After not playing a preseason game last year in W.S. Neal head football coach Doug Hoehn’s second year at the helm of the Eagles of East Brewton, W.S. Neal will play a preseason game this Thursday at home against the Elba Tigers.
Hoehn and the Eagles last played a preseason game in 2011—Hoehn’s first year in East Brewton— against the Opp Bobcats in Opp.
Elba went 6-5 in 2012 after going 15-0 in 2011 and winning the state championship. The Tigers are under first-year head coach Ed Rigby who took over for Scott Rials.
Rigby comes to Elba from Goshen, where he was an assistant coach in 2012. Prior to his stop at Goshen, Rigby was the head coach at Tate High School in Pensacola for six seasons.
“I don’t know a lot about Elba,” Hoehn said. “I understand they have been very competitive in the past. They have a new coach this year and I know somewhat about him. I do know he is a very good coach. I expect a solid football team.”
Hoehn said the goal for Thursday’s night game is to prepare for next week’s opener at Holtville.
“We are going to use this game to prepare for our first regular season game,” Hoehn said. “It will give the kids an opportunity to play a football game against someone other than themselves. They are tired of hitting their selves after two weeks. Also, it will give us the opportunity to gauge where we are at and to get a good game plan. It will let us know what we need to work on for next week.
The Tigers of Elba are said to be ready to dress out 37 players on the varsity squad, including freshmen. W.S. Neal has 51 players on their varsity roster with 10 being seniors, 11 juniors, 10 sophomores and 20 freshmen.
Game time is set for 7 p.m. Thursday night in East Brewton at W.S. Neal Stadium on the campus of W.S. Neal High School.
Game format is scheduled to be four quarters of varsity football.