Week 0 football games kick off the season Friday with Poteau opening at home against Booneville, Arkansas, Summit Christian takes on Talihina at Central; Arkoma is home against Bluejacket and Pocola makes the lengthy jaunt to Antlers.
The other three LeFlore County football teams (Heavener, Panama and Spiro) open the season next week with Heavener at home against Central while Panama visits Spiro,
Poteau will take the field at Costner Stadium with its third coach in a year when the Pirates seek some revenge after losing at Booneville in the season opener last season. The game also ushers in a new era for Poteau football with Jake Hayes taking over the Pirates’ football program in his first game.
It should also provide a different look as Hayes is expected to bring a more wide-open offensive style than the run heavy offense which Poteau has utilized over the last decade. The Pirates finished 6-5 last year under interim head coach Mike Odom, who took over after Greg Werner resigned only four days before Poteau opened the 2024 season with a 14-10 loss at Booneville, which has been a traditional power in Arkansas for years. The Bearcats were 11-2 last year.
After reaching the state finals in Class A-II last season, Talihina will be looking for another successful run when the Golden Tigers open with Summit Christian. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Talihina but was moved this week to Central.
Talihina won the opener last year at Summit Christian, 62-28 en route to a 12-2 season. Summit Christian was 2-8 last season.
Pocola also looks for continued success after the Indians went 9-3 last year, including a 54-28 win over Antlers last year. The Bearcats finished 4-6.
The only other game featuring a LeFlore County team this week has Arkoma opening the season with an old face back on the sidelines as former Coach Jack Armstrong returns to the Mustangs’ sideline after serving three seasons as Heavener’s defensive coordinator. The Mustangs were 5-5 last season, including a 62-48 win over Bluejacket in the opener. Bluejacket was 4-6 in the 2024 season.
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