The Yellville-Summit Panthers (1-2) will open their 3A-2 conference football schedule tonight with a road game against the Salem Greyhounds. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Greyhound Stadium in Salem.
The Panthers are coming off a dominant 58-22 home victory over West Fork last week, fueled by a strong passing offense that showed significant improvement. Head coach Justin McCarthy has been working to refine the team’s execution, recognizing the challenge of facing a well-prepared Salem squad.
The Greyhounds, under head coach Billy Webber, will also kick off their conference campaign with tonight's game. The team returns to full strength with key players recovering from injuries, and Webber emphasized the importance of starting this "second season" strong, especially on their home turf.
Elsewhere in area football tonight, the Mountain View Yellowjackets (1-2) will host the Newport Greyhounds in their own 3A-2 conference opener. Mountain View enters the game with momentum following a 35-0 shutout of Manila, where George Rector scored four touchdowns. However, head coach Curtis Sims highlighted Newport's speed across all positions as a potential challenge. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Mountain View.
Another regional powerhouse in action is the Ava Bears (2-2), who will travel to Salem, Missouri, to face the local Greyhounds. Ava secured a tight 17-14 win over Liberty last week with a late-game interception. Head coach Casey Merrifield hopes to build on his team's resilient performance and will rely on the running game to contend for a third victory this season. The game begins at 7 p.m.
In West Plains, the Zizzers (3-1, 1-1) will host Hillcrest for homecoming. West Plains aims to bounce back from a surprising 45-14 conference loss last week. Head coach Brock Kenaga has focused on improving the running game during practice. Kickoff at Zizzer Stadium is also at 7 p.m.
In 8-man football, the third-ranked Izard County Cougars (3-0) will visit Cave City for a nonconference game. The Cougars delivered a dominant 60-8 win against Woodlawn last week, and head coach Carr Hill believes his team is gaining confidence as the season progresses. Izard County previously defeated Cave City 26-22 two weeks ago and will seek another victory tonight at 7 p.m.
Fans across the region can look forward to an evening of competitive Arkansas high school football, as teams aim to start strong in conference play or build momentum for the rest of their seasons.