From Trinity Mother Frances:
Tyler, TX – The ninth-annual Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic, which has become a
showcase for some of the best high school football across Texas, will return to Trinity Mother Frances
Rose Stadium on August 30-31 and September 1 on the opening week of the 2012
season.
The Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic will
renew a collision from 2010 when Atlanta
meets Gilmer on Thursday Night. Matt
McClure's Rabbits are coming off a postseason appearance in 2011 (5-6) and
return nine starters on offense, led by speedy RB Corian Webster. The Buckeyes,
who are unbeaten in six Classic appearances, advanced to the 3A, Div. II state
quarterfinals last season (13-1) and will be seeking win No. 600 -- an
incredible plateau which only 25 Texas high schools have achieved.
Lufkin and event co-host John Tyler will meet on Friday Night in a battle of first-year head
coaches. Long-time assistant Todd Quick now guides the Panthers, who finished
9-2 last season and are making their fifth-straight appearance in the Classic.
Ricklan Holmes is the new boss of the Lions, who finished as 2011 state
semi-finalists (11-4) and are among the favorites yet again for a 4A crown this
fall.
Pittsburg and Wills Point will play in the third game
of the Classic, at 11 AM on Saturday (all other games start at 7:30 PM). Robert
Manley's Pirates were 5-5 last season and are just three years removed from a
trip to the state semifinals. The Tigers, led by coach Kevin Garvin, are hoping
the return of nine starters on offense propel Wills Point to a return to the
postseason (6-5 last season) and perhaps a District Championship.
The
finale of the Trinity Mother
Frances Football Classic will pit Sulphur Springs against Robert E. Lee on
Saturday night. This will be the first appearance in the Classic for Greg
Owens' Wildcats, who finished 8-4 last season. Darrell Piske will be making his
head coaching debut for the Red Raiders, who were a disappointing 1-9 last fall
but have 12 starters back, led by tenacious running back LaQuintas Wallace.
"We're delighted to have another
top-notch lineup comprised of some of the premier schools across East Texas,"
said Tyler ID athletic director Rod Kaspar. "Six of our eight schools competed
in the postseason last year and their combined record was 57-37. We should have
four exciting games out of the gate on Labor Day weekend."
The Trinity Mother Frances
Football Classic was created by TITUS Sports Marketing, which provides
sales and marketing assistance to the Tyler ISD. Six times
since the event's inception in 2004 at least one of the participants has ended
its season with a state title.
Reserved
tickets to the Trinity Mother Frances
Football Classic for Robert E. Lee and John Tyler high schools are
available at the Tyler ISD Athletic Office. Each of the other six high schools have tickets available at their respective
schools.
All tickets sold
are good for admission for the other three games in the Classic. For more
information, please contact the Tyler ISD Athletic
Office at 903-262-3080.
