Westview edges Dresden in first annual Black and Blue Bowl
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DRESDEN, Tenn. – At first glance Saturday’s football game at Dresden high school looked like a typical spring game. The stadium was packed. The grill was fired up. Fans sported their team’s black and gold. But Weakley County has never seen a game like this before. The Lions and Westview high school kicked off their alumni football game. “I’m ready for it. Been ready for this my whole life,” said Westview alumni Jeff Morrison. At 47 years old, Morrison is the oldest player in the “Black and Blue” bowl. His sister says she isnt scared for her brother. “He’s tough as nails. He’s in better shape than a lot of guys that are younger than him,” said Amy Grady. Dusting off the cobwebs wasn’t just an issue for older players. Some younger players found themselves in the same category. “It’s pretty good. It feels nice. Hopefully these guys can help me shake off the rust,” said former Lion Dale Hutcherson, who graduated in 2011. The Black and Blue game was put together by Alumni Football USA. Players say paying to relive their glory days was never a problem. “100 dollars. We’d probably play twice or ten times that to play one more time,” said Westview captain T.J. Damron. It’s called the Black and Blue Bowl because of the schools colors. But players say those colors will carry a different meaning after the game. “I think all of us are going to go pretty hard tonight. From both sides. And I’m pretty sure we’ll be black and blue tomorrow,” laughed Hutcherson. Players say the final scoreboard plays a small role in this game. The main focus is bridging the gap between alumni. Both schools hope this is the start of the new tradition. “We all want to play at home. We wanted to play at home this year but we couldn’t” said Damron. “Next year, we’ll definitely have it at our place. We can run through the tunnel and get on [Hardy] Graham stadium again.” As for the game itself, Dresden score on their first drive. That was also their only trip to the endzone. Westview rallied back to win 9-7 with a field goal in the remaining second. Both schools raised nearly $10,000 in total. Proceeds from the game will be split down the middle. More information about participating or hosting your own alumni game can be found at www.alumnifootballusa.com. Milan and Humboldt high school are preparing to have their own alumni game in May.
