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Fulton hangs on to win 21-13. Very close game. Either team could have come out on top. Details to come later

Fulton leads 21-6 through 3 qtrs.

Fulton leads 14-0 at half. Powell has 4 fumbles, which led to both Fulton tds. One of the fumbles was on a slant to a wide open receiver, who dropped the ball inadvertantly at the 20 yard line on his jog to the end zone (strangest thing I've ever seen).

Fulton leads 8-0 at the end of the first qtr.

Good to hear. I'll let them know that the game is still at Powell tonight. Hopefully the rain will hold off. It looks like the weather is going to be better than once predicted. At worst, there could be a shower or two.

HTV, I heard from a few Powell fans that they thought the game tonight at Powell had been moved to Fulton, since the stadium is not ready. Is that true?

Here's a little bit of history. If my numbers are correct, the Falcons and Panthers have met 13 times. The first meeting was in 1964, which Fulton won 13-7. Fulton leads the series 7-6, however Powell has won the last 4 meetings. The last meeting was in 1992, with Powell winning 28-0. This should be a great matchup, although the weather isn't looking very cooperative.

Good question. McPhetridge looked better than Hodge against SD, but I know that Hodge had been limited in practice due to his concussion. We'll have to see if HTV has any information.

Catholic and Farragut have identical district schedules, but the Admirals have the tougher non-district slate (OR, DB, Riverdale > Webb, AE, Rhea Co).

Powell and West tied, 1-1.

HTV, any plans for a stadium "re-dedication" this Friday, or will that be coming later on?

I do wonder how Powell will handle Fulton's speed. I hate to say it, but last week's game wasn't a good indication of what we will likely see from the Panthers in district play. The Panthers have a tough 4 game stretch starting with Fulton this week (Halls, OR, and AC are the next 3), so they will have to come together in a hurry. That being said, I expect to see a crisper Powell offense this week (less turnovers and penalties), but defense will be the key against a team like Fulton. The Falcons have a potent offense that is very balanced. I expect Fulton to open up the passing game, once they've established the run. If the Panthers can find a way to contain the Fulton running attack, they have a chance in this game. The Falcons don't have a kicking game, so the Panthers must embody the "bend don't break" mentality. One statistic that could play a factor in a game like this is depth. Powell continues to run a two-platoon set, and it has paid dividends. Will that play a factor in this game? My prediction: Fulton has too much speed on offense and defense - Fulton 28 Powell 17

Powell didn't get much of a challenge from SD on Friday, but the Panthers looked pretty rusty themselves. I'll chalk a lot of that up to it being the first game of the season. The two-platoon system definitely wore out the Cherokees in the second half. Fulton picked up a big win against Morristown West, so I have to think that they are picking up where 2007 left off. What are everyone's thoughts on the Fulton-Powell matchup this Friday night? Do the Panthers have a decent shot to beat Fulton, or will the Falcons be too much?

Powell wins 31-0. A pretty sloppy game, all around. Powell had the ball inside the SD 35 on every single drive, except for two drives (one being the last drive of the game). The Panthers have a stable full of solid running backs, with Deshawn Mobley leading the way. Their depth really showed after halftime, running all over the SD defense. I think the running game will be a bit better than last year. The receiving corps looked good, although there were a couple of dropped passes. Both quarterbacks made some plays, but there were too many turnovers. The one thing that this team lacks on offense, versus last season, is the ability to throw the deep ball (not to mention Kier Houston's escapability). I was impressed with the McPhetridge's mobility at QB however. SD looked, well, very young. They even looked pitiful at times. SD had just 3 first downs all night. They were dominated at the line of scrimmage and had no ability to throw the football (only one pass attempt). They actually had a chance to be tied at the half, after #27 had a long run down to the 1 yard line. SD fumbled on the next play. That was the story of the night for SD. The Cherokees probably turned the ball over 6 times (Powell turned it over 4 times, I think). There were a few occasions where the QB took the snap and couldn't make a clean handoff, which led to a handful of fumbles. SD only had 100 yards of total offense (half gained on that long run). Kudos to Powell's defense for dominating up front and pitching the shutout, but it was clear that SD has a limited playbook. I think I counted 3, maybe 4 plays that were run repeatedly (Read option-right, read option-left, read option-middle, QB keeper). That's Clark Duncan football for you - repeatedly running between the tackles. Powell will definitely have a tough game versus Fulton next week. Good luck Panthers!

31-0 powell with 5:30 to play in the 4th.

28-0 powell with 7:30 to play in the 4th.

Powell leads 21-0 at the start of the 4th. SD has just 2 first downs.

Powell leads 14-0 with 3 min left in the 3rd.

Powell leads 7-0 at the half. Powell has had the ball 5 times inside the SD 35 and only has one td. SD has just one first down, although the Cherokees fumbled at the goal line after a long run (after their only first down).

Powell leads 7-0 with 7 min to play in the 1st half

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I'll be at the game Friday night, so I'll be posting score updates, for those who are interested.

Powell definitely has not performed particularly well in their scrimmages, but the jamboree was a pleasant surprise. Having to replace Kier Houston and a couple of star wideouts was going to be a pretty big task, which explains the growing pains. Their performance against Catholic should give them a lift, although I don't expect them to dominate SD. I think Powell will come out on top in a close game, 27-13. A win will definitely help these guys get ready for Fulton in Week 1.

A lot has to go Halls' way in order for the Red Devils to win this game. I just don't see that happening this early in the season. Both teams will make their share of mistakes, plus I like the better team on paper in Week 0. Therefore, I'm picking Clinton, 28-10.

From what I've heard, Hodge should be ready to go Friday night, but don't quote me on that. HTV, what have you heard regarding Hunter Hodge?