The Collierville High School football team opened the 2026 season Friday night with a tough 19-7 loss to visiting East Nashville at Dragon Stadium.

After a 90-minute weather delay caused by severe storms and lightning in the area, the Eagles quickly established control behind Western Kentucky commit Dallas Covington, who led East Nashville's offensive attack throughout the evening.

East Nashville struck first in the opening quarter when Cason Reed found the end zone on a 21-yard touchdown run, giving the Eagles an early 7-0 advantage.

The Dragons answered in the second quarter behind the efforts of senior running back Larry Johnson. Making his debut in a Collierville uniform, Johnson capped off a drive with a rushing touchdown to knot the game at 7-7.

The tie was short-lived, however, as Covington responded with a 21-yard touchdown run of his own to put East Nashville back on top. The Eagles took a 13-7 lead into halftime and never looked back.

Collierville struggled to generate offense in the second half as East Nashville's defense kept the Dragons off the scoreboard. The Eagles added an insurance touchdown late in the game to secure the 19-7 victory.

Despite the loss, Johnson provided a bright spot for the Dragons' offense, rushing 12 times for 60 yards while scoring Collierville's lone touchdown.

The Dragons will look to bounce back in Week 2 when they travel to Oxford, Mississippi, for a challenging road matchup on Friday, August 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.