CHESTER — With the 2024 season kicking off in just eight days, the Chester-Joplin-Inverness Hawks get a chance to prove themselves immediately as defending 6-Man state champion Centerville makes the trip up to the Hi-Line in Week 1.
"For years CJI and Centerville have had a fun rivalry," CJI head coach Jim Vinson said at Wednesday's practice. "It's been a great rivalry, our kids have been amped up about this as soon as the schedule came out, and we couldn't have asked for a better draw."
Last year ended with a loss in the second round of the playoffs to eventual state runner-up Froid-Lake. Vinson was impressed with the growth his team showed following that loss and into the offseason.
"Losing that game was a tough pill to swallow," Vinson said. "It was a game that we felt we had, we had the opportunity to win that game. It was a tough loss, tough pill to swallow. Most of our athletes' football season started the day after that game last year."
The Hawks feel ready to show off that progress.
"To see (Centerville) Week 1, it's pretty exciting," said senior Nate Nelson. "We thought we would go farther last year, so to play the best team last year, it's definitely a good team to play Week 1."
"A lot of us have been working harder and wanting to win more after losing that game," said junior Ryland St. John. "We just have been pushing ourselves and kind of just been working harder."
Nelson and St. John are two key returning players. They have a belief this season should be a good one.
Vinson believes it can be, too.
"Once the last week comes, you're champing at the bit trying to get here and wanting to get here, and now it's go time," Vinson said. "We're pretty excited about how the season is going to pan out."
CJI takes on Centerville — a matchup of the top two teams in MTN Sports' preseason 6-Man power rankings — Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.
