Jersey Looking to Turn Table on Granite City

JERSEYVILLE - Hopes are running high for Jersey's Panthers this season under second-year head coach Jon Adkins.

The Panther season starts at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 25, at Granite City, and Adkins has reminded his team about their first opponent who defeated them last year.

Jersey's coach Adkins reminds the players about the outcome of last year's game at a recent morning practice.

The team is practicing twice a day with morning and afternoon sessions.

Quarterback Drew Sauerwein returns as the team leader and is expected to be one of the better quarterbacks in the region this fall.

The Panthers have been working hard over the summer, Coach Adkins said and he expects the team to be much improved this season. Adkins said there was a lot of team bonding over the summer and he has a good group of individuals this year.

The Panthers play their first home game at 7 p.m. at home against Metamora, then travel to Centralia for week three, then Highland for week four  and Mascoutah for week five.

Jersey hosts Waterloo at 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 and travels to Triad the week after. The Panthers close the season hosting Civic Memorial on Oct. 13 and Columbia on Oct. 20.