(This interview was recorded Thursday, Sept. 28, via Google Meet with Coach Jamie Driskell. Not everything from the interview makes it into the story, so please listen.)
By Michael V. Hannigan
The Malakoff Tigers (4-1) and the Fairfield Eagles (1-4) combined to score 143 points last week. Of course, they weren't playing each other.
That changes this week.
Fairfield will visit Malakoff Friday night as the Tigers celebrate Homecoming 2023.
"It's Homecoming Week with a lot of extra things going on, and the kids are having fun," said Coach Jamie Driskell, "but we've got to remember the most important thing is to win the game and get after those guys."
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Fairfield should present a challenge for Malakoff.
"I feel they're going to be a team that's going to make the playoffs in our district," said Coach Driskell.
He said the Eagles will be aggressive on defense and will be balanced on offense.
"They've got a good little quarterback who can throw it," Coach Driskell said. "They're about fifty-fifty as far as run-pass. They're going to try to keep us off balance."
The Tigers will be shorthanded for the game. Malakoff OL Judd McNaughton hurt his knee and is expected to miss at least a few weeks.
"I think that we'll be OK, but when you lose a senior lineman for a little while, it hurts," Coach Driskell said.
Kickoff Friday night is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Kenyon Butler
Malakoff Senior Kenyon Butler received a lot of attention last week, not for what he did in the game, but for what he did afterward.
After the game, Butler saw a young special needs child from Kemp playing ball in the end zone, so he went to play with him. The child's mother posted about it on Facebook, and social media went wild.
"Yeah, he's Facebook famous," Coach Driskell said with a laugh. More seriously, he said, "He didn't do that for any kind of special attention. He had no idea that it would develop into what's happened. He saw the kid out there throwing the ball around, and he went over there and played with him a little bit."
"He brings a lot of high character and a lot of energy to our football team and our program."
