Russellville’s 2015 football schedule is more notable about who’s not on it than who is. For the first time in five years, the Mayfield Cardinals are nowhere to be seen.
What you’re hearing now is a collective sigh of relief all around Pantherland.
Coach Joe Morris’ Cardinals have reached the state championship game at WKU the last six seasons. They are 3-3 in that span—three state Class 1A championships and three runner-up finishes.
Two years ago, most folks who regularly came to Russellville’s Rhea Stadium believed that Coach John Myers had the second best team in the state in Class A. Unfortunately, the best team was in the same district and region.
Now Mayfield’s student body has increased enough that the Cardinals will play in Class 2A, presumably for the next four years at a minimum.
Good-bye! Have a nice time.
They have traded places with the Rockets of Crittenden County, which is returning to Class 1A after a visit to higher ground. Coach Al Starnes’ team from Marion is generally competitive, but it is not Mayfield. The Rockets went 4-7 in 2014.
Remaining in the district are two of the state’s smallest schools, Fulton County and Fulton City.
Otherwise the Panthers will go against a number of familiar foes, including their oldest rival, Franklin-Simpson; their closest rival, Logan County; historically three of their toughest opponents, Fort Campbell, Murray and Trigg County; and neighboring schools Todd Central and Butler County.
A twist in the order of opponents finds Franklin-Simpson, which sat in the second spot for decades, now last on the docket on Halloween Eve, Oct. 30, at Franklin. Usually both of those teams are preparing to open the playoffs the following week.
The Panthers will entertain Coach Steve Duncan’s Cougars at Rhea Stadium on 9-11.
The schedule also shows an Aug. 14 meeting with always powerful Glasgow, but that is a scrimmage which does not count on the record.
2015 Panther Football
Russellville High School
Varsity Schedule
Date Opponent Location Time
8/14 Glasgow Away 6:00
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8/21 Trigg Co. Away 7:00
8/28 Ft. Campbell Home 7:00
9/4 Butler Co Away 7:00
9/11 Logan Co. Home 7:00
9/18 Todd Co. Home 7:00
9/25 Murray Home 7:00
10/2 Fulton Co. Home 7:00
10/9 Open
10/16 Fulton City Away 7:30
10/23 Crittenden Co. Away 7:00
10-30 F-S Away 7:00
Junior Varsity
Date Opponent Location Time
8/24 Logan Co. Away 6pm
9/10 Todd Central Away 6pm
9/14 Warren East Away 6pm
9/24 Franklin-Simpson Away 6pm
10/1 Butler Co. Home 6pm
10/12 Todd Central Home 6pm
10/22 South Warren Away 6pm
Italicized JV games have not been confirmed