Shelton, Sewanee live on internet broadcast today!

You can watch former Tornado quarterback Patrick Shelton lead his Sewanee Tigers against Washington & Lee today on live streaming video. Click here to watch the game live. Gametime is 2:30 PM, EST.

Around the World (ATW) Sportscast is partnering with Sewanee to provide high quality audio and video LIVE streaming and Video-On-Demand internet webcasts to promote their most valuable assets: THE STUDENT-ATHLETES…To their families, alums, fans, and community.

Shelton, Sewanee open season with road win

The Sewanee Tigers opened their 2008 season in Fulton, Missouri, to take on the Westminster College Blue Jays. The result was a 26-14 victory. Quarterback Patrick Shelton was 8-15-0 for 84 yards. He also had a net of six yards rushing, including a touchdown on a 4-yard keeper. For the game summary, click here. The Tigers have their home opener this Saturday when they host Washington & Lee.

HHS Alumni Update #4: Patrick Shelton

There is a definite sense of optimism on the campus of The University of the South this August. With 49 returners in better shape than they were a year ago and a record 43 freshmen from 17 states expected to produce some immediate results, the Tigers expect to turn some of their losses in 2007's 1-8 record into victories this year. The players have chosen the motto “finish” for the coming season.

A crucial element to any improvement this season is the return of Hickory's own Patrick Shelton at quarterback. Patrick won the job early last season and went 98-of-176 for 1,119 yards and six touchdowns. He also netted 106 yards rushing on 65 carries. The success of Sewanee's new pro-style offense will rest largely on his shoulders. At 6'1, 215 pounds Shelton has certainly been busy in the off-season preparing to lead his team.

"Last year I began by splitting time and ended up starting the last six games of the year," said Shelton. "We are intending to throw the ball more this year and I am hoping to complete over 60% of my passes and improve my efficiency rating from 111.25.

"Stats are nice," Shelton added. "But the real goal is to win games, and in order to do so we will need to score more points. I hope to put my team in a better position to do that this year. With an experienced corps of receivers coming back I feel that we could develop into a very potent passing attack."

Head coach Robert Black is pleased with the conditioning of his returning players and is confident that the hard work will pay off. He feels that the team should be more comfortable with the pro-style offense it used the last part of the 2007 season, focusing on high-percentage passes, but will keep the option game available as a change-of-pace.


















5 QUESTIONS FOR PATRICK SHELTON

1. What is your major? What career are you interested in pursuing after you graduate?

"I am majoring in Economics with an interest in Sports administration and management."

2. How would you assess the level of play in Division III football, particularly in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference?

"The level of play in Division III has dramatically increased over the years due to a larger pool of talent throughout the country. The SCAC is a very prestigious conference that sends competitive teams to the playoffs every year. One member, Trinity University, played for the Division III National Championship a couple of years back and thet are annually ranked in the Top 25. It's small college football but it's still college football."

3. Who else is in the SCAC?

"Conference members include Colorado College, Trinity University and Austin College in Texas, Depauw University in Indiana, Centre College in Kentucky, Millsaps College in Mississippi, Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, and along with Sewanee in Tennessee is Rhodes College, which is in Memphis.

4. What is your favorite memory of playing football at Hickory High?

"Beating Maiden and Bandys in “thrillers” my senior season in front of capacity crowds were two of my favorite sports moments as they helped us wrap up the school’s first conference title in over five years. Also, just being able to play under the lights with friends that I grew up with was special."

5. What advice would you offer your brother Kevin as he enters his senior season at Hickory?

"I would offer Kevin a lot of advice but most importantly just to have fun and enjoy it because it’s once in a lifetime. There is nothing like high school football. I would love to get to play just one more game for HHS. I wish him all the best and hope he leads his team to an outstanding and unforgettable season."

Sewanee opens its season September 6th on the road at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.

The South's Oldest College Football Field

Sewanee's McGee Field is the South's oldest college football field in its original location, and the fourth oldest in the nation.

In the first game ever played there, then called Hardee Field, on November 7, 1891, Sewanee lost to Vanderbilt, 22-0.

In 1897, Coach John Heisman (as in the Heisman Trophy) brought his undefeated Auburn team to Sewanee and had to settle for a scoreless tie.

In 1948, former Southeastern Conference commissioner Roy Kramer was on the Maryville College team that lost 12-6 there.

Coach Bobby Bowden of Florida State is 1-1 on the field as a player and coach. Bowden played there in 1951 for Howard College, which lost 41-0, and in 1959 he coached Howard (now Samford) to a 20-0 win.

And speaking of Florida State... The last time Sewanee played a major football power of any kind at McGee Field was in 1949 when Florida State paid a visit and came away with a slim 6-0 victory. The following year saw Sewanee go down to Tallahasse as the homecoming opponent for the Seminoles when FSU dedicated Doak Campbell Stadium. That was Sewanee's last hurrah on the big stage of college football.


But during Sewanee's first 50 years of football (1891-1940) produced a home record of 106-15-9 (85%). Within that first half century was a near-perfect run of 51-0-4 from 1894-1913, including 32 straight wins (1901-1911), with Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi State among the fallen foes. A 7-6 loss to Georgia in 1914 barely slowed the Tigers as they were 29-4-3 at home the next 12 years.

Another interesting fact about the 3,000-seat stadium is that there are no lights. There have never been lights and, consequently, there has never been a night game played up on the Mountain.

Perhaps the most-asked question ever concerning McGee Field is this: "What's the deal with the words Yea Sewanee's Right on the pressbox?" The answer is that the words Yeah Sewanee's Right are the surviving line of a vintage 1890s cheer that goes like this:

"Rip `em up! Tear `em up! Leave `em in a lurch. Down with the heathen. Up with the Church. Yea, Sewanee's Right!"

Tradition never graduates.