Home openers this week for both Calhoun Middle and High School Football. Both teams have been gearing up for the season, even with a hard loss last week, our high school boys have been putting their noses to the grindstone, hitting the drawing board and hoping to come back stronger this week against Valley-Wetzel.
Tonight, our Middle school boys take on South Harrison with kickoff set for 6:30pm at CMHS. With a lot of new faces and quite a few returners, Coach Kevin Cunningham says, “Well the obvious answer is I hope we can pull out a win. On a deeper level, I have coached most of these boys for several years through youth and Middle School. I hope that they take the next step in their development as football players. They play the whole game hard, play as teammates and leave it all on the field. If each person does their job to the best of their ability and improves each play and each game we will be successful.”
The Varsity team will be back in action on their home field tomorrow, Friday September 1st, against the Valley-Wetzel Lumberjacks. Last year, amid coaching staff changes, Calhoun put up a strong fight against the Jacks when they traveled to Pine Grove, WV. Ridgeview News spoke to the coaches about what they hoped they see Friday night. Goodrich said, “These Red Devils are looking to rebound at home. Valley will spread the field looking to distribute the ball to key skill guys. If the Red Devils are able to apply pressure up front it will make for a long evening for Valley! Calhoun gains back a few players that were out in week 1, so we look to bounce back this week with the help of those additions.”
Coach Allison came back with, “We had a rough last Friday to many turnovers and the players know that. But you can learn a line from a win and a book from a defeat. When you win nothing hurts. Anyone can support a team that is winning it takes no courage. But to stand behind a team to defend a team when it is down and really needs you, that takes a lot of courage. Come out this Friday and support us for our home game opener!”
In the past year Calhoun Middle High School has seen some much-needed improvements to the facilities, including a new scoreboard thanks to our friends at Hope Gas. But one of the most unseen projects at CMHS is the community service class led by Mrs. JoLynn Wilson. Students could be seen yesterday walking the grounds, collecting trash and trying to make the facility look great for the games this week. So be sure to make time this year to catch a game or two and help cheer on our Red Devils. These student athletes work tirelessly, some of them year-round, all in the hopes of putting on the best show for their fans. So dig out that Red Devil gear and join us this Thursday and Friday nights for what we hope are some Red Devil victories!
