GoChiefs

We had a scrimmage against East earlier today, and actually looked better than expected. For the first time getting out there and getting action, they looked pretty good. The O line was better than expected, many RBs looked good, and the backup QB from last year has improved alot and looks decent. Not great, but serviceable. On the D line, our starting RE was suspended for breaking team rules but our LE looked great. LBs looked ok as did CBs. Safeties looked bad, but one of em is adjusting back from LB and the other has never played the position. Overall, they looked good and won 4-3.

Craigmont will be hard to guage very well until the Summer. Coach Van Hooks isn't allowing the kids that didn't participate in weight lifting to come out until then. Some of the players say that there is a kid that is playing basketball right now that is very similar to Terrico White is gonna come out to play QB but we'll see. Strong points will be Jamarius Rickett at WR, Jeremy Swift at RB, and Jeremy Turner moving back to SS (he was plugged in at OLB last year). There's also another young player that may play FS that has improved tremendously from last year who may be the fastest player on the team. Another positive is Coach Dotson being back. We'll be more able to tell about them come June.

Well, last week was a tough week for the Cheifs against a weak Ridgeway team. First of all, let me say I hate excuses just as much as anybody - this is a fact. The starting center went down in the 1st quarter with a fractured shin and the game just went downhill from there. The backup center got kicked off the team Thursday afternoon for trying to fight a coach, so one of the defensive lineman got thrown into the fire at center and it did not go well at all. The defense played an excellent game, but a costly safety (should have been given forward progress, but too late now) and a punt for -2 yards giving Ridgeway a short field was too much. The Chiefs now have to win out to make the playoffs (they also need Arlington to lose their last game and Ridgeway to lose to Bartlett). Otherwise, it looks like no playoffs after a decent year. Millington should beat Bolton, Bartlett should bounce back from their loss last week to beat Central, Arlington should kill Overton, and Craigmont and Cordova battle it out with the playoffs on the line. We'll see who wants it more.

First of all, I said that it was a RUMOR that Terrico wanted the coach to ask him. Terrico actually came to the coach and asked if he could play, saying that he missed being out on the field on Friday nights. The coach told him that if he worked hard in practice, then he would get some playing time but would not come out and be the starter. I think the coach viewed it as Terrico came to him and asked him like a man. It did not go down like the childish RUMORS that had been spread. The original starter, Mike Shaw, is still the starter and the two boys split time for the most part (Mike actually gets more time than Terrico). The entire team likes having Terrico out there. He is a positive influence in the locker room, and there have been no rumblings from anyone. The only player I would have thought would not like it before he came back would have been Mike Shaw, but he actually loves that Terrico is out there. Now he does not feel like he has to do everything......he does not have the pressure he did before and has been playing very well since Terrico came out. They discuss during the game what coverages are being thrown at them and they work very well together. I guess I should have not worded it that Terrico "decided to come out and play." The more appropriate would have been that Terrico came to the coach and asked if he could join his teammates on Friday nights. The move on Terrico's part was solely to be out on the field with his friends on Friday nights.......nothing else. After all, we're all out there to help these boys become men. By Terrico coming to the coach like he did with humility, I think it is very commendable on Terrico's part, as well as the coach. I hope this clears everything up.

Also, I forgot to mention that Terrico White did decide to come out and play. He and Mike Shaw alternate drives until one gets a hot hand. It has seemed to work as the Craigmont offense has been performing well since Terrico came out. Hopefully it can continue.

It's been a few weeks since I've been able to get on here, but there's been alot goin on this past month. After last night, things are a little more unsettled for the last playoff spot. Millington is in. No question. They have dominated everyone they have played. Bartlett is pretty much in. They should win their final 2 region games to go in with 1 region loss (to Millington). Bolton is in if they beat Arlington this week. Arlington needs to win out and needs Craigmont to lose 1 game to get in. Craigmont simply needs to win out (against Ridgeway, Cordova, and Central) and they should get in. Ridgeway and Cordova would need some crazy stuff to happen to get in. Central is pretty far out and Overton may be lucky to win a game. For next week, I think Millington manhandles Overton, Bartlett beats Cordova, Bolton squeezes by Arlington (could go either way), and Craigmont pulls out the W over Ridgeway. But we shall see....

