Friday night when the Christian County Colonels football team takes the field for the last time against the Hopkinsville Tigers, one player already will have taken the field that night.
Colonels’ junior kicker Jayleigh Campbell also is a member of the Colonels Marching Band that will perform before the game.
It’s no daunting task for Campbell, who already has played the last ever soccer game between the Lady Colonels and Lady Tigers.
That’s right. Campbell started on the soccer team, kicks for the football team, and is a standout member of the Christian County Colonel band.
In soccer, Campbell was one of the top offensive players on the team with six goals and an assist.
Campbell’s father Kodie played football at Christian County and coached middle school football at CCMS. He asked her one day in middle school to kick at practice. After seeing the result, she became part of the football team.
She began playing in the band in the sixth grade. Campbell plays the Saxophone Alto in the Colonel Band, which has an excellent chance at winning the state championship this weekend.
Her band coach, Anthony Darnall, said Campbell excels in everything she does.
Diving her time between the two sports and band would be difficult for most students, but Campbell said she hasn’t had any issues because her coaches have been willing to share her talents.
On the football field, Campbell has at least one tackle and has made six extra-point kicks this season. Her longest field goal made is 38 yards in practice. She also handles all the kick off duties in the football games. Her absence at the Caverna game was obvious as the Colonels’ kicking game suffered all night.
Last weekend, after a bad snap on a point-after kick, Campbell picked up a loose ball and was tackled hard by a McCracken County defender. Unhurt, Campbell got up and slammed the ball down to the turf in frustration.
Colonels’ Interim Head Coach Kelly Myers said Campbell is one of his toughest players and he wishes he had more players with her attitude.
This Friday night is the last Hoptown-County football game and Campbell is excited about the opportunity to compete for a state band title on Saturday.
Campbell is the first girl to play football for the Colonels since Kimberly Hyde kicked for the team in 2011.
Friday night’s football game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Gates and alumni activities are planned for 5 p.m.
Airtime for the game will be at 6:45 p.m. with the Hopkinsville broadcast on 99.3 FM and 1230 AM WHOP while the Colonels broadcast will be on 95.3 The Farm and 953thefarm.com.
Tickets to the game are $10 and will be available online at gofan.com.
Here is the link to purchase tickets: https://gofan.co/event/3738336?schoolId=KY863
Photos by Joe Wilson, Danny Vowell, and Provided