LITTLE ROCK — Shades of the Katrina Salt Bowl of 2005 — with Hurricane Isaac, recently downgraded to[more] a tropical storm, hammering the Gulf Coast, expectations that the heavy rains will hit Arkansas Thursday night and Friday, the Arkansas Activities Association has announced that several of Thursday and Friday's nights football games have been moved up to tonight.
Almost all of those games involve smaller schools, which play on grass fields.
Asked what the plans are for the Bryant freshman game against Hot Springs Lakeside on Thursday and the Bryant High School game against Conway, both at Bryant Stadium, Bryant athletic director said today, "I've been talking extensively with Steve Daniels, the A.D. at Conway; Paul Calley, our head football coach; (Bryant School Superintendent) Mr. (Randy Rutherford); and, of course, Steve has been in communication with their administration. Our approach to our ballgame versus Conway is that we're going to play that game Friday night unless it's just ridiculous weather.
"We have an inroad with a local meteorologist who is going to help guide us as to his best judgement (Thursday) afternoon," he continued. "We're going to contact him regarding Friday night's weather.
"My mindset is, we're going to play the game as scheduled," Lee stated. "Obviously, we're not going to play with sheet metal flying around or tornadic weather and such but football's football. We can deal with rain. So, if it's not severe, we're going to push on through.
"It's a giant undertaking when your football program is the size of ours and the people that we compete against to make changes in situations like this," he added. "Obviously, the safety of the kids, the safety of the coaches and the safety of the fans is paramount. We're not going to put people in jeopardy but, other than that, our plan is to push forward as scheduled."
In 2005, the remnants of the devastating Hurricane Katrina descended on central Arkansas the day of the Salt Bowl, the annual battle between the Hornets and the rival Benton Panthers at War Memorial Stadium. The game was played in high wind and a downpour with Benton claiming a 14-7 win. This year, the Salt Bowl will be the first 7A/6A-South Conference game for the two Saline County teams. It will once against be played at War Memorial on Friday, Sept. 21.
So far, the AAA reports that the following games, originally scheduled for this Friday, have been moved:
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Senior High
Game Time
Magnet Cove at Parkers Chapel 6:30 p.m.
Barton at DeWitt 7 p.m.
Poyen at Benton Harmony Grove 7 p.m. date corrected.
Prescott at Gurdon 7:30 p.m.
Junior High
Game Time
Mountain Home at LR Central (9th) TBD
Barton at DeWitt 5 p.m.
Pulaski Robisnon at England TBD
Woodlawn at Hermitage 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Senior High
Game Time
Southside Batesville at Cave City 6 p.m.
Nettleton at Newport 6:30 p.m.
Van Buren at Alma 7 p.m.
Atkins at Dover 7 p.m.
Westside Johnson County at Paris 7 p.m.
Two Rivers at Hector 7 p.m.
Beebe at Greenbrier 7 p.m.
Mills vs. LR Parkview (Quigley) 7 p.m.
Osceola at Blytheville 7:30 p.m.
Russellville vs. Parkview JV (Quigley Stadium)
Junior High
Game Time
Westside Johnson County at Paris 5 p.m.
Atkins at Dover 5 p.m.
Osceola at Blytheville 5:30 p.m.
Two Rivers at Hector 5:30 p.m.
Beebe at Greenbrier (8th Grade) 5:30 p.m.
Beebe at Greenbrier (9th Grade) 7 p.m.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Senior High
Game Time
Sheridan at LR Hall (Quigley) 7 p.m.
