Winona Christian School football coach Junior Graham said he had a good idea that the Mississippi High School Activities Association was going to make some changes to the start of the season.
And with Ethel and French Camp on the schedule, Graham said he figured he better have a plan in place.
So when the MHSAA decided to push the season back by two weeks, Graham already had a plan in place.
With the decision, the Stars lost a season-opening jamboree at home against Ethel and another home game against French Camp.
But those have been replaced with a jamboree/scrimmage at Sylva Bay and a home game with Tunica Academy on Aug. 21.
“I kind of saw this coming with the public schools and started to make some calls,” Graham said. “Tunica had two open dates so I got in contact with them and kind of sat back and waited. So we pulled the trigger on that the day it happened. I don’t know anything about them. I know they are two years off of a state championship and I coached two of their kids in the all-star game two years ago. If their kids are as gritty and tough as those kids, they will be a challenge.”
WCS loses a jamboree date at home and will make a two-plus hour road trip to Bay Springs to play Sylva-Bay.
“Sylva Bay actually called me and wanted to know if there was a jamboree and we decided to play,” Graham said. “We just feel fortunate that we were able to find somebody to play as late as it is. It is a travel to Bay Springs and we will play a well-coached football team. (Coach Terry Underwood) is wanting to get the same thing accomplished as far as what we want out of the jamboree.”
Graham said he wouldn’t let this scheduling glitch change his mind about playing public schools.
“We want to keep French Camp on the schedule if they want to keep us,” Graham said. “This is a rare time for everybody and I’m not going to penalize French Camp if they want to keep playing us. It’s a good gate for us and they are maybe 25 miles down the road. Logistically, it’s good for both of us.”
