Ah, footbah

Here are this weekend's games that intrigue me (kickoffs tonight unless noted otherwise):

Lexington Lafayette vs. Bell County and Bowling Green (No. 1 in the Associated Press Class 5A poll) vs. Lexington Henry Clay. These two games comprise the opening day of something called the "FCPS iHigh.com Football Frenzy" and are to be played "at Various Sites," per the KHSAA. Bell County's football team made the news this week (and not just because the Bobcats, ranked third in the state in Class 3A by the AP, opened their first season under Wayne Mills, who replaced one of Kentucky's two tied-for-all-time-winningest coaches, with a loss). The Houston Chronicle and a lot of the Christianity-advocacy media picked up the story that there will no longer be a pre-game prayer over the public-address system at Bell County home games. "A long-time tradition at Bell County High School has been discontinued, to the dismay of the district superintendent and many in the community," Anthony Cloud reported in The Middlesboro Daily News. "For decades, before each Bell County Bobcat home football game, a public prayer for the players’ well-being was said, and due to a complaint by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), that public prayer will no longer be said. The Foundation alleges that a student within the school district complained about the tradition. ... (I)nstead of the prayer, a pre-game moment of silence may be the new tradition at Bell County high school athletic events." Bell County isn't the only one; The Christian Post noted that a Mississippi school district was making the same change.

Louisville Central (AP Class 3A No. 1) vs. Goodpasture Christian of Tennessee, Paducah Tilghman (AP Class 3A No. 2) vs. Evansville F.J. Reitz, Louisville Ballard vs. Byrnes (S.C.) and Louisville Saint Xavier vs. Riverdale (Tenn.) in Saturday's Bluegrass Classic at the University of Louisville. Wazoo Sports, a TV network based in London, Ky., is broadcasting the Tilghman-Reitz clash live. There's a big Woehler-family reunion tomorrow, so gathering around a TV to watch this game really should be the main event, given that the game pits the former teams of my two brothers.

Christian County vs. Clarksville (Tenn.) and Hopkinsville vs. Lone Oak in Saturday's "Toyota of Hopkinsville/Jerry Claiborne Bowl." My parents-in-law bought their Camry hybrid at Toyota of Hopkinsville, so I guess these games will be the ones that my wife's side of the family will be more fixated on tomorrow.

Fort Knox at Hart County. I want to check out Colton's Steak House in Radcliff. I love non-chain steak houses.

Paintsville at Paris. Paris went 0-10 last season, but the 1973, '81 and '82 Class A state champions opened this season with a win and then got a couple of votes for this week's Class A AP poll. "All Associated Press members in Kentucky are eligible to participate in the high school football poll. Those who voted for this week's poll are: Daily News, Bowling Green; Times-Tribune, Corbin; The Advocate-Messenger, Danville; The News-Enterprise, Elizabethtown; Glasgow Daily Times; Kentucky New Era, Hopkinsville; Lexington Herald-Leader; The Courier-Journal, Louisville; The Middlesboro Daily News; The Paducah Sun; The Winchester Sun; WKYX."

Hopkins County Central at Crittenden County and Union County vs. Caldwell County in Marion on Friday and Saturday, respectively, in the "Kentucky National Guard Warrior Bowl."

Rowan County vs. Southwestern and Pulaski County at Somerset. These two games make up the "Ray Correll Bowl." I think I looked up just who Ray Correll is last season, but I don't remember the answer. As always, watch for continuing "Ah, footbah" coverage in the comments over the weekend.

Beechwood vs. Simon Kenton, Covington Catholic at Edgewood Dixie Heights and Newport Central Catholic (AP Class 2A No. 1) vs. Archbishop McNicholas of Ohio. The first two games of the "Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown" are tonight; the third, Saturday.

Mayfield (Class A AP No. 1) vs. Evansville Harrison and Madisonville-North Hopkins at Graves County in Saturday's "Jackson Purchase Alliance Bowl."

Bryan Station vs. Eastern, Lexington Tates Creek vs. Union Larry A. Ryle and Harlan County vs. Lexington Paul Laurence Dunbar. These Saturday games conclude the "FCPS iHigh.com Football Frenzy."

Calloway County at Murray. WNBS 1340 AM called this game the "Crosstown Classic," in a Tweet this morning.

Fort Campbell at Russellville and Trigg County at Todd County Central. I'm going to refer to these games as the "Two-lane U.S. 68/Ky. 80 Memorial Bowl."

Louisville DeSales at Central Hardin.

Russell County vs. Whitley County

Fulton City at Ballard Memorial.

Reidland at Heath.

Evansville (Ind.) North at Henderson County.

Metcalfe County at Monroe County.

Montgomery Bell of Tennessee at Louisville Trinity (AP Class 6A No. 1).

Franklin-Simpson at Warren Central.