Shreveport – A night to remember. A proud moment. A significant achievement. Thursday night was all those things and more for Centenary College and its athletics department.
Centenary returned to the gridiron for the first time since the 1940's on Thursday evening as the Gents played host to the East Texas Baptist University Tigers in front of an overflow crowd of eager fans at Mayo Field.
A record-high temperature did not deter the frenzied group of Maroon and White supporters from packing Centenary's on campus stadium previously reserved for just soccer and lacrosse.
The Gents, led by head coach and Shreveport native Byron Dawson, scrimmaged the Millsaps College Majors last Saturday in Jackson, Miss. to prep for Thursday's home showcase. Centenary features a roster of over 70 players including several from the Shreveport-Bossier area in addition to 15 out of state players.
The first portion of Thursday's scrimmage was a situational style followed by a live scrimmage for two quarters. Fans caught glimpses of the speed, athleticism, and talent of the Gents and what is to come.
A sea of Maroon and White fans welcomed the Gents to the field before the scrimmage and a special pregame ceremony which included the color guard from Parkway High School and a riveting singing of the national anthem juiced up the atmosphere, as the anticipation and significance of the moment was palpable.
"I believe that football is the greatest unifier and tonight we witnessed that on the Centenary campus," said Dawson.
"People from all walks of life came together to support college football in a family- friendly setting. I am so happy for all of the people who worked so hard to make this special night possible. I am blessed and humbled to be entrusted to lead Centenary into a new football era. I would like to thank everyone that took out the time to come support our Gentlemen. Now We Go!"
Centenary's previous football history began with the Gents' first game in the fall of 1894 and ended in November of 1941, with a brief attempted revival in 1947 and again in the 1960s. More than a half-century later, the sport is back on campus. This season will feature scrimmages and exhibition contests before the Maroon and White play NCAA division III contests in 2024.
See Centenary's complete schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/fball/2023-24/schedule
All dates and times are subject to change.
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