Jonathan Alder quarterback J.T. Keith is tackled on the grass by Marysville’s Bodie Eberhart (21) during the opening game of the 2018 season. The Pioneers and Monarchs will play home games on new turf surfaces during the 2019 campaign.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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The 2019 football season is just around the corner for high schools, colleges and the NFL.
There will be some changes for local teams as the prep campaign begins later this month.
There is one new head coach in the area.
Zack Winslow has taken over the top job at Triad High School.
The former North Union and Elgin high school assistant coach has replaced Joe Cardinal, who guided the Cardinals for the past three seasons.
The 2019 campaign will also feature new turf fields at Marysville and Jonathan Alder.
The Marysville project is still ongoing and there is speculation it won’t be ready by the time the season begins.
Whether that speculation comes true remains to the seen.
I talked to MHS head coach Brent Johnson over the weekend and he really didn’t have a lot of information on the project.
“I know the bleachers are being put in and I think the field is close to being put down,” he said.
“Right now, I’m just focused on getting the team ready for the season.”
The turf at Alder’s Volunteer Field is going to be ready well before Alder hosts Marion Harding for its first home game on Friday, Sept. 6.
I had the opportunity to walk the Alder field a couple of weeks ago and I can tell you, it’s really nice.
No longer will MHS or JA gridiron squads have to worry about muddy playing surfaces during inclement weather.
Both programs will also have new, state-of-the art scoreboards.
Marysville will also have new bleachers for the home and visitor sides of the field.
These new upgrades are really going to enhance the football atmosphere for Monarch and Pioneer athletes.
There is also the question of whether the Union County area will continue its streak of sending at least one team on to the state playoffs.
All five of the school’s in the Journal-Tribune’s coverage area – Marysville, Fairbanks, North Union, Jonathan Alder and Triad – have earned post-season berths at one time or another.
The first playoff team was MHS in 1991.
Since that time, we’ve only gone through two years in which we haven’t gone to the playoffs.
We’ll see whether our post-season streak continues this fall.
Football fans gear up… it’s almost here.
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