Go ahead and Jam: Tonight’s MOC Jamboree moves to Maryville
By Marcus Fitzsimmons | (marcusf@thedailytimes.com)
Maryville’s artificial turf investment is going to pay an early dividend.
With a forecast that includes a high chance of rain following several down pours earlier this week, officials decided it would be in the best interest of the players and the spectators in the stands to move the Maryville Orthopaedic Clinic Football Jamboree from Heritage High School to the more rain absorbent playing surface and easier to exit Shields Stadium at Maryville High School.
“It’s really just because of the forecast, it poured out here (Thursday) and blew trees down and walking on our field was like walking in a creek,” Heritage High athletic director Robbie Bennett said. “It’s not going to mess anything up down there because they have the turf.”
Heritage won’t be giving up the hosting rights with the jamboree’s move to Maryville.
“We’re moving our gate workers and security and concessions over there. We’re still running it and everything,” Bennett said. “It’s just a change of venue.”
Maryville was glad to assist in the unusual situation and agree to the use of the newly installed synthetic surface that was installed by AstroTurf over the summer in a project that also included new drainage for the field and a video display board.
“It’s one of those things, I understand you don’t want to tear up your field this early in the season,” Maryville athletic director George Quarles said. “Everyone will get to see the field a few weeks earlier than expected.”
The unofficial unveiling of the field for the jamboree will not count as the first official game played on the new surface, nor will any of the plays count as game firsts — that honor will wait until Maryville’s home opener against Alcoa on Aug. 26. The Evening of Gratitude planned for Saturday to honor donors, sponsors and supporters of the Maryville High School Red-to-Black campaign — an effort to repay investments in athletic facilities improvements and to work toward making future improvements self-sustaining — are still going ahead as planned.
The Maryville Orthopaedic Clinic Football Jamboree kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. with Alcoa scrimmaging William Blount in an extended 20 minute quarter. The quarters were extended at the suggestion of Alcoa head coach Gary Rankin as a way for the teams to get more out of travelling and suiting up for the jamboree.
The second quarter will consist of the skills competition as the teams put some of their best on display in passing, kicking and running drills. Maryville and Heritage scrimmage in the third quarter before Heritage takes on Greenback in the jamboree finale.
EXTRA POINTS: Seymour will participate in the Smoky Mountain Kickoff Jamboree at Sevier County High School tonight. The Eagles freshman play Sevier County while the jv team faces G-P in the first half. The varsity takes the third quarter against Gatlinburg-Pittman. ... Thursday’s severe weather moved on just in time for the KOC Jamboree at Neyland Stadium to get started on time. ... Should Greenback score against Heritage tonight, it will be the only chance for most of the crowd to see No. 19 Masey Fox take the field. The twin sister of injured Greenback sophomore kicker Braxton Fox (25) is handling the ‘Kees place-kicking duties but will not be participating in the skills challenge according to coach Justin Ridge. ... Readers who didn’t grab a copy of the 2012 Football Tab in Wednesday’s edition will have the opportunity to pick one up as they enter Shields Stadium tonight.
