5 KEY GAMES
Melbourne at Charleston (Aug. 23)
Two of the top quarterbacks in Class 3A will meet in this Zero Week opener. Melbourne junior Gabe Lawrence broke out in 2017, passing for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns to lead the Bearkatz to the Class 3A postseason. As for Charleston senior Brayden Caudle, he threw 38 scoring passes as the Tigers won the 4-3A Conference. Charleston has been one of the Class 3A's top programs, so a victory here for Melbourne would be one of the program's biggest since starting varsity football in 2012.
Heber Springs at Clinton (Aug. 31)
Clinton enters the 2018 season with high expectations after a 12-victory season in 2017. The Yellowjackets get the season started against longtime rival Heber Springs. The Panthers finished in a three-way tie for the 2-4A Conference championship a year ago with Southside Batesville and Stuttgart. The series, which began in 1939, is tied at 38-38-5.
Rison at McGehee (Sept. 28)
Rison moves up from Class 2A to Class 3A this season and joins the 6-3A Conference, led by state contender McGehee. The Owls went undefeated at home in 2017, so this will be a big test for the Wildcats, who are led by University of Arkansas oral commitment Malik Chavis. The Owls counter with QB Cory Clark and WB Dewayne Bailey, two of the top athletes in Class 3A.
Mayflower at Glen Rose (Sept. 28)
Mayflower's twin duo of running backs Deon and Keon Simmons will lead the Eagles against Glen Rose, a perennial Class 3A state contender. Deon Simmons rushed for 2,562 yards and 40 touchdowns last season for Mayflower, which won the 2-3A Conference championship. This season, the Eagles are in the 4-3A Conference with the Beavers. Glen Rose is coming off a 5-3A Conference championship, but was defeated by Newport at home in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Booneville at Charleston (Oct. 19)
These two teams separated by 16 miles are in the same conference again -- the 1-3A -- after a two-year hiatus when Booneville was in Class 4A. This year's matchup features the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's preseason No. 1 and No. 5 teams in Class 3A. Booneville won the last meeting in 2015 39-32 at home. But this year's game is in Charleston, where the Tigers have not lost a regular-season game since the second week in 2015 to Prairie Grove.
Sports on 08/15/2018