It’s not quite déjà vu, but it kind of feels like it.
This time last year, we had to wait another week before the high school sports seasons could begin after everything was pushed back due to COVID-19.
So, given that teams had a Kickoff Classic and play their regular season games this week, plus spring ball and the summer workouts, it is different even if it feels the same.
But with Week #1 football games Lake Weir/Palatka and Union County/Fort White getting canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, you get the feeling of “oh no, here we go again.”
The Delta variant has already made an impact and we can only hope teams are able to navigate their way through what could be another stressful season. Good luck to all the schools this Fall.
“The Prep Zone” has partnered with MARC Radio and MainStreetDailyNews.com to provide even more local high school sports coverage, including a radio and an audio Game of the Week.
The Stephenson’s Septic Tank Service’s High School Football Games of the Week will kick off on Friday, Aug. 27.
We begin our coverage on radio (106.9 FM “I Am Country”) with a top 20 showdown between Alachua County and Marion County as No. 3 Buchholz (Gainesville) travels to No. 20 Trinity Catholic (Ocala).*
*Game was canceled at 5 p.m. on Thursday due to Covid issues. Instead we will broadcast P.K. Yonge at Eastside.
Join Mike Ridaught (Play-by-play) and Cam Parker (Color) beginning at 6:30 p.m. for the “Santa Fe College Pregame Show,” followed by kickoff at 7 p.m.
Join Nevada Cullen (Play-by-play) and Josh Kapke (Color) at 6:45 p.m. for pregame coverage of Yulee at No. 6 Hawthorne. The Hornets were Class 1A state runners-up last season. The kickoff is at 7 p.m. Click here to listen each week online.
Plus, join Ridaught and Marty Pallman every Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. for “The Prep Zone” sports show from Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville. The show airs on 106.9 FM and online at IamCountryRadio.com. Click here to listen to each radio game and show.
Pallman will also broadcast volleyball in the month of September (broadcast schedule TBA) and a select number of football games as part of our ‘video’ broadcasts.
2021 Football Broadcast schedule – subject to change
*106.9 FM “I am Country” –
^www.MainStreetDailyNews.com
Friday, Aug. 27
Buchholz (Gainesville) at Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 7 p.m.*
P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) at Eastside (Gainesville), 7 p.m.*
Yulee at Hawthorne, 7 p.m.^
Friday, Sept. 3
Bishop Moore (Orlando) at Gainesville – (Citizen’s Field), 7 p.m.*
Fort White at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Sept. 10
Hawthorne at Suwannee (Live Oak), 7:30 p.m.*
P.K. Yonge (Gainesville) at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Sept. 17
Santa Fe (Alachua) at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.*
Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) at Buchholz (Gainesville), 7 p.m.^
Friday, Sept. 24
Santa Fe (Alachua) at Gainesville – (Citizen’s Field), 7:30 p.m.*
West Port (Ocala) at Hawthorne, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Oct. 1
Leon (Tallahassee) at Buchholz (Gainesville) – (Citizen’s Field), 7:30 p.m.*
Williston at Newbery, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Oct. 8
Bell at Saint Francis Catholic Academy (Gainesville), 7 p.m.*
Branford at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Oct. 15
Middleburg at Gainesville – (Citizen’s Field), 7 p.m.*
Wildwood at P.K. Yonge (Gainesville), 7 p.m.^
Friday, Oct. 22
Buchholz (Gainesville) vs. Bolles (Jacksonville) at Bradford High (Starke), 7:30 p.m.*
Forest (Ocala) at Hawthorne, 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Oct. 29
Saint Francis Catholic (Gainesville) at Bronson, 7 p.m.*
Forest (Ocala) at Buchholz (Gainesville), 7:30 p.m.^
Friday, Nov. 5
Gainesville at Eastside (Gainesville), (Citizen’s Field), 7 p.m.*
South Sumter (Bushnell) at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.^
