'Dogs - Warriors county rivalry intensifies in 2023 season - www.elizabethton.com

‘Dogs – Warriors county rivalry intensifies in 2023 season

Published 5:24 pm Wednesday, July 12, 2023

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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders During Tuesday's practice at Hampton High School, it was a battle of wills - man to man.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Who is the badest, biggest dog? These two Hampton players were trying to determine that during football practice at Hampton High School.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Hampton head coach Michael Lunsford addresses his team during Tuesday evening practice.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Happy Valley linemen get instruction during Tuesday evening practice on Warrior Hill.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders This Warrior quarterback looks to swing a pass to the outside while under the watchful eye of Warrior coach Greg Hyder in the background.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders This group of Happy Valley linemen works on blocking lanes and other drills.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders The Happy Valley offense was working on a variety of plays, from runs to passes, during practice on Tuesday.

Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Warrior head coach Jason Jarrett goes over what he wants to see during Tuesday's practice on Warrior Hill.

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STAR CORRESPONDENT

The Carter County rivalry between Happy Valley and Hampton takes on a new face entering the 2023 season as the fourth game of the season goes from just county bragging rights to a key conference showdown between the two schools separated by only a short ride on Mary Patton Highway.

With the new alignment put into place by the TSSAA, Hampton and Happy Valley will no longer be a 2-A and 3-A battle but will be a game that will be highly contested as Hampton will welcome the Warriors to JC Campbell Stadium on Friday, September 8 for a 7:30 pm showdown.

The two schools have been put in the new conference set up with Cumberland Gap, Eagleton College and Career Academy (Maryville), West Greene, and South Greene for 2023.

Both teams will be in District 2A Region 1.

Each team is coming off a season where both advanced to the postseason in 2022 as Hampton defeated Oneida 32-0 before seeing their season come to an end with a 40-16 defeat at the hands of Monterey.

Happy Valley, meanwhile, lost to the same Monterey team by a score of 40-6 in the first round of the playoffs.

On the schedule for the ‘Dogs for the 2023 season, along with their conference foes, will be Pigeon Forge, Johnson County, Pisgah, NC, Cloudland, and Unaka.

Happy Valley will face off against non-conference foes Cloudland, Unicoi Co., Unaka, Hancock Co., and North Greene.

Hampton welcomes the Tigers of Pigeon Forge High School on Friday, August 18, to kick off the 2023 season, while Happy Valley opens its season on Warrior Hill with another county rival in the Highlanders of Cloudland on Friday, August 18.

Both games kick off at 7:30 pm.

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