After a few teams got their feet wet last week with some scrimmage action, prep football teams from around the area will get their final dress rehearsals over the next two days in preparations for the 2018 season right around the corner.

Mason County will head down to West Jessamine Friday, to take on West Jessamine, Montgomery County and Conner in a four-way scrimmage, Fleming County and Lewis County will play at the Eastern Kentucky Conference’s Grid-o-Rama on Friday and Saturday, respectively, Bracken County will head to Louisville to take on Kentucky Country Day Friday and Manchester will take on Northwest on Saturday.

The Royals will be going down to Nicholasville for the second straight year. Mason County got their first taste of opponent action last Saturday when they took on Greenup County. Details weren’t made available by press time, but if the scrimmage is similar to last year, teams will face one another on each half of the field and rotate.

Fleming County will face Nicholas County at 6 p.m., to kick off the EKC Grid-o-Rama at Bath County’s newly renovated field that features a turf field. The Panthers enter 2018 looking to replace 18 seniors from an 8-3 season and a district title while the Bluejackets look to respond from a 4-7 season a year ago. Fleming should have the depth to outman the Class A squad out of Carlisle as the Bluejackets have 29 players compared to the Panthers 50-plus. The nightcap in Owingsville should be a competitive contest as the host Wildcats take on Class A runner-up Raceland at 8 p.m.

Lewis County will take on Boyd County on Saturday at 6 p.m., in a battle of the Lions. Lewis County is aiming for an improved season, coming off a two-win campaign in ‘17. Boyd County wants no mention of 2017, failing to win a game all season. Saturday’s games will take place at Russell with the Red Devils and Rowan County to follow at 8 p.m.

The Grid-o-Rama format will have three 12-minute quarters and then a final 10-minute running clock quarter for JV to close out. Coaches will decide if they want live kickoffs prior to each game. Admission for the Grid-o-Rama at each site is $6. Children six and under get in free.

The EKC started in 1930 and is one of the oldest conferences in the state. Gary Kidwell enters his 22nd year as commissioner, taking over in 1996.

Grid-o-Rama has two sights with two other games taking place on Friday at East Carter, West Carter will take on Greenup County at 6 p.m. Fairview will take on East Carter at 8 p.m. to close the night out.

Bracken County will get a tough test before they begin their regular season as they take on KCD. The Bearcats went 11-2 last season, making the quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion Beechwood. They start the ‘18 season ranked No. 7 in the Lexington Herald-Leader’s preseason poll. The Polar Bears also enter with momentum from a solid season, going 9-3 and losing in the second round of the Class A playoffs to Paintsville.

Manchester will get their first taste of action against an opponent on Saturday, when they travel to Portsmouth to take on Northwest. The Greyhounds are coming off a 4-6 season and will open up their season a week later than Kentucky schools, as Ohio schools start their season on August 24. Manchester opens at Fayetteville-Perry.

Full team previews for each of the coverage area schools mentioned will be available in the August 17 edition. Also check out the team brief team video previews online, available at maysville-online.com/sports, or also on The Ledger Independent’s Facebook page and Twitter account @LedgerSports.

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Football preseason action a plenty around the coverage area

EVAN DENNISON

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