It's only week two of the high school football season, but the schedule already includes a game with a state championship atmosphere.
Ezell-Harding will play at Christ Presbyterian Academy in an early season game that will draw a great deal of interest Friday night, not only in the midstate but across the state. Ezell-Harding is ranked No. 2 in Earl Nall's Class 1A Prep Ratings and CPA is No. 3. The top-rated team is University School of Jackson.
"The contour of our stadium can handle a big overflow," CPA coach Pack told The Tennessean. "There is the capacity to have 4,000 fans watching the game. But it's hard to tell what kind of crowd we may get because the game will be televised [on Comcast Sports Southeast]."
CPA is two years removed from winning the state title, and Ezell-Harding won it last year.
"Ezell is probably close to or back to the same level they were last year," Pack told the paper. "We're definitely the underdog here. But when our fans sense that, they all seem to come out."
In another key match-up, No. 1 Goodpasture will play host to No. 5 David Lipscomb. Nall's ratings can be found at www.prepratings.com.
Burton Elrod, the starting quarterback at David Lipscomb, will be out for possibly six weeks after suffering a broken collarbone in preseason practice. The rehabilitation is in the hands of his father, Burton, Sr., who is team doctor for the Tennessee Titans.
BRIDGES CLASSIC MAY CUT BACK: The Bridgles Kickoff Classic in Memphis expanded from two games to four games last week, but officials say the event may move back to two games next year.
Last year, when Whitehaven played Memphis University School and Melrose played Christian Brothers in a double-header at the Liberty Bowl, nearly 14,000 tickets were sold.
Officials hoped to sell 20,000 tickets last week, but only about 11,000 were sold.
"Is four games in one day too many to tackle," Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau President Kevin Kane told The Commercial Appeal. "It seemed like last year was easier to handle.
"The Liberty Bowl was never really excited about us playing four games in one day on that field. We need to evaluate whether it makes sense to do four games. We're definitely going to have at least two games next year. We want to keep it going. Is three games optimum? We'll see."
WINDHAM SUCCESSFUL IN HIXSON DEBUT: Todd Windham, nephew of Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, was successful in his return as head coach of his alma mater—Hixson High School.
The Class 4A Wildcats upset Class 5A Ooltewah, 36-20, at Hixson. The Wildcats, picked fourth in Region 4-4A, will play host to Cleveland this week. The Blue Raiders were picked to win the region, but lost their opener last week to Division II Baylor.
Windham says his defense doesn't resemble what Andrews runs at Florida State, but that he has gained a lot of knowledge from his uncle.
"I was able to get my master's degree at Florida State and picked up some of his habits while there,'' Windham said. "Maybe not Xs and Os, but in the way he works with kids and how he approaches the games. He's certainly a good role model to emulate.''
MARYVILLE SEEKING THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE: Two-time defending state champion Maryville High School may be heading for a three-peat.
The Class 4A Rebels certainly got off to a terrific start with a 56-14 victory over Alcoa last week. The young Tornadoes were overwhelmed by Maryville, which has won three of the last four 4A state titles.
Carl Stewart rushed for 133 yards and four touchdowns—in the first half. Chris McCord had 97 yards and two 30-yard touchdowns before intermission.
Maryville finished with 476 total yards of offense, 368 of those coming on the ground.
NEW SOCCER FIELD AT BRENTWOOD HIGH: A new soccer field is near completion at Brentwood High School. It is a field being paid for by the booster club, parents, former players, caring citizens and others involved with Brentwood High.
"We had a group of parents who got interested in this idea," Mike Purcell, Brentwood High's girls and boys soccer coach, told The Tennessean. "The Bruins Club and parents raised about $50,000 with fund-raisers, concessions and gate money. Nothing came from taxpayer money. Some parents even did all of the irrigation work themselves."
Construction began in early June, and the school's first game on the new field should be the final girls contest of the season on Oct. 3, Purcell told the paper. Fences and bleachers also have been added.
IHIGH NOTEBOOK
* Tom Weathers, who had been the dean of high school football coaches in Hamilton County, is the new coach this year at Dade County High School in Trenton, Ga. Gordon Lee High spoiled Weathers' Georgia debut last week with a 27-14 victory.
* For a Class A school, Chattanooga Boyd-Buchanan is a giant-killer. In the first two weeks of the season, the Bucs have beaten Class 4A schools Rhea County and East Ridge.
* To avoid a conflict with the Vanderbilt-Tennessee football game at The Coliseum, some changes have been made in this season's high school championship playoffs. For the first time, Division II (Clinic Bowl) will play title games on different nights. The AAA game (Super Seven) will be on Friday night at 7 p.m., central time. The AA and A games will be Saturday at 3:30 and 7, respectively. The dates are Nov. 22-23 and all games are at Vanderbilt.
* Brittany Morgan, a senior at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, has been selected the 2002 Tennessee High School Rodeo Queen by earning more points in the Queen contest than any other participant. Morgan will serve as the teen ambassador for Tennessee, making public appearances at city parades, political gatherings as well as talking with underprivileged children. She plays basketball and soccer at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy.
* Page senior Emily Perilli plans to sign a volleyball scholarship with Virginia. She is the Lady Patriots' middle hitter is the two-time reigning state tournament MVP in Class A-AA.
* Former standout Hendersonville kicker Jeremy Willis has quit the North Carolina football team, a university spokeswoman said. Willis, who was an all-state selection during his senior year at Hendersonville, had walked on with the Tar Heels in the fall of 2000.
* Another Helton is making headlines at Knox Central. Zach Helton, son of Central coach Joel Helson and cousin of Todd Helton, passed for 111 yards last week as Central beat William Blount, 14-0.
* Connie Day, age 60, who was a star basketball player for Bradley County High School, passed away last week. She was an all-state and all-region player for the Bearettes and one of Tennessee's best amateur golfers. She played on the University of Chattanooga men's golf team in 1963 and won the Tennessee Women's Amateur Championship four times.