Five weeks from today – Monday July 27 – players and coaches in the greater Chattanooga area and across the state put on full pads and helmets for the first official day of practice leading up to the 2015 prep football season.
Some of the oldest programs in the state including Marion County, South Pittsburg, Howard, McCallie and Baylor along with first year Tennessee Christian Prep in Cleveland will hit the field for one or two-a-days practices preparing for opening night the third full weekend in August.
Here are some important prep football dates:
First Official Practice Day: Monday July 27 … players can dress in full pads
Chattanooga Jamboree: Aug 14-15 at Finley Stadium … schedule of games to be announced soon … the first high school jamboree was held in 1960 at Chamberlain Field with five games played.
Opening Weekend
Thurs.
Aug.20 – a Thursday night schedule includes Baylor at Rhea County, Hixson at Marion County and Bradley County at Walker Valley.
Friday Aug. 21- a full slate of games highlighted by Red Bank at Soddy Daisy, Riverdale at Ooltewah, East Hamilton at Signal Mountain, Notre Dame at Chattanooga Central and first year program Tenn. Christian at Boyd Buchanan.
Sat. Aug 22 – McCallie at Parkview (Ga.)
Media Days:
July 15 at Boyd Buchanan … 2A Region 3 … this new region will be strong with Bledsoe County, Boyd Buchanan, Brainerd, Marion County, Meigs County, Polk County, Silverdale Academy, Tyner.
July 30 hosted by Ooltewah HS … 5A Region 4 ... tentatively set for July 30 with time and place to be announced soon … region schools are Cleveland, McMinn County, Ooltewah, Rhea County, Soddy Daisy, Walker Valley, White County
Inaugural Season
Tennessee Christian Prep … coached by former Cleveland HS and UTC player Toby McKenzie, the Hawks will field their first varsity team this fall with a 10-game schedule.
Opening Night: Tenn. Christian opens at Boyd Buchanan Friday Aug. 21 followed by six other road games with Oliver Springs (Aug. 28), Rockwood (Sept.4), Tellico Plains (Sept. 25), Grace Baptist (Oct.9), Lookout Valley (Oct. 23) and Sweetwater (Oct. 30)
Home games (3) will be played at old Charleston H.S. field – Sept. 11 vs. Sale Creek … Sept. 18 vs. Lancaster Christian (Homecoming) and Oct. 16 vs. Copper Basin.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net