Wallaceburg high school to play south gibson from Tennessee

Enrollment at Sacred Heart of Jesus High School has doubled and so has the excitement as the Knights begin their second year of varsity football.

The growing pains may not be over, but the program, which plays 8-man football, may have a handle on what they began in 2009.

“It was probably during our fourth game last season we told the kids the coaches can’t take the field,” Sacred Heart head coach Jeremy Blankenship said. “We didn’t have the numbers (depth) to substitute, and that was probably our biggest complaint.”

Fast forward one year and the Knights have 19 players, and Blankenship has the luxury of a few freshmen who will be able to contribute immediately.

Running back Davion Browning (6-1, 175) is one of 28 freshmen on campus who gives Sacred Heart a bruising running game, and sophomore quarterback Joseph Pappis (5-10, 165) is on loan from his linebacker position on defense to run the offense.

“When I learned about Sacred Heart, I prayed with my father about playing high school football, and I just want to give God the glory,” Pappis said. “I wanted to play football.”

Should the defense key on Browning, Pappis can play pitch-and-catch with his two senior receivers: Older brother Victor Pappis (6-0, 150) and Heath Broussard (6-1, 170).

But it all starts up front where the Knights will rely on two-way starters Bradley Jones (6-2, 250, junior) and Ethan Patterson (5-7, 165, senior).

Besides adding additional players to the roster the Knights added four games to their schedule, which includes two scrimmage games before kicking off the season Aug. 21 at Central Baptist in Memphis.

“Eight-man football is catching on,” Blankenship said. “This year, we’re playing two teams from Memphis, and I didn’t even know they had any 8-man football programs in Memphis.”

Members of the Middle Tennessee Athletic Conference, the Knights play their first of five home games at 4 p.m., Aug. 28 against Currey Ingram Academy (Brentwood) at St. Mary’s athletic field.

South Gibson

The Hornets have their eye on 2011, but first things first.

South Gibson completed its inaugural football season at 5-3 playing a junior varsity schedule in 2009 and will play a similar schedule this season, with the exception of two opponents.

“The junior varsity will play two jamborees and two varsity (opponents),” South Gibson coach Scott Stidham said. “We’ve improved, and we hope to keep taking some steps.”

The two varsity teams they will take the field against are TSSAA Division II school from Columbia Zion Christian and Wallaceburg Secondary Prep, from Canada.

Offensively, Stidham will lean heavily on sophomore quarterback Carlos Walden and sophomore slot back Quincy Walden with fullback Tyler Lowery and all-purpose athlete Avery Phillips, both juniors.

Sophomore linemen — Chianti Douglas and Lucas Parrett — will anchor the line on both sides of the ball.

“When we put (scheme) in, we wanted it for our first varsity year in 2011,” Stidham said. “We’ve added a few wrinkles and hopefully, a few plays.

“Next year, we throw them to the wolves.”

The Hornets open the season at home against Obion County (JV) on Sept. 7.

Jackson Prep

Head coach Sidney Mayo is in his second season leading the Jaguars. He was unavailable for comment for this story.