By TOMMY BRYAN

MT. JULIET -- Veteran prep coaches and educators Troy Allen and Mark Purvis will share the duties of athletic director at Mt. Juliet High School this year according to principal Mel Brown. The pair will take on the responsibilities once shouldered by Tim Bell.

Bell, former assistant principal and AD at MJHS, is now the principal at Mt. Juliet Jun ior High School.

Game management, security measures, scheduling practice times, transportation, dealing with officials and ticket takers are just a few of the responsibilities the two will share during the fall / football season.

Purvis, the Golden Bear baseball coach, will take on many of those issues during winter / basketball while Allen coaches the Mt. Juliet boys basketball team. Allen will inherit those responsibilites in the spring.

All relationship issues such as evaluation of coaches and dealing with the TSSAA will be handled by Mr. Brown.

Speaking of the Bears, Mt. Juliet hosted defending state champion Oakland High in a football scrimmage Friday, July 31. The scrimmage saw Oakland scoring once against the Mt. Juliet varsity while the Bears did not muster any points against the Patriots. Turnovers, especially interceptions, plagued both squads.

Mt. Juliet will open the 2009 season at Nashville McGavock High Friday, August 29. Season tickets for Mt. Juliet's six home games are now on sale at the school's main office between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The home opener is September 4 vs. District 9AAA opponent Gallatin.