Today is the day that many thought would never get here. Week one of the high school football season has arrived. Area teams will play amid a pandemic and tonight Knoxville begins its 2020 season at Fairfield. The Panthers and Trojans have alternated wins with the home team winning each game and the Panthers hope to break that trend by getting their first win in Fairfield in four tries. The Trojans are coming off a winless season in 2019, but the Panthers will not have it as easy as one would think. For starters, quarterback Kieren Nichols is out for tonight’s game due to a wrist injury earlier in the summer. Coach Eric Kellar tells KRLS Sports Nichols should be back by week two, so starting tonight is freshman Noah Keefer.

Kellar:
“Got confidence, the kids trust him, he knows his reads, and plays. I’m sure he’ll be nervous when he gets to a varsity game, but we’ll give him what he can handle, we’re confident in his abilities.”

Keefer will have several options as senior Mike Hudson returns as the leading receiver plus while new faces, there are several capable running backs including Keegan Cox, Kyle Davis, and Brady Pearson. Defensively, Cox will lead the Panthers returning his school record eight interceptions last year. Tonight’s game can be heard live on 95.3 KNIA at 6:30pm.