The First Jamboree

It has become an embedded part of the local high school football calendar. Although teams get all dressed up for just one-quarter of action, players and fans always look forward to the jamboree. It means football season is here! Coaches typically hold their breath the entire quarter hoping that their teams come away injury-free. The event is still important to coaches, because ticket sales help offset part of the cost of insurance for their players.

The Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic Kick-Off Classic takes place Thursday night at Central and on Friday at West. Fulton will face Hardin Valley in their jamboree quarter Friday night. Other games Friday at West include Farragut vs. South-Doyle, King’s Academy vs. West, and Gibbs vs. Bearden. Thursday night’s action features Campbell Co. vs. Halls, A-E vs. Powell, Central vs. Webb, and Karns vs. Carter. Games both nights begin at 7pm.

This will be the 58^th annual pre-season jamboree, making it one of the oldest in Tennessee. The TSSAA approved jamborees in the spring of 1960, and the first “KIL Jamboree” as it was known then was held on Saturday night, August 27, 1960 at the venerable Evans-Collins Field. KIL schools Central, Rule, West, South, Carter, Fulton, East, Karns, Bearden, and Young High participated in the inaugural event. The coaches drew for their opponents on the day of the game. The Knoxville News-Sentinel estimated that about 4000 spectators were in attendance on that night.

Fulton drew a match-up with Carter for their jamboree quarter. The Hornets were unbeaten in 1959, while Coach Ralph Hutchins’ Falcons only recorded two wins in the previous year. The Falcons dominated the quarter, holding Carter to only four yards of offense, but Carter held Fulton to a 0-0 tie. A 60-yard TD run by Fulton’s Jimmy Dukes was called back due to a penalty, and Fulton ran out of time with the ball at the Carter 20 yard line. Fulton had its best year under Hutchins in 1960, finishing with a 6-4 record and winning the Knoxville City Championship.

For what it’s worth, Fulton has a record of 27-12-18 in jamboree quarters. They have won their last four in a row, and defeated Hardin Valley 14-0 in 2014. 

Falcons Featured in the Daily Beacon and Previewing the Previews

   Practice in full pads for the Fulton Falcons begins on Monday, and as the anticipation of the season approaches, you will begin seeing more football season previews online, on the TV, and on the newsstands. The first preview article of the year is out on the Falcons thanks to Tyler Wombles of the UT Daily Beacon. You can read it here: Race for State: Falcons ready to reassert dominance. Thanks to the Daily Beacon for the coverage on high school football!

For many years, the gold standard of the Tennessee High School Football previews has been Murphy Fair's statewide publication. Murphy contacts every high school in the state, and the publication features a preview of almost every team statewide. Fulton QB Xavier Malone was named to his Class 5A Preseason All-State team. The magazine is no longer sold at a retail outlet in the Knoxville area, but information on ordering is available here: Murphy Fair's Tennessee High School Football

The oldest local magazine that covers area high school football is the Kick-Off magazine that is published by Sports Time Publishing. They are free and are usually available at Food City and other outlets around this time of year. I haven't seen this year's edition, but they are great collector's items.

New this year is the Gridiron Preview published by 1461 Media Productions. That company his headed up by former Fulton Football player Aaron Miller. We are excited about Aaron's new venture, and be looking for the magazine in a few weeks.

Don't forget that the annual News-Sentinel PrepXtra magazine will usually be released around the time of the jamboree. By the way, Fulton will face Hardin Valley in the 58th Annual Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic Kick-Off Classic at West on August 11th. Our friends at the Knox Focus always publishes an in-depth series of preview articles as well.

August 4th will be the date that the Northeast Tennessee Pigskin Preview will be released. It focuses on Region 1 teams, but there will some coverage of the Knoxville area. Xavier Malone and J'Coryan Anderson recently posed for this magazine picture.

Football time at Fulton is here! The Falcons will have their first scrimmage on August 1st at Anderson County. 

Fulton vs. Gibbs Game Notes

The Falcons close out their three-game homestand tonight as the host Gibbs for Homecoming. The Falcons have a 16-3 all-time record against the Eagles, and are 34-16-1 in homecoming games. Follow this link to read the game notes.

Fulton vs. Gibbs Game Notes

Know Your Opponent...Morristown East Hurricanes

You can feel the excitement in the air! Football time is here. The Fulton Falcons open season 66 Saturday night against Morristown East in the nightcap of the Citizen Tribune Kickoff Classic. Kickoff will be at approximately 8pm. WKCS will have the live broadcast on 91.1 FM and online at wkcsradio.org. Morristown will have a brief ceremony to honor the Zaevion Dobson family immediately following the first game of the day. 

The Hurricanes are coming off a disappointing 3-8 campaign in 2015. They did save their best for last in 2015, almost pulling off an upset of Knox West in the 1st round of the Class 5A playoffs. East played the Rebels off their feet before losing 20-14. Morristown East returns seven starters on offense and five on defense for Coach Dewayne Wells. Coaches in Region 1-5A have predicted in the preseason poll that the Hurricanes will be playoff bound in 2016. 

Much of the Hurricane offense runs through senior QB Dylan Noe. He is a three year starter who has missed parts of the last two years with injuries.  Noe is a threat in both the passing and running games. He threw for 1200 yards and ran for 427 yards in a shortened 2015 season. His return from an early season injury sparked the Hurricanes in the latter part of last year. 

Noe has plenty of capable receivers to throw to including Ben Crawford, a 6'3 transfer from Ooltewah. East will have a capable running game with Nate Smith and DJ Hodges. Up front, the Hurricanes return only two starting offensive linemen. 

