Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Bears open the season at Logan County High School in the Lewisburg Bank Bowl Friday, August 18. The Bears will take on the Russellville Panthers.  Kickoff is set for a  5:30 p.m. kickoff.

Scouting Report- Russellville Panthers

Russellville, in 2022, went 1-10 overall on the season. This year's Panthers are excited about the season, returning many starters on both sides of the ball. In a pre-season

scrimmage with Hopkinsville HS last week, the final was a 19-13 loss by Russellville. The Panthers are a new look and a year older and look to be hungry for success.

Week one is always a game of highs and lows. How will both teams handle tonight? 

Turnovers, the kicking game, offense, defense - all of these are factors for tonight’s season opening game of 2023.

The Bears 2023 embark on a new season with many new opponents and a move in classification.  Butler County football, almost since its beginnings in 1966, have been

Class 2A, but student enrollment increase has moved the Bears to Class 3A. Reclassification by the KHSAA is every four years. The new district features Franklin-Simpson HS, Glasgow HS, Adair Co. HS, and Hart Co. HS.  Notably, this new district features Franklin-Simpson HS, who in recent years won back-to-back

State Class 4A Championships in 2017 & 2018. A drop in enrollment moved Franklin-Simpson to Class 3A for 2023.

Coach Brandon Embry & staff hope to build on the two preseason scrimmages. Leadership by Bears with varsity game experience are the key tonight in this week #1 matchup. In recent years in the series of Russellville/Butler, Russellville leads the series with 12 wins, 2 losses. The Bears' wins came in 2019, and last year in the season opener in 2022.

High school football Friday night lights are here.  Join the action tonight and note again the special kickoff time at 5:30 p.m. as the Bears open on the road to begin the season.