The Mountain Home Bombers football team begins its journey in 6A-West conference play this Friday, facing the Little Rock Catholic Rockets at War Memorial Stadium, one of Arkansas’s most historic sports venues. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., with a pregame show starting at 6 p.m.
Mountain Home and Little Rock Catholic have squared off 11 times in their history, with Catholic holding a narrow advantage in the series, 6-5. However, the Bombers have prevailed in the last two meetings, both of which took place during postseason play. This Friday’s game marks their first regular-season encounter since 2001.
The Bombers enter the matchup with a 2-1 record on the season. Speaking ahead of the game, Mountain Home Head Coach Steve Ary acknowledged the significance of playing at War Memorial Stadium and the unique challenges that venue brings. However, Ary’s team has faced additional hurdles this year, including adjusting practice schedules due to the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measure, which tracks heat and humidity levels. Practices have been shifted to nighttime, early mornings, or conducted indoors in the team’s gymnasium to ensure player safety during extreme weather.
Little Rock Catholic may be familiar to Mountain Home in recent years, but Ary noted this iteration of the Rockets brings a different dynamic. Despite that, Mountain Home is bolstered by the return of several key players who had been sidelined due to injuries. Ary expressed confidence that their presence would provide the Bombers with a significant boost heading into the game.
In addition to Mountain Home’s matchup, other key 6A-West conference games this week include Russellville hosting Little Rock Southwest, Van Buren traveling to Siloam Springs, and Lake Hamilton visiting Fort Smith Southside.
Fans can catch the Mountain Home and Little Rock Catholic game live on Classic Hits 101.7. It will also be available for streaming on the Bomber Sports Network YouTube channel, at mhbombersports.com, and on the Mountain Home Athletics app.