Thank you, Chuck, for making me aware that among my “Week 0 Thoughts,” I failed to mention anything on county-school football.

In an effort to right this wrong, I’d like to take some time to acknowledge the feel-good story that was Arlington’s 21-7 victory over Germantown last Friday at Arlington. After three years of preparing for their first full varsity season, the Tigers made a statement before their home crowd Friday, limiting Germantown to zero passing yards and zero second-half points. With 32 seniors, including highly sought offensive tackle Alex Hurst and standout middle linebacker John Michael Bryant, Arlington will be anything but a pushover this season in 5A football.

Now that we’re done previewing the 2007 season and finally playing games, I thought we might take a look back at the weekend that was Week 0.

Hunter is special: It doesn’t take a football expert to tell you Kingsbury’s Gabriel Hunter may just be the next big thing in terms of Memphis’ next high-profile running back recruit. I liken Hunter, who rushed for 229 yards, three touchdowns and four 2-point conversions Kingsbury’s win Friday over Central, to former Melrose running back Graig Cooper, who’s now at Miami (Fla.). Cooper’s greatest asset was his field vision, and that just may be Hunter’s, too.

Spartans off and running: If there was any question whether White Station has come far enough football-wise to be ranked No. 1 in The Commercial Appeal’s Preseason Dandy Dozen, that question was answered Saturday, when the Spartans ran over Covington, 46-6, in Game 2 of the Bridges Kickoff Classic. Things could have been worse for Covington had it not been for a Justin Calloway interception return in the fourth quarter. In all, White Station totaled 363 yards (199 rushing, 164 passing) and limited the Charger offense to eight first downs.

CBHS down, but not out: The Purple Wave managed just 28 yards and two first downs in its first-ever Bridges Kickoff Classic loss, an 18-0 defeat Saturday at the hands of Melrose. However, don’t count out the Brothers yet. CBHS was without several starters in that game, including its starting quarterback, and star sophomore running back Eric Watson fumbled three times, with two of them leading to two Melrose touchdowns. Bottom line: The Purple Wave is a much better team than Saturday’s effort indiciated. Check back in Week 4, when CBHS opens its league schedule against MUS. That’s when things will really matter.

So, now that The Commercial Appeal’s Preseason Dandy Dozen is finally out, what did you think?

I see by the two fiesty comments posted to the White Station’s No. 1 story, there’s at least one of you who doesn’t believe White Station returns enough firepower to be No. 1.

As for Olive Branch and Whitehaven, the two teams mentioned as an alternative No. 1, yes, I was impressed by their showings in last month’s 7-on-7 tournament in Alabama (Whitehaven finished fifth overall; OB won the consolation bracket). But that’s 7-on-7 folks. Keep in mind, OB lost a pretty decent quarterback (Cannon Smith) and some key defensive players, though former Wooddale standout Marlon Walls’ transfer should help with the latter. Whitehaven, meanwhile, is Whitehaven. Talented every year, but they still have to put that talent to work on the football field.

Not only does W. Station bring back its quarterback, it’s running back and several capable receivers, the O-line remains for the most part intact. Add that to what should be an above-average defense, and I think it equals out to a No. 1 preseason ranking.

After watching a loaded Houston girls team hardly break a sweat in gliding to a second consecutive state team tennis title Wednesday, it really was sad watching four of the five Memphis-area boys soccer teams go down - three of them by 1-0 margins - in state quarterfinal play.

The feeling around each afterward was different, but all were sad in a way.

Ken Mears thought his Collierville team played its best game of the year in a 1-0 loss to defending Class AAA champ Knoxville Bearden, and he was right. Yet it wasn’t enough.

One year after being undefeated and nationally ranked, then bowing out in the first round last year, Houston coach Mike Irby’s Mustangs fell again in the quarterfinals. Irby and his kids couldn’t have been more disappointed afterward. There were a mix of crying and ranting afterward.
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Damn it’s hot up here in Murfreesboro. I think on Day 1 of Spring Fling Tuesday, I lost more salt running around between the decathlon and team tennis at MTSU than most of our Shelby-Metro athletes did competing in this week’s events.

