Before I became a sports writer, two friends and I would often drive to watch the best games in the area instead of staying home to watch the local teams play.
That’s how I got to see Michael Cage and Keith Lee on those West Memphis teams that dominated high school basketball in Arkansas. So, if you’re uncommitted on Friday nights, here are some top football games in the area you and your friends should consider.
Aug. 24 — Pulaski Academy at Springdale Har-Ber
Har-Ber faces Pulaski Academy, a Class 5A powerhouse that never punts. Fourth-down gambles would get a lot of college coaches fired, but the strategy has long worked out well for coach Kevin Kelley, who has led the Bruins to four consecutive state championships.
Aug. 24 — Pea Ridge at Harrison
This is a battle of conference champions and a test for Pea Ridge, which could be reassigned to Class 5A in 2020. Pea Ridge finished 12-2 last year after reaching the championship with a 13-2 record in 2016.
Aug. 31 — Hermitage at Decatur
Looking for something a little quirky with plenty of scoring? Then eight-man football, which returns to Arkansas for the first time since the 1960s, is for you.
The Hermitage Hermits provide the opposition for the Bulldogs, who could surpass the 20 points they scored in nine games last year in the first quarter.
Aug. 31 — Owasso, Okla., at Fayetteville
Bill Blankenship returns to Harmon Field with a team that won the Oklahoma Class 6A-I state title, breaking the hold Jenks and Tulsa Union had on it for several years.
Blankenship spent one year at Fayetteville and led the Bulldogs to a state championship before returning to the Tulsa area, where he has family. This a premier matchup with two highly successful coaches in Blankenship and Billy Dawson, who took over at Fayetteville after leading Russellville to the Class 6A state championship in 2016.
Sept. 7 — Bryant at Benton-ville West
Teams from the 7A-West Conference have been frustrated by Bryant, which beat Fayetteville twice last year and eliminated Har-Ber from the playoffs in 2016. Bryant begins the year ranked No. 2 in the Overall poll, followed by West at No. 3.
Sept. 8 — Aledo, Texas vs. Bentonville in Shreveport, La.
Teams from Arkansas always like to test themselves again teams from Texas, where the best high school football is played. Here’s Bentonville’s chance, and the Tigers will try to do it in the Independence Bowl.
Aledo went 15-1 last year and lost by one point in a state championship game played before more than 28,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Sept. 21 — Harrison at Morrilton
These two teams were part of the four-way tie for first place in the 5A-West last year, and they’re picked as the favorites this year. This was a 35-34 game last year, with Gabe Huskey scoring on a 14-yard run to provide the winning margin for the Goblins.
Oct. 12 — Pea Ridge at Prairie Grove
This is a battle of top contenders in Class 4A. Prairie Grove is home after Pea Ridge ended the Tigers’ 24-game conference winning streak last season.
Oct. 19 — Benton at Greenwood
Former Lincoln coach Brad Harris returns to area to face Greenwood, which went 14-0 last year while claiming its eighth state championship.
Benton is picked second in the league and the Panthers feature senior running back Zak Wallace, who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior. Fans will also want to keep an eye on Greenwood’s Peyton Holt, a baseball and football standout who caught over 100 passes last year.
Oct. 19 — Charleston at Booneville
Booneville drops down to Class 3A, which means the 3A-1 Conference championship will likely be decided between the Bearcats and Tigers on this night. Charleston was 12-1 last year while Booneville went 10-2 in Class 4A.
Oct. 26 — Morrilton at Farmington
So, you like recruiting?
This is your chance to see Morrilton quarterback Jacolby Criswell, a junior who has already been offered scholarships by Arkansas and Georgia. Criswell is a dual threat who threw for nearly 2,000 yards and rushed for just under 1,000 yards as a sophomore.
Nov. 2 — Bentonville West at Bentonville
Northwest Arkansas’ newest rivalry heats up again when Benton-ville and Bentonville West meet to end the regular season. The atmosphere was electric last season and another conference championship could be at stake again when these teams meet again at Tiger Stadium.
Rick Fires can be reached at rfires@ nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWARick.