High School Football Returns To Arlington Heights

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — It has been a two-year wait for the return of Friday night fall football in many American communities, where gathering at the local high school stadium has become a long-standing early school year tradition.

In some places, such as Illinois, high school football is making a return to the fall after a 2020 season that was largely put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead of taking the field last fall, many schools held football season in the spring — which, on school sports calendars, can run anywhere from February through June.

In Illinois, that meant abbreviated six-game schedules and no playoffs. It wasn't exactly the time of year when prep sports enthusiasts are accustomed to getting behind their alma mater on the gridiron.

This year, the season has already begun in some states.

Fall football season at the high school level has already kicked off in Alaska and Utah, according to MaxPreps.com, a site covering high school athletics nationwide. Sixteen more states will begin contests on the weekend of Aug. 20-21, with others set to begin either the final weekend of August or in early September.

HERSEY HUSKIES (Arlington Heights)

Mid-Suburban East (Coached by Joe Pardun)

• Week 1: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Lincoln-Way West (non-conference)
• Week 2: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, at Palatine (non-conference)
• Week 3: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, at Maine East (non-conference)
• Week 4: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, home vs. Glenbrook North (non-conference)
• Week 5: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, home vs. Elk Grove (conference)
• Week 6: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, home vs. Rolling Meadows (conference)
• Week 7: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, at Wheeling (conference)
• Week 8: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct 15, home vs. Prospect (conference)
• Week 9: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at Buffalo Grove (conference)

SAINT VIATOR LIONS (Arlington Heights)

Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference (Coached by Dave Archibald)

• Week 1: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 27, at South Elgin (non-conference)
• Week 2: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3, at Morgan Park (non-conference)
• Week 3: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, home vs. DePaul Prep College (non-conference)
• Week 4: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at Carmel (conference)
• Week 5: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, at Niles Notre Dame (conference)
• Week 6: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, home vs. Marian Catholic (conference)
• Week 7: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, at Saint Ignatius College Prep (conference)
• Week 8: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct 15, home vs. Chicago Mt. Carmel (conference)
• Week 9: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, home vs. St. Patrick (conference)

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