Tigers
look to clip Eagles wings in home opener
Northeast
Sports Information
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| Wide
receiver Chris Smith (Birmingham, Ala.) looks for running room
on the outside after catching a pass during fall drills for
the Tigers. Smith and the rest of the Northeast Tiger football
team will kick off its 2009 season at Keenum Stadium against
Hinds Community College on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. |
Northeast
Mississippi Community College opens its second year of the Ricky
Smither era as the Tigers host Hinds Community College on Thursday
at Keenum Stadium in Booneville.
Northeast picked
up its lone win against Hinds during the 2008 season when the Eagles
had to forfeit its 23-12 victory due to using an ineligible player.
Hinds had touchdowns
of 95, 90, 68 and 25 yards negated due to penalties -- three in
the first half – during the 2008 meeting but Smither does
not think the Tigers will have that problem again.
“I think
are guys are ready to roll,” said Smither. “They have
done everything we have asked them to do and we got some great team
chemistry this year.”
Smither and
defensive coordinator Brad Boyette built a solid defense during
the offseason. Joining returning linebackers Patrick Grant (Columbus,
Ga.) and Adam Funk (Tupelo) alongside of Luzon Rivers of Shannon.
John Brown
(Lakeland, Fla.), a University of Tennessee commitment, helps returning
defensive end Bernard Smith (Atlanta, Ga.) anchor down the Tiger
defensive line while another Florida player covers ground in the
secondary for the Tigers.
John Ware (Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla.), who registered 30 tackles in 12 games for North
Carolina State University in 2007, leads a Tiger secondary that
will look to shutdown any aerial attack by the Eagles.
“All
we got to do is show up ready to play on Thursday night,”
Smither said, “compete and hopefully we can come out on top.”
Coming out
on top will give Smither his first on-field collegiate win since
taking over the program during the 2008 summer.
Kickoff is
set for 7 p.m. at Keenum Stadium on the Booneville campus and the
game can be heard on The Shark 102.3 FM or via the NEMCC Athletic
website or http://www.classicradiofm.com/
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