Top games, players to watch for Week 1 in Clarksville area high school football

It's high school football Week 1 as teams across the state prepare for their openers.

Every program in the Clarksville area will be in action Friday. Here is a guide to get you ready for prep football action this week.

Games to watch

Rossview at Clarksville 

When: 7 p.m.

The best-attended high school football game in the city kicks off another high school football season. This year, Hilda J. Richardson Field will be the scene for more than 3,500 fans who annually watch the battle for the Warfield Shield.

Rossview didn't show much during last Friday's jamboree but that could have been by design. With Clarksville coaches sitting in the Fortera Stadium stands at Austin Peay, Hawks coach Todd Hood wasn't going to give much away.

Robinson's pick: Clarksville 17, Rossview 14

Hopkinsville, Ky., at Kenwood 

When: 7 p.m.

Under new coach Les Greer, Kenwood looks like a new team. But 7-on-7s and preseason scrimmages are one thing. Now the Knights get to see just how far they've come against one of Kentucky's top Class 4A schools.

Robinson's pick: Hopkinsville 24, Kenwood 21

Sycamore at Montgomery Central 

When: 7 p.m.

Montgomery Central will debut quarterback Logan Sykes, but he'll have plenty of help. The Indians boast five senior offensive linemen and a running back coming off an 1,000-yard season in LaKendriez Sanders.

Robinson's pick: Montgomery Central 21, Sycamore 20

Players to watch

Quantae Hicks, Clarksville: The senior wide receiver gets his chance to showcase his skills as the Wildcats' No. 1 receiver.

D.J. Coffee, Rossview: Coffee will be the featured back, coming off an ACL tear that sidelined him all of last year.

Jaylen Washington, Kenwood: Washington was impressive at quarterback during Friday's jamboree. He completed a 78-yard TD pass and threw for two more scores.

Logan Sykes, Montgomery Central: Sykes is coming off a minor injury last week but should be 100 percent for Friday's game against Sycamore, a team that finished with four wins last year, including a 10-7 loss to the Indians.

Tyler Niebel, Sycamore: Niebel returns as Sycamore's most dangerous weapon. He ran for more than 1,400 yards last year.

LaKendriez Sanders, Montgomery Central: Everyone knows Sanders will be the Indians' workhorse. Sycamore knows it, too. But stopping Sanders could be difficult.

Reece Jesse, Hopkinsville: Jesse is big (6-foot-3) and fast on the outside as the Tigers' wide receiver. He's considered one of the top players in western Kentucky and will be huge part of former Franklin and Hillsboro coach Criag Clayton's offense.

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Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports. 

Friday's other games

RePublic at Clarksville Academy, 7 p.m.

Northeast at Riverdale, 7 p.m.

Hunters Lane at Northwest, 7 p.m.

Greenbrier at West Creek, 7 p.m.

Houston County at McEwen, 7 p.m.

Crittenden County at Fort Campbell, 7 p.m.

South Fulton at Stewart County, 7:30 p.m.