Bluejays look for revenge on Indians after two-point loss

Kennett quarterback Blake Parr provided damage in 2007

CHARLESTON -- With a brand new season beginning this Friday for Charleston High School, the Bluejays will try and start out on the right foot against the Kennett Indians.

Charleston head coach Dan Kesselring said that during practice the Bluejays have been hit-or-miss at times as far as getting prepared for their season opener.

"At times, we look really, really good," Kesselring said. "We've got some pretty good athletes out there right now. But, then at other times, we take a step back and look like we're about a week behind from where we should be."

Last year, Charleston was beaten by the Indians 21-19 in the Bluejays season opener. That game featured Kennett quarterback Blake Parr who was able to maneuver his way out of the pocket to do most of his damage.

"We looked at last years film and that was one of the things that killed us at the end of the ball game," Kesselring said. "At one point we were 4th-and-14 and he (Parr) scrambled and got a first down and they scored off of it."

Parr made a season out of doing just that when he ran for 287 yards and scored 14 touchdowns a year ago. He was also just as good threw the air with 1,349 yards and nine touchdowns.

"They're going to utilize their quarterback as much as they can," Kesselring said. "He had a great year last year and he's a great runner and a great thrower."

Kennett head coach Kirk Welch is hoping that Parr will have another good game against the Bluejays, but is also hoping that other players will step up and help out with the duties of the game.

"We hope it is, but at the same time we don't want to hang our hat on it," Welch said about the passing game. "That's just a small part of the entire ballgame. We hope that's just another added dimension to go to and pull out some victories."

Kesselring said that their game plan will be to keep control of the football through their running game and hopefully keep Parr under wraps.

That means that returning starting tailback Jerquawn Sherrell and another running back that is sure to get carries in Antonio Riggens, will be the players that Kesselring will be counting on with the offense.

And defensively he will look for his experienced linebacking core that is highlighted by Garrison Eastman, who was was a force for the Bluejays last season at that position, to be the 'Parr stopper' and keep him behind the line of scrimmage

"We're going to try and do our same old thing," he said. "We're going to have a ball-control offense and hopefully defensively we can play good run-defense and contain their quarterback."

The season opener will begin at Charleston High School at 7 p.m.