The Backyard Brawl’s back
By Mark Buffalo / Staff Writer / mbuffalo@cabotstarherald.com
Friday, August 29, 2008 10:55 AM CDT
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| Jacksonville football player and Cabot football player Zach Coy hold the trophy for the winner of the First Arkansas Bank Backyard Brawl, which will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Jan Crow Stadium in Jacksonville. Also pictured are, from left, Jeffrey Tillman, Micaiah Davis and Coach Mark Whatley of Jacksonville, Nick Pledger and Coach Mike Malham of Cabot and Larry Wilson, president of First Arkansas Bank. (by Mark Buffalo) |
First Arkansas Bank & Trust is sponsoring the first Backyard Brawl between the Cabot Panthers and Jacksonville Red Devils football teams. A traveling trophy will be presented to the winner of the Tuesday’s game at Jan Crow Stadium in Jacksonville. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
The announcement for the game was made on Friday at the main branch of First Arkansas Bank & Trust.
“It is our pleasure today to announce our sponsorship of the Backyard Brawl between the Jacksonville Red Devils and the Cabot Panthers,” said Larry Wilson, president and chief executive officer of First Arkansas Bank & Trust. “There shouldn’t be any conflicts with any other games that night and we should have a great crowd.”
For many years, Cabot and Jacksonville played in the final regular season game when both teams were members of the AAAAA-East conference. Two years ago, the old Class AAAAA was cut in half and Cabot plays in the upper division (7A) while Jacksonville is in the lower division (6A).
“This game brings together two teams who have played each other for many, many years,” Wilson said. “I remember, as a child, going in a caravan to watch the Cabot game from Jacksonville. The winner of this game determined the conference championship on several occasions. There is a lot of history here and tradition.
“It should be a great game again this year and for many years in the future.”
Both Jacksonville Coach Mark Whatley and Cabot Coach Mike Malham spoke to the media on Friday.
Malham started his coaching career at Jacksonville as an assistant to Bill Reed.
“This is a big game in my mind,” Malham said. “It has been a big game over the years. When we were in the same conference back in the 1990s, it was always Jacksonville and Cabot playing for the conference championship. Now that we’re not in the same conference, I think it is a great opener to get the football season under way.
“It is a great game and a great rivalry. We’re pleased to be a part of it.”
Whatley played football at Jacksonville and Malham was his coach during Whatley’s senior year.
“It is still intimidating to walk out on that field with that man,” Whatley said of Malham.”
He did agree with Malham about opening the season against each other.
“It is a great way to open the season,” Whatley said. “We have two communities which are very involved in their school districts and supporting our young people in every phase, academically and athletically.
“We’re excited. We’re going to be a young football team. One thing about it, you find out real quickly where you stand.”
