Last Friday night, every football team in Missouri got their first chance to hit someone other than their teammates during preseason jamborees throughout the state.

This Friday night, it will be week one of the regular season.

For the five Warden Publishing Company football teams (Owensville, Hermann, Linn, Cuba (Steelville) and St. James) it will be a rivalry week of sorts.

Randy Crowe’s Owensville Dutchmen will be facing Eldon’s Mustangs for the 14th time since the end of the 2015 season.

Nearly knocking off the Mustangs last fall before ending up on the wrong side of a 13-8 final score, Owensville will be after their first win overall against Eldon since a 35-31 victory back in 2023 on the road and their first victory at home over the visiting Mustangs since a 47-0 shutout back in 2020.

Jed Leeper’s Hermann Bearcats will have a short road trip across the Missouri River bridge into Montgomery City to face the Montgomery County Wildcats in a Highway 19 cat fight at Montgomery County High School (MCHS).

In spite of losses to the Wildcats the last two seasons, Hermann leads the series 13-6 dating back to the 2010 season.

Falling twice to Montgomery County last year during regular season and district play, Leeper’s Bearcats will look to return to their winning ways against their Highway 19 rivals to the north.

Up in Osage County, there should be some Ted Nugent blaring across the stadium in a cat scratch fever showdown between the host Linn Wildcats and visiting Cuba Wildcats.

Starting this fall, Cuba is partnered with Steelville in a cooperative agreement between the two schools on the gridiron.

Since Linn restarted their varsity football program back in the fall of 2024, Cuba has defeated the Wildcats out of Osage County twice.

Cuba will be looking to make it three in a row over Linn while the Wildcats out of Osage County will go for their first win over any team outside of Missouri Military Academy.

Down in Phelps County, St. James’ Tigers will welcome their Highway 68 rivals to the south in Salem’s Tigers to St. James’ multipurpose complex Friday night for a gridiron grudge match.

While Salem owns a 9-5 advantage in the series going back to 2008, St. James’ Tigers have won the last five showdowns and will look to make it a six pack of gridiron victories over their Highway 68 rivals to the south.

Other area games involving Four Rivers Conference (FRC) teams include a Highway 100 match up between the Pacific Indians and St. Francis Borgia Knights in Washington.

Sullivan’s Eagles will also host Rolla’s Bulldogs in a showdown of Interstate 44 football squads.

Highway 47 bragging rights will also be up for grabs Friday night in Franklin County when the Union Wildcats will host Washington’s Blue Jays on Del Rinne Field inside E.A. Stierberger Stadium.

With mostly clear skies and a low of 65 degrees currently forecasted for Friday night, it should be an ideal night weather wise for high school football.