By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

With their first game against Ste. Genevive rapidly approaching, the DHS Football team is ready to kick off the 2011 season with the return of the annual football jamboree to Charles Bland Stadium.

After two full weeks of practice, head coach Aaron Pixley seems to be pleased with what he’s seeing from the squad.


“[Practices have] gone well. They’ve been a little inconsistent; they’ve looked good at times and bad at others,” Pixley noted. “We’ve had great weather, so we’ve had a lot more good than bad. [Wednesday] was the first hot practice we’ve had, really. We were a little sluggish, but I feel like we got some good things in. So far so good, we just have to make sure we get a little more consistent and prove ourselves on Friday night.”

”Most of the time in practice, they’re playing the way they should. Even if they mess up, they’re doing it hard. I preach that to my kids: if you’re unsure or make a mistake, just go a hundred miles an hour.” 
The football ‘Cats have had a busy summer, with weightlifting sessions, ‘contact days’, and several camps crammed in the two and a half month ‘vacation’.

“We’ve had a good summer. We’ve had most of the kids out doing weights and contact days, and running their 300’s,” Pixley added. “We’ve had 90-plus percent of the full team all summer; you always want 100 percent, but sometimes you don’t get that.”

Looking to Friday night’s football jamboree, the ‘Cats will take the field for the first time since the end of DHS’s most successful season under the helm of Coach Pixley.

“We’ve got plenty of seniors that have ‘been there, done that’, they’ve been through quite a few wars, and they know what they’re doing. I think at times they get bored a little bit, but we have to make sure that we’ve very physical in all phases of the game,” Pixley said.

“Hopefully that’s what we’re going to get out of the jamboree - a lot of physicality, kids making plays, and for the defense to get it done.”


The ‘Cats have been lucky this summer to avoid any serious injuries - junior Chase Young is the only injured player heading into Friday night’s jamboree.

“We’ve got some bumps and bruises, but nothing too serious,” Pixley said. “Chase Young has had a knee problem for a while; he played baseball all summer on a bum knee, but it’s nothing major. He should be good to go.”

The ‘Cats will face East Prairie, as well as district rivals New Madrid County Central and Kennett in the jamboree.

The scrimmages will follow the traditional jamboree format, with a coin toss to determine offense or defense and the ball placed at the 40 yd. line. If a team scores, the ball will be placed back at the 40 yd. line. Each team will play 12 plays on offense and defense, respectively. No score will be kept. There will be no kicking game.

The jamboree is scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. start on Friday, August 19.

Admission will be $1 (no passes accepted), with a concession stand available on the east end of the field. The Bearcat Booster club will be providing food and drinks for all players and coaches at the conclusion of the evening’s scrimmages.

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