How do you plan to spend your Saturday morning during the coldest week of the year? (At least, we hope it doesn’t get any colder than this!) If you are Russellville’s CoCo Darden, you play a football game. If you’re RHS football coach John Myers, you coach a football game.
According to Athletic Director Calvin Head, “Tacorian ‘CoCo’ Darden will be participating in the National Guard Border Bowl in Williamsburg, Ky. this weekend. Coach John Myers has also been selected to be one of the coaches on the staff of the Kentucky team. The game will be televised on ESPN3 online and kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 CST Saturday morning. The game will also be replayed on various TV affiliates that we may or may not be able to view locally.”
The National Guard Kentucky-Tennessee Border Bowl 2015, which will be played on the University of the Cumberlands’ James H. Taylor II Stadium, is the eighth in this series.
The Border Bowl is a non-profit organization established to promote high school football in Kentucky and Tennessee. The objective is to provide an All-Star Game featuring the top players in the two states. The game allows players to have the opportunity to play, practice and battle it out for the rights to the border. It also allows high school seniors an opportunity to gain additional exposure and, perhaps, earn a scholarship for college.
CoCo Darden is one of the most honored athletes in Russellville’s extensive history of football excellence. He has been named Regional Player of the Year in all classes (including state semifinalists Bowling Green and South Warren), state Class A Player of the Year, Courier-Journal First Team All-State overall, and Associated Press 2nd Team Overall.
Darden quarterbacked the Panthers to the Class A regional finals before they lost to repeat state champion Mayfield. Most of his honors have come, however, as a defensive back, the position he is expected to play in college.
The only other area player besides Darden on the Kentucky team is Jensen Feggins of Warren Central. Most of the players are from east of I-65.
Jim McKee of Scott County is head coach with Ty Scroggins of Louisville Central as head assistant. Myers is the only assistant coach from the western part of the state. Scott Blade of Independence High School is the head coach of the Tennessee team.
More information about the game can be found at www.kytnborderbowl.com.