Cherokee football players Jay Swimmer, Byron Locust, Kendall Driver, Dodge Crowe-Moss, Ty Mintz and Isaiah Evans.
Cherokee coach Kent Briggs has the utmost respect for Mitchell.
“They’re a well-coached team with great chemistry and kids who play unselfish. They are everything a football team should be,” Briggs said.
And for all those kind words, the Mountaineers were clearly a superior football team in 2015. They routed the Braves, 49-7, in Ledger.
Both teams are 1-0 ahead of Fridays 7:30 p.m. rematch at Cherokee.
“Last year, we felt like they dominated us,” Briggs said.
“I feel like we’re a better football team now, and I really hope it shows up Friday. We have a lot to prove. Our challenge is not to be the same kind of team that we were (in the 2015 Mitchell game).”
Isaiah Evans (159 yards, two touchdowns) and Tye Mintz (146 passing yards, 51 rushing yards and two combined touchdowns) did most of the damage for the Braves (1-0) in last week’s 50-32 win at Trinity Academy (Tenn.).
Mintz’s brother, Cade, was the team’s second-leading receiver (four receptions for 37 yards) behind Shane Swimmer (five receptions for 45 yards).
Cherokee is going for its first 2-0 start to a season since 2012.
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