West Frankfort set to host Wildcats in season opener

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The season opener for the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team is scheduled at West Frankfort this Friday night.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be aired on WIBH radio in Anna and can be heard online at wibhradio.com</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">A-J head football coach Brett Detering remembers last year’s Redbird squad.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“They had a good class of juniors last year,” Detering said. “I know they had a big kid at quarterback and some good running backs.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Redbird quarterback returning is senior Hunter Pulley, 6-4, 210 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The backfield consists of a trio of running backs in seniors Kyle Saillez, 5-11, 180 pounds, and Dalton O’Conner, 5-11, 185 pounds, and junior Brandon Bery, 5-10, 175 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Bery is the son of West Frankfort coach Brian Bery.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Both sides of the line are built around returning seniors Steven Wilkerson, 510, 210 pounds, and David Morris, 6-0, 220 pounds, and junior Trey Snyder, 5-8, 240 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“We were pretty young last year,” Bery said. “And, we return a lot of kids from that team.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Redbirds finished 2-7 last season and have 14 seniors on the roster this season.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“That’s the most seniors I’ve had since I’ve been coach here,” said Bery, who is entering his fifth season. “Last year with a small senior class it was a long year. The results this season should be that we’re more competitive.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">But Bery said he is concerned from what he remebers about A-J from last season.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">But Bery hopes the experience he has returning pays off in a win in the season opener.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Hopefully, we don’t have the same kind of season last year and will be a lot better,” he said.</span></p>

<p class="p1">The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team is scheduled to kick off its 2015 season this Friday night at West Frankfort. A-J’s home opener is set for Sept. 4 against Murphysboro. As the Wildcats prepare for a new season, they were practicing last Thursday afternoon at A-JCHS, when the accompanying photo was taken.</p>