Well, Millington made their case for winning the region even stronger tonight after pitching another shutout against Craigmont. Travis Simpson and Eric Knowlton ran rampant against the Chiefs D. The Chiefs offense showed signs of life right out of the gate when the line decided to block, but we all know you have got to do your job EVERY play......not just part of the time. Bartlett and Arlington had quite a game from what I heard, with Bartlett pulling out the victory by one point, 29-28. Arlington missed a last second field goal that would have won them the game, so I would not count them out by any means. Bolton shutout Cordova 28-0, which was a little surprising to see the outburst by Bolton. Central beat Ridgeway 12-7 to solidify my opinion on Ridgeway not being a playoff contender as they have been. Overton was blown away by Collierville 56-6. Next week - I believe Millington destroys Central, Arlington beats Ridgeway, Cordova beats Overton, and Craigmont and Bolton a toss up as of right now until I know if there is going to be a QB change for the Chiefs.

Well, the Chiefs went through a tough game Friday, but the defense actually played Eric Watson pretty well. He had 97 yards on the game, with 52 of it coming on their first drive of the game. The mishandled snap at the very end of the 1st half that put the Chiefs down 24-0 really hurt, and the kickoff return to open the 2nd half was a crippling blow. Offensively, the Chiefs had recievers running wild, but the offensive line struggled to protect the QB and couldn't get the ball to them as much as hoped. Overall, a few miscues (very untimely fumbles and a late snap that hit a motion man in the head) did the Chiefs in by giving CBHS a short field to work with. Millington really handed it to Arlington also (47-0). Poor tackling haunted the Tigers all night long. Their defenders were in the right position, they just did not execute, and Travis Simpson took advantage along with the rest of the Trojan backs. Ridgeway hung 40 on a bad Overton team (40-6), so it seems like the jury may still be out on them. Bartlett and Bolton played a very low scoring affair with Bartlett pulling out the W, 10-3. Cordova blanked Central 21-0, who is in just about the same boat as Overton. And not to take away the big victory by Arlington over Germantown a couple weeks ago, but Germantown fell again (35-0 to Collierville) and looks as if they may struggle this year. So it seems that 7-5A is wide open apart from Millington, who I still think as I did before will win the region.

Terrico is not playing football as of right now. Rumor is he wants the head coach to come ask him to play, and that's not gonna happen. Terrico is a good QB, however, this team has plenty of athletes on the field and should do fairly well this year. They won 34-18 against Raleigh Egypt last week, and that was with referees calling every little thing against them (didn't help that one of the Craigmont defenders upset off the head ref at the beginning of the game). Raleigh Egypt was pretty much given 2 touchdowns off penalties committed by a team that was a little too fired up to play their rivals. After getting a 34-6 lead, the head coach also pulled the starting QB along with many other starters. And to add to the favorite vote by most on here, Ridgeway has looked TERRIBLE in their first 2 games. It would be very surprising if they managed to turn things around and make the playoffs. Arlington surprised us all by defeating Germantown 21-7. I haven't seen anything on that game, so it's hard to tell if Arlington beat them, or if Germantown just overlooked them and got caught. Millington has looked very good, and they should probably win the region. But I guess the major test for Craigmont, as I said before, comes tonight against CBHS.

After seeing Ridgeway play twice, there is no way they should be anywhere near this list. I'd be surprised if they make the playoffs. They got abused by CBHS tailback Eric Watson and beaten deep twice by a QB that threw nothing but rainbows all night.

Noone likes Craigmont to compete? I think Millington and Ridgeway will be in, but it seems like a toss up everywhere else. Arlington may struggle with their first year. Cordova has a good offensive coordinator, but talent is a little lacking. Bartlett and Bolton are a little weaker this year, so I don't know why Craigmont is being dismissed. Central and Overton will be very long shots, although I heard they looked good in camp. I guess we'll see in a few weeks how they compete with Christian Brothers. If they compete (or somehow win), I think it gives them some confidence through the season. If they get blown out of the water, they may struggle.