Spring Drills To Lead To Awesome Season Openers
MADISON- Spring has sprung for the local high school football teams with both Bob Jones and James Clemens heavily into the spring drills, all of which are efforts in preparation for the 2018 fall season.
James Clemens has already hit their schedule of drills while Bob Jones will join forces beginning May 7.
Both Madison schools have what could be called alluring beginnings to their 2018 season schedules as Bob Jones will travel to Memphis to face Christian Brothers on Aug. 24. The Patriots will immediately turn around and head to Alpharetta, Ga. on Aug. 31 and face Mainland High of Daytona, Fla. in the 2018 Freedom Bowl. Meanwhile, James Clemens will open its newest season on Aug. 24 at Montgomery’s famed Cramton Bowl against Thompson High as part of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Champions Challenge. The Jets will return home on Thursday, Aug. 30, to tangle with the Clay-Chalkville Cougars who lost in the 2017 Class 6A State Championship game to Pinson Valley.
And if that wasn’t enough- the two city teams meet head-to-head in the third game of the season in the annual Madison Bowl at Madison City Schools Stadium on Friday, Sept. 7.
“We are really looking forward to the upcoming season as we are playing a very tough schedule early against three strong opponents,” said Wade Waldrop head coach of James Clemens.
Bob Jones head coach Kevin Rose is just as excited with his squad’s early season schedule, which Rose takes pride in with his appetite for good opposition. “We are very excited to participate in the Freedom Bowl and we already realize Mainland High is very athletic,” added Rose.
The Freedom Bowl is being organized by Airo Nation and Spire Sports-plus-Entertainment and is designed to help raise awareness for veterans with proceeds benefiting wounded military personnel and their families. That organization fits perfectly into the area of Madison.
The Freedom Bowl will feature six games over two days as part of the Labor Day Weekend. Bob Jones will face Mainland at 3:30 p.m., Aug. 31. One additional team from North Alabama will partake in the special event as Muscle Shoals High will tangle with defending Florida Class 3A state champion Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.) at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1. The opponent for Bob Jones was 7-4 a season ago and played into Florida’s Class 6A second round of the state playoffs. Bob Jones also went 7-4 in 2017 and lost in the first round of the Class 7A post-season playoffs.
“We know Mainland will provide a great early season test for our Patriots,” added Rose of the blue and gold Buccaneers where the school has an official address on International Speedway Blvd. near the famed Daytona International Speedway.
For the Jets of James Clemens, the challenge in the Champions Challenge may come from Thompson quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, younger brother of Tua, who is one of the quarterbacks for the Alabama Crimson Tide and who verbally committed to the Tuscaloosa school last week. The Warriors were undefeated last season until a loss to Hoover in the state semi-finals derailed what could have been a memorable campaign. The Jets and Warriors have never met on the gridiron.
“We need to stay healthy and continue to develop quality players that stay up with our competition and play every Friday night throughout our season,” said Waldrop.
James Clemens lost to Clay-Chalkville 28-nothing midway through the 2017 regular season and the series between the two programs is tied at 1-1.
For spring drills, James Clemens will cap off its workouts with a scrimmage game at home against Hartselle on May 17 with kickoff at 6:00 p.m. Bob Jones completes its 2017 preparations with a scrimmage contest against Giles County May 18 on the Turf Field at Bob Jones.
