By Victor Parkins
Milan Mirror Exchange
Talk about a big time season opener. Milan will make the short drive to Trenton Thursday night to open the 2019 season.
NOTE: Game will be Streamed live on WNWS.COM. Game will be broadcast on NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM – Dan Hughes & Terry Clement have the play-by-play.
Peabody is coming off a 14-1 run that included a state championship in class 2A.
The Golden Tide made an unbelievable comeback last season against Milan. After the Bulldogs scored late and took a 26-21 lead, Peabody stormed back and scored on fourth- and 15 from their own 26 yard line with just over a minute left in the game.
The Bulldogs have had this game circle since that night.
“It’s a big game,” said MHS head coach Teddy Pettigrew Sunday afternoon following practice. “Since we’re playing a day early we brought the kids in today and we just had the best practice we’ve had all year. The kids are ready to play.”
Pettigrew said his team will have to be on their A-game to beat Peabody on their own turf.
“They’re really good,” the coach said about Peabody. “But they’re beatable. We’ve got just two players going both ways, so we should have more depth. It looks like they have several linemen playing both ways so that should give us an advantage. We like what we see matchup wise and we feel good about our offensive game plan. We know the weapons they’ve got so we’ve got to play sound defense and try to take away some of what they like to do.”
The Bulldogs have not played a pre-season game with all of their starters on the field. Isaiah Pearson suited up for the first time this year in the jamboree and Nick Lowery has missed most of camp.
“We should be 100 percent, health wise,” Pettigrew added. “We’re looking forward to a big crowd and a chance to beat a really good football team.”
Advance tickets – $6 – for the game remain on sale at Peabody High School until 3 p.m., today.
Game Notes
Meeting between schools: 99th. Series record: Milan leads, 51-45-2. Last meeting: Peabody 27, Milan 26 (2018). First meeting: 1922. Current streak: Peabody, 2 games.
MHS head coach Teddy Pettigrew is 0-1 against Peabody.
Peabody head coach Shane Jacobs is 3-1 against Milan.
Victor Parkins
Milan Mirror-Exchange
