CAMDEN — By PATRIC FLANNIGAN
Sports editor
The excitement is at a new level for the Harmony Grove Hornets as it prepares to open its season in the 2017 Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Kickoff Classic, presented by hootens.com. The Hornets will play the 3A Smackover Buckaroos at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 29 at Southern Arkansas University's Wilkins Stadium.
The Hornets beat the Buckaroos in Smackover in 2016, 34-6.
Harmony Grove Head Football Coach Tony Chambers took a few minutes to speak with the Camden News about the ABCBS Kickoff Classic and noted that this will be his first time coaching in the event.
"The school has played in (the Kickoff Classic) before in 2009 against Bearden," Chambers said. "This will be the first time we will get to play in it since I've been here so I'm excited, the boys are excited and the fans are excited."
Chambers said that the Hornets football team and the Hornets cheerleaders had a fun time when visiting the Statehouse Convention Center on Tuesday for the announcement that it was selected to play in the Kickoff Classic. During the event, H.G.'s John Cox won an ice cream eating contest against a Smackover player.
When asked if his players are looking forward to playing on a college campus and on turf, Chambers said his team was "ready." Because it is a Tuesday night and SAU will be back in session, he believes there will be a big crowd. He also hopes to see his team play on turf two more times this season.
"It's a long season and anything can happen but we hope that we will get to play on turf three times this year," Chambers explained. "We will play at SAU, then we go to Glen Rose, then if we handle our business during the season and everything goes right, we'll be at War Memorial the second week of December."
Fans are strongly encouraged to buy tickets for the game in Harmony Grove to prevent long lines on game day and to show support for the school district. Tickets are $7 and will be available during registration at the school from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 3 and by contacting a H.G. coach or administrator. The tickets will also permit entry into the Hampton vs. Prescott game that will follow the H.G. vs. Smackover game.