Photo by Mark Haskett
Darius Bryson scored both touchdowns for Smoky Mountain in Friday's scrimmage at West Henderson. The Mustangs will open the season at home Friday against Owen. |
It's a week earlier than usual, but high school football season is here.
Smoky Mountain will open its season at 7:30 p.m. Friday when Owen visits Carr Hooper Stadium/Babe Howell Field. The event will be historic for several reasons. For starters, it will mark the coaching debut of SM's Cameron Brooks. This will be the first time Smoky Mountain/Sylva-Webster has opened with an opponent other than Swain or Tuscola since 1971. Finally, it will be the Mustangs' first football endowment game. Endowment games are regular season contests and count in the won-loss record. However, they will not count for playoff seeding purposes. The N.C. High School Athletic Association will receive 25 percent of gross receipts for its endowment. After expenses, the remainder will be split between the two schools. SM and Owen have never met on the gridiron expect for scrimmages. Sylva-Webster went 4-1 against the Warhorses with the last meeting in 1978. The Mustangs were 6-5 a year ago and reached the state 3-A playoffs for the second straight season. |
Lady Mustangs take victory