Straughn and Red Level will meet in their jamboree game Friday night and both team’s coaches said their players are looking forward to playing in a game that was once the talk of the county.

It’s been a few years since both teams have met on the field, SHS head football coach Trent Taylor said.

In fact, the last time both met on the field was back in 2008 in Straughn’s final game of the regular season.

Taylor said as his team kept changing classifications, he and RLS head football coach Tony Ingram couldn’t schedule the meeting.

However, this year was different.

“Tony and I both talked about it. and we both agreed that it’s a good way to get the community into it,” Taylor said. “So, it worked out pretty good.”

Kick off Friday night is set for 7 and admission is $6 per person.

Game format is set at four quarters of play with each team deciding what their focus will be during each quarter of play.

Taylor said Ingram and him have talked about the first quarter and that it will be dedicated to the kicking game.

“We’re just going to play it by ear,” he said. “If we feel like we got enough special teams in, then we’ll just move the ball on punts.”

Ingram said his players are ready to play against someone other than themselves.

“We’re not deep enough to get ones and twos in there,” Ingram said. “It’s hard to get a picture of teh team until you see them compete.

“One thing’s for sure, they’re tired of lining up against each other and are ready to get out of the heat and rain of practice and get going playing,” he said.

Ingram said more than anything, he wants to see his Tigers “compete.”

“We’ve focused a lot on defense,” he said. “I’ve felt like it’s been an issue for us the past few years.”

Ingram said community “support” would be greatly appreciated.

“We want folks to come out and support these kids,” Ingram said. “We’re playing at a big venue over there. It’s going to be exciting over there.”

Taylor said this game will give his coaches the chance to see who is doing what and what still needs work on the field.

“There have been several areas that we have been concerned about,” Taylor said. “We’re still trying to find the right people in the right spots on both sides of the ball.

“That’s a great thing about a fall jamboree, it doesn’t matter about the outcome. It doesn’t indicate a loss on your record and it doesn’t affect your playoffs picture,” he said. “We can look at a lot of different kids and put them in that situation.”