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Prep Football: A Tradition Unlike Any Other

The Masters Golf Tournament is a tradition like no other.

And then there is Harrisburg and Mt. Carmel.

The two started playing football for the first time in 1911. They took a break and resumed in 1923.

But since 1985, the two schools have not missed a beat.

A rivalry is renewed once again this Friday as the Bulldogs, who finished 7-3 a year ago, play host to the Aces.

Despite the numerous encounters on the field, the similarities likely stop there as both teams enter the 2106 campaign with different looks.

Harrisburg lost a lot of team speed with the graduation of guys like Tylor Marler, Aaron Stephens and Corbin Crim in the backfield, while the Aces return running back Trevor Kennard, who had over 1,400 yards a year ago.

Last season, Kennard played like a pin ball on Red Bull against the Bulldogs.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound scatback, finished with 33 carries for 313 yards and four touchdowns on the night. He also caught one pass for a TD and had close to 50 yards in the air.

Jackson Marcotte, a 6-foot-8 wide out who caught 5 passes for 29 yards against Harrisburg last season returns, as does Darren Peach's son, Daxton.

Daxton will assume starting quarterback duties in place of graduating senior Pete Smith after Daxton missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

Harrisburg also has a new look at QB in junior Isaiah Saulsberry. In the backfield, Way expects to feature Hunter Smith and Blake Drue.

Last year's 44-31 loss for Harrisburg at Riverview Stadium was more like a track meet than a football game. Way knows he'll have his hands full again this year.

"It's a great opening game and there is a lot of tradition behind it," Way said. "If you win, it's a great victory, but at the same time, it would be nice to be like some of the teams on Week 1 and have a sure-win on your schedule. Mt. Carmel didn't lose many people off last year's team. You have your hands full with them every year and we have to figure out some way to slow them down."

Slowing them down may be where Way feels like his team has a chance. The longtime coach believes that defense could be a big key for the Bulldogs this year.

"I like our depth," he said. "We have a lot of kids and some really good backups. We have to be better defensively and until we play, we simply won't know if we are or not. Our whole key is we have to play better defense than we did last year."

It's a tough non-conference slate for Harrisburg, who after opening the season with Mt. Carmel, will play Du Quoin in Week 2 and will travel to Boonville, Indiana in Week 3.

"That's another factor," Way added in needing a Week 1 win. "You have to go to Indiana and my understanding is they are going with the 40 second play clock this year, which will be something different. We need to win one of the first two, if we don't, we'll find out how quickly our guys will bounce back."

Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.