Expect East to be tough in the front seven on defense. They return three LBs and two defensive linemen. Brad Moshier leads the returning linebacker corps after recording 66 tackles and five sacks last year. The Hurricane secondary is expected to have many new faces this year

East lost to Jefferson Co. 7-0 last week in the IMAC jamboree. The Patriots controlled the football, allowing East only eight offensive plays in the one quarter scrimmage. The highlight was a 14-yard scramble by Noe. 

As you get ready to enjoy tonight's game, here is our Fulton Football Flashback. Fulton opened the 1959 season on the road at Sevier Co. and tied the Bears 13-13. Fulton is wearing the dark jerseys in the film. 

https://youtu.be/6RDXqIdAm7k

Know Your Opponent...Campbell Co.

The 2016 season kicks off (sort of) on Friday night in the KOC Kick-Off Classic at West High. Fulton will face the Campbell Co. Cougars in the one quarter contests. Games begin at 7 PM, and tickets will be $10 at the gate. Campbell Co. may be one of the most experienced teams in the state, as they return ten starters on both offense and defense. The Cougars have been one of East Tennessee's most exciting teams under the leadership of Coach Justin Price. Despite a 5-6 record in 2015, the Cougars are enjoying their golden era of football. Here is their preview from the News-Sentinel.

Campbell Co. Preview

This year marks the 57^th annual Knoxville High School Football Jamboree. The annual jamboree began in 1960, and Fulton is one of the few KFL schools to have participated every year. From 1960-1972, the jamboree was held at Evans-Collins Field. In 1973, the jamboree was held at Neyland Stadium for the first time. In 1975, the jamboree was held as a two-night event, split between Central High and West High. Neyland Stadium began hosting the jamboree again in 1989. The jamboree permanently returned to Knox Co. School sites in 2014.

-Fulton has amassed a 26-12-18 record in the Kick-Off classic in 56 games.

-Fulton has faced 18 different schools in the jamboree. Carter, Halls, and Powell have been Fulton’s most frequent opponent, each playing the Falcons 8 times.

-This will be Fulton’s 1^st appearance against Campbell Co. in the jamboree.

-Fulton has not faced Campbell Co. in football since 1984. The Falcons are 3-1 all-time against the Cougars. Campbell County’s only win in the series came in 1980.

-Fulton defeated South-Doyle 6-0 in last year’s Kick-Off Classic.

-The Falcons have won their last three jamboree games.

- Fulton’s highest scoring output in the jamboree is 34 points. (vs Karns, 2010)

-Coach Rob Black has a 3-2 record in the Kick-Off Classic.

Brandon Taylor scores against Karns in the 2010 KOC Kick-Off Classic

FHS Jamboree Results

YEAR	OPPONENT	RESULT	SITE
1960	Carter	T, 0-0	Evans-Collins
1961	Powell	T, 6-6	Evans-Collins
1962	Rule	T, 0-0	Evans-Collins
1963	East	T, 0-0	Evans-Collins
1964	Carter	W, 6-0	Evans-Collins
1965	Jefferson High	L, 6-0	Evans-Collins
1966	Karns	W, 7-0	Evans-Collins
1967	Karns	W, 13-0	Evans-Collins
1968	Karns	T, 0-0	Evans-Collins
1969	Young	L, 2-0	Evans-Collins
1970	Young	W, 8-0	Evans-Collins
1971	Halls	T, 0-0	Evans-Collins
1972	Halls	W, 7-0	Evans-Collins
1973	Halls	W, 7-0	Neyland Stadium
1974	Gibbs	W, 13-0	Neyland Stadium
1975	Young	T, 0-0	Central
1976	Powell	T, 0-0	Central
1977	Powell	T, 0-0	Central
1978	Powell	W, 6-0	Central
1979	Powell	W, 14-7	Central
1980	Powell	L, 2-0	Central
1981	Powell	T, 0-0	Central
1982	Halls	W, 14-7	Central
1983	South-Young	T, 0-0	Central
1984	South-Young	T, 0-0	Central
1985	Halls	L, 7-0	Central
1986	Halls	L, 7-0	Central
1987	Carter	W, 7-0	Central
1988	Carter	T, 0-0	Central
1989	Doyle	L, 6-0	Neyland Stadium
1990	Doyle	W, 6-0	Neyland Stadium
1991	Carter	T, 0-0	Neyland Stadium
1992	Carter	L, 6-0	Neyland Stadium
1993	Karns	W, 6-0	Neyland Stadium
1994	Karns	T, 0-0	West
1995	Carter	W, 14-12	Neyland Stadium
1996	Carter	W, 7-0	Halls
1997	Webb	W, 7-6	Neyland Stadium
1998	Webb	L, 7-6	Neyland Stadium
1999	Halls	W, 8-7	Neyland Stadium
2000	Halls	T, 0-0	Neyland Stadium
2001	South-Doyle	T, 0-0	Neyland Stadium
2002	South-Doyle	W, 7-0	Neyland Stadium
2003	Powell	T, 0-0	Neyland Stadium
2004	Powell	W, 8-0	Neyland Stadium
2005	Bearden	W, 8-0	Neyland Stadium
2006	Bearden	W, 6-0	Neyland Stadium
2007	West	L, 14-8	Farragut
2008	Halls	L, 7-0	Central
2009	Karns	W, 16-0	Neyland Stadium
2010	Karns	W, 34-0	Neyland Stadium
2011	Webb	L, 14-0	Neyland Stadium
2012	Webb	L, 7-6	Neyland Stadium
2013	Clinton	W, 28-0	Neyland Stadium
2014	Hardin Valley	W, 14-0	Central
2015	South-Doyle	W, 6-0	West
2016	Campbell Co.		West