The Farragut High School football team opened the season last night on the road at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett High School. Unfortunately, the Admirals lost the season opener 42-14.
Here’s hoping for a rebound in their home opener this week!
As Paul started his senior year this week, I have been thinking a lot about the start of my own senior year at FHS. In fact, I wrote a little about that last week.
All of those memories reminded me of when FHS opened that football season (my senior year) on the road at Red Bank High School near Chattanooga. As the newly minted sports editor of the FHS newspaper – then called The Crow’s Nest – I took a roadtrip to cover that season opener for the paper.
There I was – equipped with my reporter’s notebook and freshly printed press pass. My folks suggested I drive my mom’s station wagon (a bit more reliable transportation if not the most stylish around) as our staff photographer and a new cub reporter, who was along to write sidebars from that season opener.
That cub reporter, Bo Atkins, grew to become one of my buddies over the course of that senior year. But on that night – on the roadtrip to Red Bank – he was a little excitable as he embarked on his high school journalism career. As the ‘ranking officer’ on this expedition, I had to keep him grounded. I was a bit afraid he might sprint onto the field to join the action himself!
I could see him joining a group tackle and then asking all the linebackers and defensive backs how good it felt to make that tackle! No…one of my assignments that night was to keep Bo on task!
Also, for me, it was the first chance for me to test out a pastime that would become a profession. Years later, as the first editor of the Farragut Press, I covered many FHS sporting events for pay. On this night, though, I was taking my first steps as both a high school senior and a club leader.
Both steps went well.
Well, I should clarify. We got the story. And, even though the hour was late, we arrived home safely. Unfortunately, we didn’t arrive home with a ‘w.’ The Admirals fell to Red Bank, that night, by the score of 31-7.
But the season was off and running and Bo and I began our ‘team sports coverage’ for the paper that lasted throughout the entire year – through football season, basketball season and into the busy spring sports season that led up to my graduation.
That first Friday night was good night and it was the start of a great run!
JG
(Source: farraguths.knoxschools.org)
Originally posted 8/19/2012
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