SPORTS

Huntingdon, Milan want to win for different reasons

Brandon Shields
bjshields@jacksonsun.com

This week’s football game between Milan and Huntingdon at Paul Ward Stadium is one fans typically look forward to each year.

The Bulldogs and Mustangs have two of the more regarded programs in the area, and this game is one of the few that has been given a name to the annual meeting: The Dog and Pony Show.

But how much do the actual players care about the game? Milan is two classes larger than Huntingdon, so the playoff implications have been removed from the matchup.

Is decades of history and tradition enough to motivate teenagers in 2016 who have grown up in the age of Twitter, soundbites and highlight reels?

“I don’t know if a long history is why I’m ready for this game,” said Milan linebacker Spencer Walker. “I’m ready for this game because of what happened last year.

“Huntingdon came to our place last year and made us look bad. So now we have something to prove to them.”

Walker is referring to the Mustangs’ 49-14 win at Johnnie Hale Stadium.

Huntingdon running back Dylan Johnson said the Mustangs are ready to play anybody since they’ve only played one game so far in 2016.

“I know I want to play anybody this week because the offseason is long, and it got longer when we didn’t play the first two weeks,” Johnson said.

Huntingdon had its bye week in Week 1, and its game with Camden in Week 2 was cancelled when lightning postponed it on Aug. 26 and wet field conditions ultimately cancelled it on Aug. 27.

“It was frustrating for us to get to game day finally and get ready to go on the field only to be told we weren’t playing,” Johnson said. “So we were ready to go last week.”

“Ready to go” for Johnson meant he was ready to rush for two touchdowns, catch another and throw for another in a 55-14 win over Collinwood.

Since Walker is Milan’s middle linebacker and Johnson is one of the three main ball-carriers for the Mustangs, it’s possible the two will meet up in a tackle or 15 over the course of the game.

Both players have plenty of respect for the other team.

“We have a good defensive line, but their offensive line is huge,” Johnson said about Milan. “I’m moving up to linebacker this week, and we’re preparing for a battle on both sides of the ball.”

Walker said Huntingdon’s players do a good job of executing a difficult offense to defend.

“When you’re lined up before the snap, you’ve got to be ready to watch a bunch of bodies moving in different directions and making sure you find the ball,” Walker said. “Then when you do find it, you’ve got to be a head-hunter and go get it.

“That’s what we’ve got to do Friday.”

Brandon Shields, 425-9751

Game of the week

The Milan-Huntingdon game has been selected as one of the nominees for the Tennessee Titans Game of the Week. Fans can vote for the game online at titansonline.com until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday night.