Of course, black, denim jeans probably wasn’t the best choice of threads Tuesday morning before I made my way up here, but sheesh, I don’t see how these kids do it. Just take for example my interview with MUS’ Barret Folk following his sixth-place finish Tuesday in a grueling Division 2 state decathlon:

Folk gets medal. Folk throws up. Folk wipes mouth with right hand. Folk extends right hand to shake my hand. I shake Folk’s hand, then I get queasy. Folk sweats through interview. I sweat through interview.

How’s that for Spring Fling fun?

I was a little smarter today, going with the shorts and collared white shirt, but I still feel like I need another shower, and we haven’t even made it to tonight’s soccer tournament yet, where I’m sure it’ll be nice-n-sticky.

Oh well, my job’s still quite a bit easier than those of these student-athletes, so who am I to complain? Let’s win some state championships for Memphis and get the hell out of this heat.

I’m out.

We’re just two minutes away from tip-off of Mitchell-Liberty II

Guess you could really call it Mitchell-Liberty III if you count Liberty’s 80-67 regular-season win over the Tigers this year……

Starting lineups Mitchell - Fr. G Mardracus Wade, So. F Evan Devould, Jr. F Darrell Neal, Jr. G Jarvis Jones, Jr C Lewis McCaster

Liberty - Sr. G Jewaun Long, Sr. F Josh Sain, Sr. F Devon Jones, Sr. F Antwan Long, Sr. G Anthony Sampson

—————————————————-
Early in the first quarter
Liberty already with two offensive rebounds, and Jewaun Long’s putback gives Crusaders an early 2-0 lead….Liberty can punish teams on the boards, and Mitchell’s been outrebounded by a combined 30 in two tournament games. How they fare on defensive boards tonight definitely something to keep an eye on…..Josh Sain scores on putback to make it 4-0 Liberty……make it 6-0 with 5:52 left now following Antwan Long layup….timeout Mitchell with 5:50….doesn’t look good early.

2:04 left in first quarter
Wondering if this is looking as one-sided on television as it is here in the arena….5-3 Anthony Sampson just skied for a rebound….that should let you know how things are going….Liberty already with 13-8 advantage on boards, and 10 of its 19 points are of the second-chance variety…..Mitchell 3-of-13 from field to start….

End of first quarter….Liberty 22, Mitchell 8
Unbelievable….Liberty really is a well-oiled machine. Taking Tigers to woodshed after one. Liberty is 10-of-23 from field, and Josh Sain already has 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Another bad sign: Sixth-man Ken Torry appears to have lost his head, picking up a technical foul for arguing…his second foul…he’s on bench…exactly what Mitchell didn’t need down 14

6:52 left in second quarter
Liberty taking its time now, and Crusaders called for offensive foul…..foul on DeVon Jones, his third, and he’s forced to bench….Mitchell should start going inside immediately with the 6-6 senior out…

5:09 left in second quarter
Liberty coach Dexter Williams has actually called timeout, mad that his players didn’t box out McCaster on a putback that makes it 30-16, Liberty…….14 second-chance points already for Crusaders…..

4:38 left in second quarter
Anthony Sampson goes to line with Crusaders now in bonus….makes 1-of-2……31-16, Liberty….A. Long called for blocking foul on other end…Liberty isn’t deep, so if Long picks up a third with Jones already with three, could be big for Mitchell…..

3:16 left in second quarter
No good news here. Liberty with its biggest lead now at 36-17…..Torry off bench to see if he can give Tigers a spark……A. Long layup makes it 38-17 Liberty, and another Crusader steal leads to Sain layup

End of first half…..Liberty 47, Mitchell 27
Trying to find positives for Mitchell in this one is like trying to find a bright side to having a terminal illness…..I’ve seen some good basketball teams, but this Liberty team certainly lives up to its hype. Crusaders are 20-of-40 from field, and have outrebounded Mitchell, 27-19…..Josh Sain with 17 point already for Liberty…..Darrell Neal’s seven points lead Mitchell, which is shooting just 33.3 percent from field……Tigers also have 10 turnovers…maybe Jerry Johnson’s team can at least make it respectable in the second half, because this one would appear to be over……It looks lke it too from the look on the Mitchell players’ faces as they come up for second-half warm-ups….Tigers can take comfort in fact that tournament’s scoring margin record doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy. Meigs County beat South Fulton by 51 points in 1962.

