For decades “The Young and the Restless” has been the staple of daytime television. The title of the multiple award-winning, daytime drama is also a good characterization of the 2023 Jonesboro-Hodge High School football team who is hoping that the upcoming season won’t be the “soap opera” endured last year.
“We are eager to get the season started,” stated JHHS head coach Terrance Blankenship. “Hopefully this year we will have a little better luck and a lot less drama.”
Coming off an appearance in the 2021 Class 2A state semifinals the expectations were that in 2022 that JHHS would have another successful campaign. Then everything started to unravel even before the season got going good.
Right from the “get go” injuries felled starters at key positions. Adding to the misery was that several players who were supposed to be major contributors fell by the wayside to various other situations. By season end J-H was fielding mostly underclassmen with no previous varsity experience, including an all Freshman offensive backfield.
There was also the factor of the Tigers moving into a new district and playing teams for the first time. Being the smallest school in 3-2A made things tough enough but as fate would have it many district opponents were senior laden giving them a distinct size and experience advantage over what turned out to be a very young JHHS squad.
“When you are a school the size we are, several guys always have to play both ways,” said Blankenship. “When you lose one of them, you are actually losing a starter on both offense and defense. When you lose a bunch of them like we did last year it really hurts.”
Adding to the complications was the schedule that forced JHHS to play most of the stronger teams in the district on the road.
“I guess it was our baptism into the new district,” laughed Blankenship. “Opening district play against Red River, Mansfield and Many was tough enough but to do so with all three games on the road and us being forced to juggle the lineup each week was really a challenge.”
If there was a silver lining to the 3-8 season of a year ago it was that many underclassmen ended up getting lots of varsity game experience with several showing great promise.
“We will be relying on guys who are young in years this year but have a lot of game experience,” said Blankenship, now entering his 11th season as head coach, setting a new JHHS record for tenure. “This should be an advantage for us this year as they are bigger and stronger and more prepared for the challenge we face.”
The Tigers take to the field for the first time this Friday, August 18th, when they will play host to a three team, round robin, scrimmage consisting of Class 4A Booker T. Washington from Shreveport and defending District 1-1A champion Glenbrook Academy out of Minden.
“The guys are looking forward to hitting someone else,” laughed Blankenship. “It should be a good test for us as both schools are well coached and play contrasting styles.”
The following Saturday, August 26th, JHHS will take part in the annual Bayou Jamb where they will renew what has become a pre-season traditional matchup against St. Frederick. Game time is set for 11:00am. at West Monroe High School.
“I think it is really cool for the guys to get to play on the field named for one of the greatest coaches in JHHS history,” reflected Blankenship. “I am also excited to play against Coach (Andy) Robinson and his guys again as every time we have played them it has been good games.”
The regular season starts on September 1st with General Trass out of Lake Providence coming to town followed by a short trip to Class 5A West Ouachita. The third Friday in September finds the Tigers hosting Class 3A Bunkie before JHHS travels to Lincoln Prep on Sept. 22nd to play in their new stadium. The final non-district game is on September 29th at Pineville, the second district 2-5A school on the schedule.
Homecoming will be celebrated on October 6th against Red River that also represents the opening of district 3-2A play. Mansfield comes to Caldwell-Peacock stadium next, followed by a rare third straight home game against Many on Thursday, October 19th which will also be Senior Night. JHHS then travels to Lakeview before concluding the regular season by traveling to arch-rival Winnfield on November 3rd.
“The schedule is much more friendlier to us this year in terms of travel,” said Blankenship. “Even though three of our first five games are on the road at least all but one of them is less than an hour away and we don’t have to make the all the long trips we did last year.”
