Grand opening

Grand opening

WMCS hits new field on Friday night

Sports Editor This Friday night, the West Memphis Christian football team will be a part of a grand opening in more ways than one.

For starters, the Black Knights will kick their 2016 regular season off at home when the North Delta Green Wave visits at 7 p.m.

However, the site of that game may be the bigger story.

The North Delta (7-4 in 2015) game will also be the first high school varsity game played in the brandnew Knights Field, located on the campus of West Memphis Christian on Missouri Street.

“It’s exciting for me and the whole coaching staff because it’s the beginning of something that’s been in the plans for years and years,” says third-year West Memphis Christian head coach Darrow Anderson. “It’s great that this group gets to be a part of history forever here at WMCS.”

The Black Knights had played at Knights Field I since the 1980s. That stadium was located just off of Highway 77.

North Delta’s visit will actually be the second event in the new stadium as Thursday night West Memphis Christian is scheduled to host its district jamboree, and that event will kick off at 5 p.m.

The proximity to the school may be the biggest benefit for the Black Knights.

“This way we have access and we’re able to get on a field when we need to,” says Anderson, who is also the school’s athletic director. “Before, we had to hop on a bus and we had to move a bunch of stuff across town to get the field ready to play on. Now, everything is here at the school.”

The events on consecutive days at Knights Field II has been a vision of Anderson and the schools many donors over the past few years.

“I like the idea of people driving by and seeing the lights on and that brings some recognition to the school,” stated Anderson.

“I think that’s kind of a sign that we’re doing big things here. To me, that’s probably the biggest thing about having our stadium here.”

The stadium is ready for action, but the team hasn’t been able to work out on it this week yet due to the rain in the area and Anderson has been careful not to mess the field up.

Weather aside, Anderson is looking forward to Friday night, rain or shine.

“I think it’s gonna be exciting,” the coach says.

“In your life, you have all these opportunities, and I think that being the first football team to step foot on this field is pretty special.”

While simply playing on the field will be special for the players, the team must turn the page when the ball is kicked off and get focused pretty quickly against North Delta.

The two teams met in Week 1 last season, and the Green Wave built a big first half lead and coasted to a 54-7 victory in Batesville, Mississippi.

Anderson says that some of the faces have changed, but North Delta is still heavy on talent.

“They’re gonna be really good,” says Anderson simply. “Their quarterback is a senior, he’s started for three years. He’s got a big arm, but he’s also mobile.

He’s accurate when he throws it. They’ve got a lot of speed. They’re just a solid football team all the way around, but our biggest thing is going to be stopping their quarterback, I think.”

North Delta is not a district game for West Memphis Christian, but playing them out of league play could impact the Black Knights in October.

West Memphis Christian would get 13 points towards it’s running total with a win against North Delta, but a loss would still add up, as well. The Black Knights would get one point for every game that North Delta wins in 2016 if they lose to the Green Wave.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

By Chuck Livingston