French Camp will open the 2019 football season Friday with a home game against Winona Christian School.
“I feel we are a little behind on the schedule,” French Camp coach Nathan Wright said Monday. “I wish we were a little further along. We have some weird pieces this time. The pieces aren’t falling together as easily as I would like them to. We’re still trying to put the puzzle together.
“They guys are working hard. They have great camaraderie. I hope to have a great week.”
Winona Christian is coming of an 8-4 season that saw the Stars reach the second round of the MAIS AA playoffs. French Camp finished 7-5 and lost to Stringer in the opening round of the MHSAA 1A playoffs.
With only 25 players on the Winona Christian roster and 26 for French Camp, both teams will have several players going both ways, so conditioning will be a key factor in the summer heat.
Winona Christian returns five starters on each side of the ball. The quarterback is an eighth grader, John White.
This will be the fifth straight year that the two teams have met in the season opener. French Camp won three of the previous four, including a 45-18 victory a year ago behind last year's senior quarterback, Holman Edwards, and the player who will replace him this year as signal caller, junior C.J. Johnson.
Edwards completed 14 of 19 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns, carried five times for 41 yards and two TDs and had an interception. As a receiver and running back, Johnson had six receptions for 160 yards and one TD and ran three times for 66 yards and a TD.
The Panthers totaled 467 yards of offense and the 45 points was the most Winona Christian allowed during the season.
Wright said he prefers to play schools near to French Camp before getting into region play. The matchup with Winona Christian is also a matchup of old friends with Junior Graham the Stars coach.
“When I first came here to French Camp, he was coaching over at Weir,” Wright said. “He has been a great friend to me and has helped me considerably.”