Early in third quarter
Torry starting third quarter for Tigers…..Jarvis Jones, who’s 0-of-4 from field, starts second-half on bench…Liberty picks up where it left off……Devon Jones fouled on basket for potential 3-point play…makes FT….50-27, Liberty

4:43 left in third quarter
60-38 Liberty following media timeout….Got a reply that perhaps I shouldn’t be making predictions on the outcome of this one…..I can assure you, I’m usually not into making predictions, but with 4:02 left in this one and Mitchell now trailing, 62-38, I’m going to make an exception in this case. It’s over. Liberty far too good, but you’re right, Johnson has done a fantastic job with these Tigers, who’ve won eight in a row since their city-championship defeat at the hands of Washington

2:03 left in third quarter
Timeout Mitchell, trailing, 72-42…..Darrell Neal sulking now for Tigers after being pulled….he’s sitting now on end of bench away from team with Mitchell players up in the huddle, tears coming out of his eyes…Ken Torry makes layup and gets fouled for potential 3-point play..makes FT, but Sain scores on other end…he’s got 32 points and 13 rebounds…just dominating this game

End of third quarter…Liberty 78, Mitchell 47
Liberty has actually pulled its starters…Sain gets a standing ovation as he comes out with 34 points and 14 rebounds…He’s bene unstoppable….Liberty now has its five senior starters out…Guess Dexter Williams wants his other guys to get a taste of this.

5:12 left in fourth quarter
Wow!! Liberty bringing its five starters back in…..Guess Williams isn’t beyond running it up after all. Well, I guess we should consider there’s still 5:12 left in this quarter. These five seniors don’t want to call it a career after just three quarters, especially Sain, who can add to his already gaudy numbers and MVP campaign

1:48 left in fourth
Liberty fans screaming “We got another one!!,” referring to their second state title in as many seasons….Earlier cheer was “RE-PEAT!! RE-PEAT!!!!!”

It’s over….Liberty 89, Mitchell 70
It wasn’t even close…Crusaders earn their second consecutive Class AA state title, and probably their last for a while considering they lose all five starters…..
Josh Sain named tournament MVP, and rightfully so following 34-point, 14-rebound performance…..Mardracus Wade, Ken Torry and Darrell Neal named all-tourney for Mitchell, which finishes its season at 26-13……..

Say this for Jerry Johnson and his Tigers: they have quieted all the pundits and so-called high-school basketball prognosticators who believed there was no way a Tiger team that lost 11 seniors from the year before, including a monster in McDonald’s All-American Thaddeus Young, could make it back to the state-title game.

Sure, Mitchell’s talented, long and athletic this season, but it’s Johnson’s loud, militant style that’s driving this 06-07 squad. These young Tigers fear him. Last year’s team - with three Division 1 signees and a bunch of other seniors who all along wished they were getting the attention drawn by their more heralded teammates - did not, probably because of their senior status or the vultures in their ears. Who cared about Johnson’s yelling then? Those guys were on their way to bigger and better things.

Now, with a team that starts a freshman, a sophomore and three juniors, Johnson’s got a group that is finally listening, like his Class AA state-title winning Kingsbury squad did back in 1998. The Tigers enter Saturday’s championship game in the exact opposite fashion they did last year, playing this time as the underdog against a more heralded, nationally ranked Liberty team.

Oh sure, it would be a helluva story for Mitchell to win it, but just look at the numbers:

First, Liberty handled Mitchell quite easily in an 80-67 regular-season victory over the Tigers on Jan. 15 at FedExForum. Second, Mitchell has been outrebounded this week in two tournament games by a combined 101-71 margin (including 44-24 on the offensive glass). Thirdly, the Tigers are an abominable 25-of-54 on the free-throw line in two tournament games.

Against Liberty, a team that expects to win today’s 5 p.m. final, that simply won’t cut it. If Johnson’s Tigers are to earn the school’s first basketball state title (Mitchell has finished runner-up twice in 2006 and 1987), it’ll take more than his yelling and screaming on the sideline.

There’d better be some boxing-out and some better shooting from the charity stripe or it’ll be a long, quiet ride home back to Memphis. Talk to you all tomorrow.