Byrnes Lines-Up More Opponents From Afar

By: Pete Yanity/News Channel 7 | News Channel 7
Published: January 25, 2008

Defending Big 16 state football champion Byrnes High School will continue its practice of playing opponents from outside of the area in the season ahead.

Rebels head coach Chris Miller says Byrnes has games scheduled at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia and with Florida power Lincoln High School of Tallahassee for the 2008 season.

KNOE-TV in Monroe, Louisiana reports that two-time national champion West Monroe High School will also travel to play the Duncan-based high school this fall. West Monroe head coach Don Shows says his school is on the verge of finalizing a game at Byrnes for October 3rd.

Miller said he could not confirm that but says he hopes his team's 2008 schedule is finalized soon and will likely include a third notable out-of-area opponent.

Miller adds that his team will continue to play Gaffney as a non-region opponent as the Indians are again being moved out of Region 2-4A in the latest South Carolina High School League re-classification.

The game at North Gwinnett (located about 25 miles north of Atlanta) is scheduled for Friday August 29th, which is Week 1 of the regular season. The Bulldogs were Georgia's Class AAAAA runner-up this past season, finishing 13-2.

Tallahasse Lincoln is scheduled to visit Byrnes' Nixon Field Friday September 19th (Week 4). The Trojans were 10-2 in 2007 and won their district championship. The school's football website lists a significant number of major college football and NFL alumns.

West Monroe was awarded national titles in 1998 and 2000 and has won six Louisiana state championships since 1993. They share Byrnes' Rebels nickname and, after rising as high as 16th in the USA Today rankings during the 2007 season, they finished 10-1 as they were upset in the second round of their state playoffs. The program was recently the subject of a documentary on a national television network.

Byrnes posted a 15-0 record in 2007 and won its fifth state title in six seasons, claiming its first Big 16 crown.

Miller notes that his team would likely have reciprocal travel arrangements with its non-area opponents for 2009.

The coach adds that none of his team's '08 games have been picked-up for regional or national television. However, there is a strong possibility that any or all of the games against non-area opponents will be considered. Miller says television plans aren't typically finalized this early in the year.