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Albany to host Meridian this Friday

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By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lion football team got an unexpected week off when last Friday’s game against the Anson Tigers was cancelled the day before the contest due to several positive COVID-19 tests reported among other segments of the Albany student population.

None of the new cases involved the football team, but school officials called a halt Thursday afternoon to all junior high and high school games against Anson.

The non-district games will not be rescheduled.

The Lions (3-1) will move on this week to host the Meridian Yellowjackets (2-2) on Friday, Oct. 2 as scheduled. 

However, the Albany homecoming activities were moved to Oct. 16 when the Ranger Bulldogs come calling.

“It was frustrating to have the Anson game cancelled, but we certainly understand the reason why,” head football coach Denney Faith said. “The positive side of it is we had an open week before starting district, which is giving the kids a chance to heal up.”

The Lions get the District 8-2A line-up underway this week, which includes several teams Albany has never played or teams that haven’t been on the schedule in several years.

“We all start out with the same 0-0 district record now,” the coach said. “We think we have played teams in preseason that helped prepare us for district.”

The game is set for 7:00 p.m. at Robert Nail Stadium. There will be no admission charge, but donations can be given at the entrances. 

Faith said that Meridian has a couple of “really good athletes on offense, including a big running back. They rotate several kids in at quarterback.”

He added that the Yellowjacket defense has a couple of kids that are very active on defense.

“This is a team we have never played before, and getting to play someone new is always exciting,” the coach said. “We are preparing the same as we always do.”

The Lions will travel to Hico on Oct. 9 for another first meeting against the Hico Tigers (1-4), followed by the homecoming game against Ranger on Oct. 16.

The Lions will finish out the regular season with district games against Santo and Cross Plains.

Faith is hopeful that he will have Monte Cauble and Luke Ivy back in the line-up this week. Cauble suffered a shoulder injury three weeks ago, while Ivy is following the concussion recovery protocol.

Rylan Roberson is still unable to practice due to a shoulder injury he received in the Haskell game.

The junior high and junior varsity games against Anson were cancelled for last week, but all three teams will be in action this Thursday (today).

The eighth grade Cubs will travel to Meridian for a 5:00 p.m. game.

The seventh grade Cubs and the JV will play in Eastland on Thursday. The Cubs will kick off at 5:00 p.m., followed by the JV at 6:30 p.m.