With a new coach and new conference, Warrior Hill will have a new feel.
The Happy Valley program will be under the leadership of alumnus Jason Jarrett. The Warriors will also move into the Class 2A conference with several new teams making an appearance on the schedule. We take a look at the teams that make up the 2015 Warriors football schedule.
August 21- Open
Happy Valley is one of two Carter County teams to open the season with a bye. Due to realignment, coaches had quite a challenge to fill their schedule. With the open date during Week 1, the Warriors won’t have a road game until Week 3.
August 28- Cloudland
After starting the season idle, Happy Valley will kick off the 2015 season on Warrior Hill against county foe Cloudland. The nonconference tilt will be a great gauge for the Warriors as Cloudland went 8-3 in 2014, and return most of the key players to the backfield. The ‘Landers rolled in the second half to take a 46-16 victory over the Warriors last season.
September 4- Sullivan North
A former Three Rivers Conference foe will pay a visit to Happy Valley in Week 3. This will still be a conference clash as the Raiders also dropped a classification. North is coming off a 1-8 season, including a 27-21 loss to Happy Valley.
September 11- at Unicoi County
Happy Valley will leave Warrior Hill for the first time in 2015 with the trip to Erwin. The Blue Devils are coming off a winless season that included a coaching change in the early part of the season. It was the second coaching change in under a year as current Head Coach Glen White took the helm. Happy Valley claimed a 29-12 win last season.
September 18- at Cosby
The second road trip of the year will see Happy Valley travel to Cosby for a conference tilt. The Eagles, who were in the Class 1A/2A split conference last season, went 4-6 after starting the season 0-4, and narrowly missed the playoffs.
September 25- at Unaka
Happy Valley will step out of conference play in Week 6 with the cross town trip to Unaka. The Rangers are coming off of a rebuilding year with a 1-9 campaign. Unaka returns a group of talented young players to this year’s squad.
October 2- Hampton
A clash on Warrior Hill in Week 7 could have big implications for both teams as Hampton pays a visit. After last year’s heartbreaking 28-21 loss to the Bulldogs, the Warriors will be looking to overcome Hampton in a game that could have a direct effect on the top of the conference. The Bulldogs went 9-2 last season, including a loss to Grace Christian in the playoffs, and return a majority of their offense for this season.
October 9- North Greene
Another new conference foe will visit Warrior Hill to kick off the homestretch of the season. North Greene, who finished 4-6 last season counting an upset win of then No. 2 Cloudland, will compete in the same Class 2A conference as the Warriors. The game will have special meeting for Happy Valley as it will be Homecoming 2015 on the hill.
October 16- at Gatlinburg-Pittman
Happy Valley will end the regular season with two of the final three games on the road, including the Week 9 trip to Gatlinburg-Pittman. The Highlanders are coming off a banner 8-4 season. The season came to a close with a 49-14 loss to state runner-up Alcoa in the playoffs. The teams last met in the 2010 playoffs when the Highlanders ended the Warriors’ run.
October 23- Cumberland Gap
The Warriors will wrap up the home portion of the regular season with a date against Cumberland Gap. The Panthers went 1-9 last season, with their lone victory coming at North Greene. Cumberland Gap lost eight straight games to wrap up the season. It will be the first meeting between the Warriors and Panthers since 2008 which was the last year their shared a conference.
October 30- at South Greene
Happy Valley will wrap up the regular season with a trip to Rebel Hill to take on new conference mate South Greene. It will be the first meeting since the 2010 playoffs, which saw Happy Valley take a 28-21 victory, and the first regular season meeting since the two were conference mates in 2008.
