It’s the final week of the regular season, but it’s a new beginning for the Denham Springs Yellow Jackets, who host Livingston Parish rival, the Walker Wildcats on Friday night at 7 PM on Yurview Louisiana.
Denham Springs finally gets to play in the new Yellow Jacket stadium. Better late than never as construction delays forced the school to play several home games at other venues.
The new football complex is part of a taxpayer-funded 13-million-dollar expansion of Denham’s athletic facilities which includes new baseball and softball stadiums, plus a new track around the football field.
This Friday night your Denham Springs Yellow Jackets will be playing AT HOME for the first time this season in OUR BRAND NEW STADIUM!
Spread the word to be in attendance as we take on the Walker Wildcats in the home opener. Kickoff is at 7pm!#W1NasONE pic.twitter.com/X8MpNMFEaK
— Denham Springs FB (@denhamspringsFB) November 1, 2022
The Yellow Jackets enter Friday’s game with a 7-2 record and in position to hold a first-round playoff game, so while this might be the home opener for Denham Springs, it will likely not be the last home game of the season.
Head Coach Brett Beard has done a nice job with this run-oriented team that features Liberty commitment Reese Mooney at quarterback. In his first season as head coach at Denham Springs, the Yellow Jackets were just 1-7 in 2020 and in the need of a cultural change.
Beard who had stops at previous head coaching stops at Live Oak and Woodlawn was just the right person to bring an attitude change. They enter Friday night’s game coming off a 21-17 win over Dutchtown. The Yellow Jackets trailed 17-0, but scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win it.
Leading the ground attack for Denham Springs is Cam “Eskimo” Kelly who has 741 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Running back mate Ray McKneely has 541 yards and six touchdowns.
Wide receiver Micah Harrison is another player maker with 43 catches for 519 yards and three touchdowns.
The defense has a couple of outstanding players in the secondary. Mason Vorise has a Mississippi State offer and a game-turning interception in the end zone in the come from behind win over Dutchtown.
And then there’s Da’Shawn McBryde who has 8 career interceptions, which ties a school-record. McByrde received an offer from Texas Tech in September and more offers from Power 5 schools are expected to come.
Walker comes in with a record of 6-3. It’s the Wildcats best season since 2019 when they went 8-4 and won a playoff game over Thibodaux. That was head coach Chad Mahaffey’s first season, who has the program on the up swing again after a couple of down years.
Sophomore Troy Sylve has stepped in at quarterback. He threw for 206 yards and rushed for 46 yards in a 35-7 win over St. Amant on Saturday.
https://twitter.com/jacory_thomas10/status/1586222776582803456
Ja’Cory Thomas is the big playmaker. He had over 200 total yards and four touchdowns against the Spartans last Friday. He’s also an outstanding basketball player and is receiving offers in both sports.
Walker is too far down in the power ratings to host a playoff game, but they can certainly spoil Denham Springs’ welcome home party.
Find out what happens this Friday on Cox Cable 4 or you can stream at yurview.com.
