Greenwood High School head football coach Jeff Gibson is trying his best to rejuvenate interest in the school's once-proud program.
Gibson, who will be in his second season on the GHS sideline this fall, has created the Leflore County Football Classic, hoping for it to become an event.
"We want to bring the community together while generating more interest in our football program and to generate more interest in the game itself," Gibson said.
The event's debut is scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium on the GHS campus.
Leflore County High School and Amanda Elzy are scheduled to participate in the game-like scrimmage. Leland was also supposed to take part but pulled out last week, Gibson said.
"I think it's important to have our local schools participating each year to promote more interest. Of course, it will be open to any other schools, especially other schools in the area," the GHS coach explained.
"Each team will play two 24-minute halves. Based on points scored and points allowed, each team will earn overall points. The team with the most points wins a trophy. We've got Sherwin-Williams sponsoring our trophy this year."
Friday's scrimmage will mark the conclusion of spring practice for the Bulldogs, who are looking to improve on last year's 4-5 record.
They will have to do it with a relative young team, though.
"We might have as many as 20 sophomores starting for us. Chris Haymon and Demetrius Davis, both linemen, are just a handful of seniors for us."
Gibson says he's been quite impressed with many of his freshmen players, including lineman Treboris Gaines (6-3, 360) and defensive end DeAndre Jackson (6-4, 260).
Ulysses Cates, a 6-2, 250-pound lineman, and Lindsey Sivley, a 6-2, 210-pound tight end, will likely receive the team's two newcomer of the year awards, Gibson said.
"We're holding steady with 46 players out this spring, but we'll have only about 41 avaliable for the scrimmage because of some injuries," the GHS coach said. "I've been hard on my guys, and I am proud of how they responded. I think we've accomplished a few things this spring."
n PILLOW: The Mustangs are also closing out spring drills this week.
First-year PA head coach Michael Fair says the team may have a "little intrasquad scrimmage" Friday.
"We expect to go into summer workouts with around 35 kids," said Fair, who was hired earlier this year to replace Herbert Davis. "We've been in pads for every practice. We want to be a physical football team, so we've been hitting the first thing after stretching.
"We tone back after that, though, do a lot of teaching, trying to install new schemes on both sides of the ball."
The Mustangs will base their offense out of a two-back set, working a lot out of the I-formation, Fair said. They will also use some different formations to spread people out and take advantage of quarterback Will Andrews' arm and athletic ability.
Defensively, things will be based out of a 4-3 alignment.
"The effort from top to bottom has been outstanding," said Fair, a former All-SEC offensive lineman for Mississippi State and the former offensive line coach at public shcool powerhouse South Panola in Batseville.
