2024 Week 1 (Tennessee & Kentucky)
After a long weekend in Georgia this week was half the games in Tennessee and Kentucky. Years ago, I saw Anderson County play at Carter on a Rivalry Thursday game. And this year, they opened the season at home. I had been by their field before. Located northeast of Clinton, I had been off the exit from I-75 many times before. Including going to a game at Clinton. So, it made sense to head down for their Thursday opener.
Week 1 started with a soccer game. On Wednesday, I drove to Columbus for the Columbus Crew game against Philadelphia Union as part of the Leagues Cup. This was my first Crew game of the 2024 season. And it was a good game to choose.
In the tweet, I don’t user the period, but it is Lower.com Field. Twitter simply links directly when you use the web address. Which is I guess the point of naming a stadium after a website.
MLS/Leagues Cup – Columbus Crew v. Philadelphia Union
Crew opened up with an early goal. Before giving up the tying goal. Two more gave Columbus a spot in the Leagues Cup Final against LAFC.
After spending the night in Columbus, around noon headed straight south on I-71 to Cincinnati. Detouring around some traffic delays near Kings Island. And then south on I-75 from downtown Cincinnati through Kentucky. A brief stop near Walton, and further on to Tennessee.
The plan was to check into the hotel before the game, but my late start get me to the Clinton exit after 5pm. A stop at Bojangles–no tweets–and just a quick half mile up the road to the high school.
Parking at the stadium was pretty simple. The main driveway into the school saw many parking along the sides of the roadway. Though there was still large parking lots not yet fully used. The fear of running out of space and quick access to walk over the field much simpler.
#11 – Anderson County v. Powell
The stadium doesn’t appear to have an official name. Though it’s referenced as Maverick Stadium. But what the stadium does have is one of the best intros you’ll see. Fireworks, flames, an enormous banner run-through, and players wearing masks and wielding prop weapons.
(article on pafootballnews.com)
It was a very good game. And Anderson County held on at the end for the win, 28-25.
After the game, it was a quick stop over at Walmart for some food and then to the hotel to check in. Of course, given a second floor room with no elevator. But the room was free. So, it was a minor inconvenience.
After checkout, I intended to head west on TN61 through Clinton, but the hotel driveway was not at a light, so went east on TN61 to I-75. Thinking i would cut up through Somerset to the Cumberland Parkway.
Instead, I was blindly following the GPS of Google Maps. And at some point didn’t notice it wasn’t taking me through Somerset. I drove northwest on TN63 to TN297.
At US27, I should have driven north, but was directed south to TN52. Which was a southern route along two lane roads all the way to Glasgow. Reaching US127, it was mostly mix of four-lane and two-lane roads by Jamestown. And then suddenly a long windy drive down the side of a mountain near Wolf River. Turning right at the state line of Kentucky.
US127 continues north through Albany to KY90. A rather major east/west road along the southern border of the state. In Glasgow, I briefly got onto the Cumberland Parkway east to the bypass to see the new Glasgow High School. I had drive by before years ago when going to games at Barren County. But didn’t see the football field.
After that it was a quick gas stop at the Walmart north of town. I remember stopping at this exact Walmart in 2007 on my way to Mammoth Cave National Park. Staying at a hotel somewhere nearby.
KY90 continues northwest of Glasgow to Cave City. And stopping at the Days Inn. After checking in to another free room, headed over to Long John Silvers for some chicken tenders and hush puppies. I wasn’t feeling the best so this was the only food that seemed appetizing.
Leaving the hotel, it was south on I-65 to US31W in Park City. And taking the back way to the school. Warren East is part of Warren County, which has Greenwood, South Warren, Warren Central, and Warren East. Warren East is northeast of Bowling Green.
#12 – Warren East v. Christian County
This was an important milestone for me. Of all the places I have been I finally reached number 500. I hadn’t really considered going to a lot of new locations for games until 2015. Prior to that, I wanted to see a lot of games. Which meant traveling around. But week to week, I was mostly at the same few stadiums around home. At the Greenville game or Steubenville game, and at one of the unlit fields on Thursday. It wasn’t until then that I started branching out to new venues. And enjoyed it immensely. Soon, new stadiums were the norm. And going back again to past stadiums much less common.
And I couldn’t have picked a better stadium, I felt, for my 500th. Part of the J Allen Builders Bowl, on the blue turf of Jim Ross Field.
At the game, I stopped at the small team shop which was just two picnic tables covered in shirts. And a rack of jerseys. I didn’t think much of it until the lady behind the table told another woman that the used game jerseys were only $10. So I bought two. Then went to the concessions and picked up a couple of drinks to cool off before kickoff.
