A-J faces Nashville this week in road game

The Nashville High School football team is scheduled to host Anna-Jonesboro this Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Hornets enter the game 2-1 after last Friday’s 47-6 win over Trenton Wesclin. A-J is also 2-1 overall.

Nashville is the defending Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division winner from last season.

A-J is opening the conference schedule portion of the fall 2021 season by facing Nashville and Carterville, back to back.

They will be a challenge for us. We will have to play good football and have to execute our offense better,” A-J football head coach Brett Detering said as he looked forward to the Wildcats’ upcoming games.

The Hornets were led last season by standout quarterback Cole Malaway, who has graduated.

Replacing Malaway as the signal caller will be senior Kolten Gajewski.

A top receiver candidate is senior Isaac Turner, 6-3, 185 pounds, who averaged 110 yards a game last  season and caught nine touchdown passes. 

“We will have to keep him in check,” Detering said of Turner.

Another leading receiver is Nola Heggemeier.

Returning in the backfield is senior Wyatt Kwiatkowksi, with backup by seniors Connar Gladson and Radyn Schwartzkopf.