Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

8/24/2010 at 8:34pm

Image by Tre Baker

Sylvan Hills football coach Jim Withrow (left) with Vilonia coach Jim Stanley share the podium at Monday's press conference announcing the 2010 Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic at War Memorial Stadium.

Each day for the rest of this week, ArkansasSports360.com will highlight one of the four games that make up this year's Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic at War Memorial Stadium.

The games: Sylvan Hills vs. Vilonia, 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30; CAC vs. Pulaski Academy, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30; LR Parkview vs. LR Mills, 5 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 31; Jacksonville vs. Cabot, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 31. Tickets are $7 per day (two games for one price), available through the home schools (teams listed first on the preceding list of games).

The Kickoff Classic is presented by First Security Bank and sponsored by ArkansasSports360.com and KABZ 103.7 The Buzz.

Today, we highlight the Sylvan Hills Bears-Vilonia Eagles matchup.

Coaches Jim Withrow of Sylvan Hills and Jim Stanley of Vilonia were face-to-face Monday at the press conference at War Memorial Stadium announce the Kickoff Classic and the matchups.

Read Sylvan Hills' preview from our Kickoff Classic program and August 2010 digital magazine here.

Read about Vilonia in its preview from the program and the August 2010 digital magazine here.

Sylvan Hills will have 7 newcomers on offense and 10 on defense as it tries to rebuild from a 5-6 season that included a Class 5A playoff appearance. After starting the season 0-5, the Bears ran off five straight 5A-Southeast wins to qualify for the playoffs. Two-way starter Alex Smith (offensive guard, defensive end) returns for his third season as a Bears starter.

Vilonia, whose offense will be led by senior quarterback Drew Knowles, senior running back Zac Mitchell and speedy power back James Sax, will have the upper hand in experience against the Bears. Vilonia also got a taste of the playoffs last year, but were rudely since home in round one by eventual 5A state champion Monticello 31-0.

Neither team has played each other on the varsity level in recent memory, but being in the same classification and a short distance from each other, both coaches said Monday they'd like to see a rivalry start.

Tickets for the game will be available at the gate on Monday, also for $7. Exclusive club level tickets in the new War Memorial Stadium press box are being sold by the stadium for $100, with $70 of that going to the WMS Improvement Foundation and $20 going to the team of the ticket buyer's choice. Call Nancy Toland at the Stadium Office for information on the club seats, which include full food service (with waitstaff). Only 130 club seats (second level of the press box) are being sold. First-level club seating is being made available by KABZ 103.7 The Buzz to VIPs only.

(Editor's note: We realize the date on the video accompanying the story says Monday, Aug. 31, and that is incorrect; the game is Monday, Aug. 30, but the error could not be fixed by press time; the chyron intern has been fired for the mistake).

Tagged: Alex Smith, James Sax, Vilonia Eagles, Sylvan Hills Bears, 2010 Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic, Drew Knowles, Zac Mitchell, Jim Stanley, Jim Withrow