Friday Night Lights - Bearden vs. Walker Valley

Last night was week zero for the 2010 high school football season. Just looking at the games lined up I couldn't really find any game that stood out and screamed GREAT GAME so I decided to find a school that I knew was usually pretty decent and hope that the school they were playing was about the same. Not knowing anything about Walker Valley, I kinda just prayed they were good. Ford and my brother went with me to Bearden to watch and almost immediately my brother pointed out that all high school students are the same. I laughed for a moment, but then realized that about 5 years ago, some college kid was looking at me and thinking the same thing.

It was immediately evident that we had not come to a game that was going to be close at all. Ford pointed out how ridiculously bad the Walker Valley place kicker was. Very reminiscent of last year's UT FG unit. wide left, wide right, line drive into the back of the center's head.

Bearden recieved the opening kickoff and moved the ball at will, mostly on the legs of their running back Devrin Young. We found out later that while schools with interest in Devrin include Illinois, Vandy, and Ga. Tech, only Stanford has offered him a scholarship up to this point. He definitely helped his case tonight though. It seemed like every time Bearden scored it was him, and he also took a kickoff back some 80 yards for a touchdown. There was one play where Devrin absolutely destroyed a Walker Valley LB. My brother, Ford, and myself immediately began to take jabs at the poor kid only to find out that his mother and uncle were sitting directly in front of us. That still did not change that fact that her son just got trucked.

Walker Valley was entirely out of their league in this game. Nothing was going right other then a kickoff returned for a touchdown and a great catch by a Walker Valley receiver just before halftime. On a punt attempt, Ford and I discussed how far we thought the punt may go. Right before the snap Ford got all prophetic and called for a block. Sure enough that is what happened and Bearden scored a touchdown. On another attempt the ball sailed over the punters head and out of the endzone for a safety. After the 1st quarter it was 30-6 Bearden. We left at the conclusion of the 3rd quarter because it was becoming hard to watch. Staying any longer would have been like watching a train wreck. 

When we got back to my apartment and turned on the TV to see that Carter and Hardin Valley were about to go into OT. That is the game we should have gone to. Next week, on Thursday, I am going to the Maryville vs. Alcoa game. With multiple D-1 prospects on both squads, I would have to assume this won't be the same 72-27 blow out that the Bearden game was. Below is the schedule of games that I plan to attend. If you know a better game to go to on any particular week, drop me a line.