Homecoming is Friday, Lions host Gainesville

Vernon High School will celebrate homecoming at halftime of Friday’s football game with Gainesville. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

This will be the 20th meeting between the two programs, with Gainesville holding a 11-8 advantage all-time.
The Leopards are coming off a loss last Saturday 43-12 to Cedar Hill Trinity.
Gainesville was 2-8 last season, and was Vernon’s only victory, 52-41. Much has changed for Gainesville from last season, as they return just five defensive starters and three on offense from a year ago. The Leopards also have a new coach in Neil Searcy and they have dropped down a class to 4A DII.
“City View is over. All of our attention is on Gainesville now,” Vernon Coach Kevin Sherrill said. “This isn’t the same team we played last year. Their quarterback is the X factor. He’s a very good athlete. They run an option game with him, and why wouldn’t you, he can break it on any given play.”
In last week’s season opening game, Gainesville attempted two fourth down tries that failed, lost two fumbles and had two interceptions. Quarterback Cade Searcy, the coach’s son, had a 40-yard TD pass to DJ Massey and had a 7-yard TD run to account for the Leopards’ scoring. But the Leopards starting QB set out the second half last week with ice on his shoulder. Coach Sherrill expects him to be at full speed Friday.
“They are a different challenge. City View had good size up front. Gainesville is smaller, quicker. They are going to base their success on speed, and try to outquick us. They have solid linebackers that we will need to account for,” Coach Sherrill said.

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Vernon High School will celebrate homecoming at halftime of Friday’s football game with Gainesville. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The 2022 homecoming court includes (front row from left) Shamyra Straughter, Abigail Brabbin, Logan Gonzales, and Paige Patterson, (back row) Morgan Drennan, Alondra Rodriguez, Presleigh Smith, Audrey Armstrong, and Alyssa Flores.