Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

8/27/2010 at 2:25pm

Image by Tre Baker

Cabot Coach Mike Malham and Jacksonville Coach Rick Russell share the podium to discuss their Tuesday night game at the Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic at War Memorial Stadium.

The second annual Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic wraps up with a classic rivalry game: Cabot vs. Jacksonville. They've met on Thanksgiving, as conference rivals in the season finale, and now as neighbors in difference classifications leading off the season.

Cabot and Jacksonville kick off at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at War Memorial Stadium, about 15 minutes following the conclusion of the Little Rock Parkview-Little Rock Mills clash that starts at 5 p.m.

The Kickoff Classic, presented by First Security Bank and sponsored by ArkansasSports360.com and KABZ 103.7 The Buzz, opens Monday with Sylvan Hills playing Vilonia at 5 p.m. and Pulaski Academy and CAC facing off at 7:30 p.m.

In the 29 years that Mike Malham has guided the Cabot Panthers, the teams have met 26 times (once in the playoffs, in 1987), and Cabot holds a 16-10 advantage. Now starting his 30th year as a head coach, Malham looks to have his Panthers contending for both the 7A-Central conference and state championships.

Jacksonville had a late-in-the-day coaching change this summer, when Mark Whatley left to take the offensive coordinator's job at Springdale High. Rick Russell, fresh off one season at North Pulaski after 14 years on the Jacksonville coaching staff, was summoned to take over the Red Devils. "The transition has been great. I already knew most of the players. We tweaked the offense a little bit and we're doing the same things we've done on defense," he said.

The two coaches met with the media earlier this week to discuss the game and the rivalry.

Read about Jacksonville's team through features and notes in the August 2010 ArkansasSports360.com magazine by clicking here.

Cabot will depend on several seniors to take over leadership roles, and the Panthers have a do-it-all athlete in safety/kicker Logan Spry who will be a key this season. Read about the Panthers in a feature and notes from the August 2010 issue by clicking here.

Tickets at $7 for both games Tuesday are available through Monday at Jacksonville High School, the home team for Tuesday's game. They will be available at the gate at War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday.

Tagged: Cabot Panthers, Jacksonville Red Devils, 2010 Arkansas High School Kickoff Classic, KABZ 103.7 The Buzz, Mike Malham, Rick Russell