That's right football fans, it's August and that means that the football season can't be too far behind. Further evidence of that fact will be provided next Wednesday, Aug. 6 as the Piggott Mohawks begin their pre-season practice.

Last year was a strange one for the Tribe, which qualified for post season play by virtue of some excellent play and the forfeiture of a couple of conference games. This year it's going to be a whole 'nother ballgame and I don't see any of the programs we're scheduled to face folding their tents early.

The new alignment will re-acquaint Mohawk fans with the Rivercrest Colts, and some old-timers may remember playing the Manila Lions in days gone by. The Colts and Lions are new conference foes, along with Cave City and Earle..while famaliar foes Harrisburg, Hoxie and Corning remain in 3A-3.

The senior high non-conference schedule will begin with a home game against the Valley View Blazers on Friday, Sept. 5..the following Friday the Tribe will visit the Caruthersville Tigers and they'll close out the non-conference schedule with a trip to Clarendon on Friday, Sept. 19. The following Friday, we'll visit Cave City for the first conference game of the year.

On Friday, Oct. 3 the Mohawks will host the Earle Bulldogs for homecoming..then have road games at Harrisburg and Hoxie before returning home for games against Rivercrest and Manila on Oct. 24 and 31 respectively. The senior Mohawks will end the reglar season on Thursday, Nov. 6 on the road at Corning.

The Mohawks return several players on both sides of the football this year, and should be in the hunt for another playoff appearance barring any major injuries.

Hooten's coaches' poll has picked the Tribe to finish sixth this season..behind Hoxie, Earle, Rivercrest, Harrisburg and Corning..and ahead of Cave City and Manila. Hoxie, Earle, Harrisburg, Corning and Cave City were all playoff teams last year, while Rivercrest had an off-season in 4A and finished at 2-8 with their only wins over Greene County Tech and Jonesboro Westside. But don't feel bad for the Colts, over the school's history they have a playoff record of 33-23.

With Shiloh Christian, and their 26-2 record the past two years, moving up to 4A Hooten's is picking the Prescott Curley Wolves as the team to beat in 3A. Needless to say, Coach Dave Hendrix and the Piggott Mohawks would like another shot at the team that ended their season last fall in the first round of the playoffs.

The junior Mohawks, coming off an 8-1 season that found them just a few points shy of a conference title, will kick-off their season on Sept. 11 as they host Corning.

This fall will also mark the 30th anniversary of the opening of the "new" Parker Field, which debuted with a junior high game against Gosnell on Aug. 30, 1978. We'll have more on that milestone in the weeks to come.

If you have suggestions you can respond to this blog, or email me at piggotttimes@centurytel.net