Wildcats looking forward to first home game

By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
THARPTOWN – After earning their first win as a varsity football team last week, the Tharptown Wildcats are looking forward to another first for the program this week: Their first home game.
A permanent home stadium is still under construction at Tharptown, but the Wildcats will be the home team on Thursday when they face Waterloo at Parrish Field on the campus of Phil Campbell High School.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
"This community is very excited about our first home game," said Tharptown coach Dale Overton, whose team defeated Mt. Hope 24-20 last Thursday. "Our fans are treating this just as if the stadium were right out here. We're very thankful and appreciative to Phil Campbell High School and the administration for helping us arrange this and allowing us to use their facilities."
Overton said excitement is still brimming about the Wildcats' inaugural varsity win over the Yellow Jackets.
"That was big for us, because it takes a little bit of the pressure off," said Overton, whose team lost its season-opener 34-6 to Vina. "We don't have to worry about getting that first win anymore.
"I was actually pretty pleased with the way we played against Vina. We felt like it could have been 14-14 or 21-14 us at the half. We just ran out of bodies. Our kids were exhausted."
Waterloo is also in its first season as a varsity football program.
"They've got some pretty athletic kids," Overton said. "They've got a good quarterback, and they protect him pretty well."