The game itself quickly spiraled out of control for Christian County. Four touchdowns in just six minutes gave the home team an unbelievable advantage. One being a pick six.
In the second half, I headed up into the stands to watch the second half. It was much of the same but the running clock kept things brisk. Warren East would win, 55-6.
The next game had a very small crowd. And I stayed in the stands. Still not feeling the best from earlier. The heat was also really affecting me. I sat on the visitor side for Daviess County, as they were taking on Franklin-Simpson from south of Bowling Green. Daviess County was from Owensboro, near Indiana.
#13 – Franklin-Simpson v. Daviess County
It was the first time seeing either of these teams as well. And those it was a little closer than the opener, Franklin-Simpson was the prohibitive favorites and had a 31-6 lead until the final play. Where a touchdown pass and allowed untimed PAT made it 31-13 for a final score.
The next morning leaving the hotel, was a quick drive north along I-65. I stopped at a Pilot to get some ice for my sweet tea, and ice for my cooler. With hours to kill, I took in my stop time seeing Churchill Downs up close.
You couldn’t get in, and I wasn’t about to pay for the tour. But I was surprised how close it was to I-65 but I had never noticed it. I did, however, notice Louisville’s newest stadium. Though it isn’t quite ‘new’ now.
Leaving Louisville, it was south to I-264 to I-64 and east to Shelbyville. Taking the bypass around town, and the north on KY55 into Eminence. A small town in Henry County. After surveying where the field was just west of the center of town, it was back into town for the only real restaurant I could find aside from McDonald’s.
That being Puckett’s Family Restaurant. And it was good. And surprisingly empty. For a Saturday afternoon, even with the big football games scheduled for 5pm and later. There was no one else there. But they clearly were a clean, well equipped restaurant. And had a location for a breakfast bar.
Instead, though, I had the Ribeye for $13. It included three sides. And the only real complaint would be the mashed potatoes. But for $13 it wasn’t worth complaining about. The steak was cooked medium rare, and cooked simply. No sear marks or scorch lines. Just keeps well enough on the outside and pink on the inside. Brined for a long time to give it immense flavor. Three sides total for just $13.
After that, it was back west in town to the stadium. Parked and walked in for the first of two on Saturday night as part of the Eminence Alumni Bowl.
#14 – Louisville Waggener v. Grant County
Again these two were firsts for me. But also, unique to me, was the field layout. With new turf, the field spans an angled pass across the outfield of a baseball field. With new stands lined up from left field to right center. The basepaths and infield in blue. Though truncated where it intersected the sideline of the football field.
I was pulling for Waggener in this one. But Grant County’s slippery quarterback gave them fits early. Scoring on a long TD early, and keeping them just ahead enough that Waggener could do no more than threaten in the second half. Grant County would go on to win, 33-14.
With the first game taking over 3 hours, the finale was marked for an 8:45pm start. Nearly an hour later than originally planned. I went to the concessions and bought two drinks. And then used the restrooms. I had looked for a program, but couldn’t find where they might have been. But I had seen people carrying them.
I was back on the field, and noted unique combination of Steelers colors and bengals striped helmet design. Though for Bellevue I had seen them before. But my first time seeing Eminence.
#15 – Eminence v. Bellevue
This game started on fire. Bellevue returned the opening kickoff for six. While Eminence scored on their first possession play. But as the game drew on, Bellevue’s offense struggled and Eminence chipped away to go up 33-12 and win their share of the Eminence Alumni Bowl.
After the game, it was a long drive back to Ohio. Cutting north through New Castle and by Henry County High School to I-71. Then north through Cincinnati and Columbus. And after getting gas in Groveport, following further north to Lodi and east along I-76 to Akron and eventually Youngstown.
ECONOMICS
For the weekend, I drove 878 miles. Gas totals were $69.87 and food was $127. Tickets and Miscellaneous totaled $27. $20 of that was the two jerseys. And $7 was the parking in Columbus. I didn’t count the MLS ticket I got through other means. Food was slightly higher despite cheap stops at Puckett’s, Bojangles, and Long John Silvers. Primarily a stop at Walmart for food for the hotel room.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
2024 Statistics
15 Games
30 Teams
8 Stadiums
3 States
20 New Teams
6 New Stadiums
1,589 different teams
501 different stadiums
1,475 total games
NEXT WEEK
I’ll be in southern New Jersey for all fourteen games of the Battle at the Beach. Four games on Thursday at Ocean City, while Friday and Saturday will be two 5-game slates at Egg Harbor Twp High School’s Silver Eagle Stadium.
For photos from this game, and others this weekend, click HERE.
For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http://www.flickr.com/sykotyk/sets/