idolized was about as exciting as it got on a Friday night.
"It was Bulldog football," Walker said. "We just wanted to be a part of it."
A decade, numerous head coaches and too many losing seasons have passed since Bartlett won the last of its three state titles. Now the one-time water boys are helping the Bulldogs rebuild their proud football tradition one step at a time.
"We've got a long way to go," Gadison said, "but football is slowly coming back."
And if there's a reason for the confidence surge around here, the backfield duo of senior quarterback Gadison and junior running back Walker is it.
Both had a big hand in the Bulldogs' surprising run from a winless record in 2007 to unbeaten District 26-A champions last season. But with nearly everyone else from that group gone, continuing that recent success falls on their shoulders.
"We knew we were going to have to carry this team," Walker said. "Either way, they're going to have to stop one of us."
So far, few have done that.
Walker has 544 combined rushing and receiving yards and has scored five touchdowns. Gadison has completed just over 55 percent of his passes for 253 yards and a pair of scores, to go with 371 rushing yards and seven TDs.
When the Bulldogs have won - they're 3-1 entering Friday night's 26-A opener at Thorndale - Gadison and Walker have been big reasons why.
"Our whole offense depends on those two guys," Bulldogs coach Joe Mullins said. "Without them . . . it'd be tough."
The crux of the offensive attack is based around Gadison's dual-threat capabilities. Crowd the line of scrimmage and the Bulldogs will try to beat you deep. Take away Bartlett's talented receivers and be prepared to stop either half of the speedy duo out of the backfield.
"We just have talent, I guess," Gadison said.
For the most part, though, Bartlett would prefer to keep it on the ground.
"You don't have to throw a whole lot when you've got backs like that," Mullins said.
After rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and 12 TDs as a sophomore in his first varsity season, Walker was expected to be the Bulldogs' workhorse. He hasn't disappointed so far and is already on pace to beat last season's 11-game total.
"He's powerful and he's got speed," Gadison said of his backfield mate. "He'll break arm tackles. It's hard to bring him down - he'll run over you."
Deciding the other half of Bartlett's dangerous twosome wasn't as easy.
There was a question before the season about whether to move Gadison, who made a team-high 17 catches last season, from the primary receiver spot to quarterback. But eventually one factor, namely his speed, won out.
"He needs to get his hands on the ball as much as he can," Mullins said. "At quarterback, he gets it every time."
The first four games - most notably a three-TD, 130-yard performance against Hubbard - have shown that move turned out to be a wise one.
"He's so quick," Walker said. "He just cuts and uses his vision and speed."
The reminders of childhood Friday night memories and Bartlett's football history are all around, painted throughout the stadium and fieldhouse. Those hit especially close for Gadison and Walker, who both grew up watching relatives play on those successful teams.
Getting the Bulldogs' football reputation back to that level isn't so much pressure; it's more about getting things back to the way they used to be, one step at a time.
"It's real important," Gadison said. "Football is the main thing around here."
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
