Tigers Kick Off Season Friday Night
by Dwight Turner
Ardmore High School’s Varsity Football Team, fresh off an impressive win over Wilson in a pre-season jamboree game, will kick off its 2006 campaign this Friday night at Cooper Field.
Arch rival Elkmont will come to town with the hopes of getting the Tigers off to a less than positive start in the new season.
New Head Football Coach Tracy Malone intends to have the Tigers ready for Friday night’s opener, but has a great deal of respect for the visiting Red Devils.
“A lot of folks make a lot out of the fact that Elkmont graduated a number of players from last year’s team,” said Malone this past Monday as he had several Tiger players in the weight room working out. “Elkmont still has a strong team and several players with speed and a lot of quickness. We can’t afford to take them lightly.”
Malone states that he plans to approach the game like any other contest and wants to downplay the rivalry aspect of the game.
“You never know what can happen in a rivalry game,” continued Malone. “I believe that whoever treats a rivalry game like a normal game is the team that usually wins. As a team we need to keep our emotions in check and not get too high or too low.”
In addition to the traditional rivalry between Ardmore and Elkmont, this year’s contest has an added element. Malone and Elkmont Head Coach Chad McGehee are good friends and were both assistant coaches at Grayson High School in Georgia.
“We have already been trading emails about the game,” joked Malone. “I know Elkmont will be a well-coached team but I am assured we will show up to play.”
Kick off at Cooper Field is at 7 PM this Friday, September 1.