The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

It's that time of the year! Friday Night Lights are back! I love fall and the start of football season. I was excited to sit down with Larry Jappe, the head coach of last year's state champs, the Big Sandy Pioneers! I visited with him during Junior High Football Practice. It was a morning practice for them, the weather was wonderful, and the football field was green.

I wanted to know after coming off of a state championship last year what it was going to be like this year. Larry said, "I've been telling everyone that we want another one now. The only thing better than a state championship is two state championships. Everyone is looking sharp, everything is looking good. I have 7-8 guys that want to start right now, so we have a lot of great competition, and 2 of those guys won't start, but they will keep coming back year after year, working hard. So we are looking just fine for a start this year." I reminded him that he took your first string out of the game a lot last year. "Yes, we did, typically in the 2nd quarter. I don't think our first or second string ever got scored on, and if they did, it wasn't very often during the regular season."

The Pioneers have 17 boys out for JV/varsity football, and 20 in junior high football. Coaches are the same as last year, Larry Jappe, head coach, Tucker Taylor and Ryne Labuda assistant coaches.

I asked if the new goalpost was going to go up soon. Last year's winning football team tore down last year's goalpost. Larry said they should be up when school starts on Monday. The field is looking good and they just put sand on it, so it isn't so hard.

Well, don't forget to come to check out the State Championship Pioneer team in their first game this Friday the 26th in Highwood starting at 7 pm. GO, PIONEERS!