Forecast shakes up schedule this week
The threat of inclement weather has caused nearly half of this week’s high school football games in the Chattanooga area to be moved up a day.
Coaches and administrators have rescheduled nine games for tonight in an attempt to get them played before the heavy rain that is forecast for Friday.
All are nonregion games, but several are expected to draw large crowds, including Ooltewah at Red Bank, East Hamilton at Soddy-Daisy and Walker Valley at Bradley Central in a matchup of Bradley County rivals.
Simply getting to the season was a concern for TSSAA teams due to coronavirus restrictions, and the vulnerability of the season during an ongoing pandemic was a common theme last Friday on opening night. Several coaches and players expressed relief to see the season begin as planned.
“My concern is that our kids already worry about their season, so it would be irresponsible of me not to do everything I can to make sure we get as many games in as possible,” Red Bank coach Chris Brown said. “(Ooltewah) Coach (Scott) Chandler and I firmly believe that our kids deserve every opportunity to play that we can provide them.
“The thought is that there could be lightning in the area, along with heavy rain, and lightning has already cost us two games in the past two seasons.”
The Lions lost home games against rival Soddy-Daisy in 2018 and South Pittsburg last season, both of which would have brought in big gates for the program.
Other area games that will be played Thursday: Bledsoe County at East Ridge, Grundy County at South Pittsburg, Polk County at Silverdale Baptist, North Jackson (Alabama) at Whitwell, Sale Creek at Jackson County and Sequatchie County at Marion County.
That leaves 12 games still set to be played Friday, highlighted by the Brainerd at Howard rivalry, as well as Tyner at Central and Signal Mountain at Hixson. Among the out-of-town games involving local teams, McCallie opens its season at Knoxville Webb, while Rhea County is at Jefferson County, McMinn County is at Sequoyah and Meigs County is at Greenback in a matchup of last year’s Class 2A state runner-up visiting the 1A runner-up.