MEMPHIS, Tenn. — How big is Friday's matchup between Briarcrest and Christian Brothers?
"It's the biggest week," Saint senior lineman Wesley Davis said. "Everybody here knows it's the biggest week."
Sure, on paper, this is just one of ten games, but when the Saints and the Brothers meet, there is more than a region win on the line.
"They win, they get bragging rights for a year, we win, we get bragging rights for a year," Davis added. "It's just a whole new level of high school football."
Last year's meeting was cancelled for COVID-19 issue. This year, the rivalry be renewed with plenty of fresh faces.
"I always ask, I say 'Hey. who's played in this game. And very few hands go up," said Briarcrest head coach Brian Stewart. His team will field just three starters who played against CBHS in 2019. "You've got to go in there, and you've got to be ready."
"I'm just glad we get to play this year," Purple Wave senior running back Dallan Hayden said. "Two good football programs. History is rich. So it's a big deal."
Briarcrest enters Friday undefeated and ranked fourth in the state's Associated Press poll for Div. II AAA. The Saints know that a packed Tom Nix Stadium presents an advantage for the Purple Wave that can't be overlooked.
"It's loud. The student body is into the game," Stewart said of the hostile environment. "A lot of kids, if they haven't been in it, the arena sort to speak, you have to go into the colosseum, and you've got to be able to play. It's just part of it."
"He's going to have his team ready to play, I better have my team ready to play," CBHS head coach Thomas McDaniel said. "I know what they're going to do. He knows what we're going to do. It should be a heck of a lot of fun."
The fun begins Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Christian Brothers High School.