Soon after a brief lightning delay, an energetic group of Red Bank High School football players made their way up to the team’s practice field Wednesday afternoon.
With nonregion rival Soddy-Daisy set to visit Red Bank’s Tom Weathers Field on Aug. 21 in the season opener for both teams, the Lions are focused on making the most of every second they have together.
Loaded with varsity experience and a handful of Division I prospects, Red Bank hopes to play an uninterrupted season amid the coronavirus pandemic and return to the top of the Region 3-3A standings. The Lions finished as league runners-up to Loudon last year after winning the title from 2016 to 2018.
“Loudon beat us twice last year and exposed some things we needed to get better at that we have been able to focus on already this offseason,” said Lions coach Brown, who is 21-3 since taking over ahead of the 2018 season. “Our kids are hungry and really have worked their tails off to try and get that region championship back.”
Loudon star running back Drew Jackson was a thorn in the Lions’ paws last year. While he was a senior, the reigning region champions do return a strong playmaker in quarterback Keaton Harig.