22 Nr
The New Season
Jackets will spend lot of time in mountains
By TODD HAGANS
Editor of The Record
Although Bessemer City
enjoys play this season in the
1-A ranks, the Jackets will still
face some tough competition on
the gridiron.
Five of the six Southern
Foothills teams will play football
this season - Highland Tech in
Gastonia begins varsity action
next fall. That means there's °
only four conference games and
a handful of non-conference tilts
on the roster.
With Bessemer City playing
. four 1-A schools, two 2-A teams,
three 3-A units and one private
independent, the road ahead
could be a challenge for Mike
‘Crawford and staff.
The Jackets open on August 31
at Chase, a team that BC tangled
Bessemer City assistant coach Larry Boone runs plays with the Jackets' offensive line during a
recent practice at Bessemer City High School.
Go Get’'em!
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with as a member of the South-
ern Piedmont. Usually touted as
a playoff contender, Chase
missed out on post-season action
in 2000 as Lincolnton downed
the Trojans 33-30, thus claiming
rights to the SPC's second berth.
Chase, which finished last year
at 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the SPC,
should pack its usual powerful
punch as a member of the new
Midwest 2-A.
BC entertains another member
of the Midwest 2-A on Septem-
ber 7 as West Lincoln's Rebels
come to Dixon Stadium for the
home opener. BC and West
Lincoln put on a dramatic shows
when these two met as SPC
contenders, with the Rebels
gaining the slight edge in several
close contests.
Both BC and West are young
teams, but the Jackets may have
the needed power in Deontae
Davis and Jermaine Gamble to
pick-up the early season win
over the Rebels who also face a
tough season. And too, the
home-field advantage could
work to Bessemer City's favor.
East Gaston's Warriors come to
Dixon Stadium on September 14.
Last year among the 4-A ranks,
the Warriors went 1-10, but
should be improved this season.
BC faces another former 4-A
team on September 21 as the
Jackets go to Gastonia to tangle
with Hunter Huss. The Huskies
~- led by five-year coach Steve
Gardner - recorded a 3-7 mark in
2000, with the three wins coming
in conference action.
In a special non-conference
affair, Cherryville welcomes
Bessemer City to Rudisill
Stadium on September 28 for a
clash of western Gaston rivals.
Last year in Rudisill, Cherryville
managed the 39-24 victory, but
when these two teams meet,
anything is possible.
Bessemer City will see prob-
ably its toughest competition of
the season on October 5 as
Charlotte Country Day comes ta
town. Country Day went 13-1 in
2000, falling to Ravenscroft 28-9
in the state independent league
championship. Country Day is
no stranger to championship
football as the Buccaneers have
won nine private school titles
since 1974.
East Lincoln's Mustangs come
to Dixon on October 12. The
Mustangs went 9-2 in 2000, and
although the team has seen a
shuffle in coaches, expectations
are high for East as they play in
the Big South 3-A with six other
Gaston schools.
Bessemer City opens Southern
Foothills play on October 19 in
Columbus against Polk County.
Coach Jeff Wilson hopes his
Wolverines can be competitive
in the new league, but says that
2001 could be an off year for
Polk County.
Southern Foothills play
continues on October 26 as Tom
Brown's Maiden Blue Devils
come to Dixon Stadium. Like in
the SPC, the Devils should again
be a handful for Bessemer City
and the other SFC foes. Maiden
was 10-1 in 2000 and was ranked
third among 1-A powers in the
post-season coaches and media
poll.
Bessemer City heads back to
the mountains on November 2
when they play the Bearcats of
* Hendersonville. Maiden and
Hendersonville are predicted to
be the SFC powers. The
Henderson boys recorded a 9-1
mark last year under head coach
B.J. Laughter and ranked right
behind Maiden in fourth place
in that post-season poll.
See Jackets, Page 9
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