The Booneville Bearcats have filled a vacancy on their 2023 football schedule in a manner that is consistent with recent history.
The Bearcats will meet Class 5A Camden Fairview at Bearcat Stadium on September 8 (Week 2).
In recent years Head Coach Crowley has filled COVID or other cancellations with larger or highly competitive schools like Class 4A Warren, Oklahoma public 3A power Stigler, and even took his team to Timpson, Texas.
As was the case with those games, there weren’t a lot of takers for Booneville.
“We looked all over the state and region really. With it being the middle of a cycle there just weren’t a lot of options, especially considering we really need a home game this time,” said Crowley.
Crowley and his staff made calls all across the state and listed the open dates in neighboring states before agreeing to the game with Fairview today.
In 2022 the Bearcats were open Week 2 after playing Dollarway (Pine Bluff) in Week 0 and Ozark in Week 1.
However, Dollarway officials informed Crowley it doesn’t appear they will be able to complete the contract with a return game at Bearcat Stadium.
Camden Fairview was in the same situation with Dollarway as the two Cardinals had met Week 2 last year.
In 2022 Fairview, with a new head coach, was 10-3 and the runner-up to eventual state champion Little Rock Parkview in the 5A South. It was Fairview’s most wins since an 8-win campaign in 2014.
The Cardinals reached the 5A semifinals where they fell to Shiloh Christian. The Cardinals only other loss was to perennial 4A power Arkadelphia.
The addition of Camden Fairview completes a nonconference schedule of playoff teams that already included 4A Ozark and Harding Academy, who was the 4A runner-up.
It also means the Bearcats will not play in Week 0 and will not have a scheduled open date once the season starts on September 1.
