Football fans happy to be back amid pandemic

JACKSON, Tenn. — It’s week seven of the high school football season in West Tennessee, but it looks a little different from a fan’s perspective.

“It’s wonderful to get outside and actually watch football, even though it’s getting colder. That’s good football weather. It feels like things are slowly starting to maybe get a little bit back to normal,” South Side English teacher Lisa Webb said.

That’s one thing many have been craving: normalcy.

High school football fans agreed on one thing: They’re grateful to see students back on the field under the Friday night lights.

“It’s just a little bit different. It feels like a little stricter atmosphere, but we still come out and support our Hawks,” Webb said.

“I’m just glad they’re playing and glad we can enjoy it,”  said Lexington fan Vaughn Wood.

“It feels pretty good! Of course, I’m an alumni from South Side,” said South Side fan and alumni Laniqua Woods.

At the South Side and Lexington game, fans said masking up, checking temperatures at the door and seeing thinner crowds were the major differences.

“It seems like the fans are kind of taking more precautions. You see a lot of people wearing masks because we don’t want to get sick or get anyone else sick, but we’re still having a whole lot of fun,” said South Side fan and alumni Glynn Williford.

“We’re kind of getting back to the same kind of stuff we were doing this time last year. This is absolutely what we want to do and where we want to be,” Williford said.

Most fans said they plan to go to future games.