That special time of the year when “Friday Night” takes on a whole new meaning is now only a matter of days away. There is nothing quite like the glorious evening when you drive to your local high school and see the lights on the football stadium on. As you pull up a wide grin uncontrollably breaks out across your face. Your heart starts racing. You just want to YELL!
Are you ready for some football? YOU BETCHA! Been ready! Was ready for the new season to begin as soon as the last one ended. That is the way it is when your team has one of the most successful seasons in school history and the expectations of an even better one thyis year are on the horizon.
This weekend the majority of the nearly 400 representative high schools of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) begins competitive play in pre-season scrimmages to mark the “un-official” opening of the 2022 prep football season.
Locally, the fans of Jonesboro-Hodge will be treated to a matchup against Class 4A, Grant High School beginning at 6:00pm at Caldwell-Peacock Stadium.
JHHS Head Coach Terrance Blankenship, now entering his school record tying 10th year as the Top Tiger, is eager to see the 2022 edition take to the field.
“It has been a long hot summer and the guys are ready to hit someone beside their teammates,” laughed Blankenship. “We are excited about the prospects this season holds as the guys have worked hard. They want to take that next step.”
The “step” that Blankenship is referring to is advancing past the Class AA state semi-finals, which the Tigers achieved for the first time in three decades last season.
On Saturday, August 27th, JHHS will participate once again in the annual Bayou Jamb. This year the season opening jamboree will be played for the first time at Joe Aillet Stadium on the campus of Louisiana Tech. JHHS will open the second day of play in the event that features 14 of the top teams in North Louisiana against another Class 4A school, Franklin Parish out of Winnsboro in a 1:00pm matchup.
The regular season begins with a bang the following Friday, September 2nd, when the Tigers venture to Lake Providence where JHHS will play General Trass High School. The contest will be one of the premier season opening matchups in the state as game pits last years best Class AA teams from northeast Louisiana against each other.
