Football season begins for Perryville at the stroke of midnight

Under the Friday night lights, at the stroke of midnight.

The Perryville football pirates took the field in full uniform and pads for the first time in 2023 on August 12, kicking off the Green and White Game and the true beginning of the football season.

"I don't really care about who wins or who loses," Perryville head coach Brent Roth said. "I'm trying to get something on film and get these guys out here hitting each other and under the lights, and get the fans out. This is kind of a dress rehearsal all around, painting the field and getting the camera working, and just all that extra little stuff that you want to test out.

"It wasn't the announcer, but we're here testing out the mic, and he came on and said, 'Good evening, Pirate, I mean, good morning, Pirate fans.' You don't hear that very often," he added.

A mixture of starters and reserves clashed with inconsequential results. The one constant was senior quarterback Rilaynd Graham taking snaps for both teams during the first half of the game. With him under center, most of the Pirates' offense involves their quarterback throwing out of pocket or running it himself.

"He's an athletic kid," Roth said, "so getting him out of the pocket, whether he's throwing it or running, helps him."

Both teams found the endzone and played a pretty even game. With it being the first time full contact was allowed this season, the goal was to see how the defense can tackle and if the offense can break tackles.

"You never know whether you're doing good or doing bad because you're playing yourself, but the big plays are exciting," Roth said. "You definitely want to get that for the fans."

The Pirates have played midnight intrasquad games in each of Roth's previous two seasons as head coach. It has quickly become a hit among the players.

"This might be their favorite game," Roth said. "Besides playing St. Vincent, I think this might be their favorite game of the year."

The midnight concept came to be because, as a first-year head coach in 2021, Roth wasn't aware that there had to be two helmets and three half-pad practices before his team could wear full pads under the MSHSAA rule.

"[The players] probably thought I was a little crazy," Roth said, "but now they look forward to it."

The Pirates will take part in a four-team football jamboree hosted by St. Pius X on Saturday, August 18. Perryville will play three games with each team having 12 offensive and defensive plays.

The Pirates will begin the regular season on the road at Oakville on Friday, August 25.